Last fall, a record-breaking 500 Miami University students and community members gathered at Lewis Place for President Gregory Crawford and University Ambassador Renate Crawford’s M.O.V.E. Bootcamp.
The official bootcamp instructor, Bridget Stafford, recalls nerves creeping in as she walked up the stairs and onto the patio. But leading bootcamp over the past three years quickly built up her confidence. As she looked into the crowd, she was met with a magical moment. There was her mom, who made a surprise visit that day.
Bridget and her mom enjoying M.O.V.E. Bootcamp
It’s just one of many Miami memories Bridget will carry with her as she and her peers approach commencement.
A Leader On and Off Campus
While Bridget is a strong leader for the popular M.O.V.E. Bootcamp, she’s developed her leadership portfolio through many campus and Oxford community experiences over the past four years.
“I am going to miss Miami so much. As I reflect back on my time as a student, I can confidently say that I have really done it all,” she said. “Miami opened so many doors for me and I took each and every opportunity. When I really think about it I did everything across the board.”
She served as a student manager at the Rec Center while also teaching classes, oversaw marketing for a student housing rental company, and was the assistant manager at Rapid Fire Pizza in Uptown.
Learning Through Experience
Bridget’s drive for leadership and personal growth also shows up in the classroom. She is a double major in Mathematics and Integrated Mathematics Education (grades 7-12) with a Spanish minor.
“I have wanted to be a teacher ever since I was young. I actually had my dad build me a classroom in the basement and I would play school with the other kids that lived in my neighborhood,” she reminisced.
Bridget with President Gregory Crawford and University Ambassador Renate Crawford.
In addition to her classroom studies at Miami, Bridget took the opportunity to study abroad in Costa Rica. She has also been involved in the Urban Cohort Program and Miami University Council of Teachers of Mathematics.
Those experiences helped Bridget develop the confidence and communication skills she hopes to bring into her future classroom.
As she prepares to lead her final M.O.V.E. Bootcamp, Bridget looks back on the one-of-a-kind classes.
“The bootcamps are such a unique and incredible experience. Not many universities can say they have leaders like President Crawford and Dr. Renate Crawford that gather their students to move and work out together to promote health and wellness,” she said.
While the Crawfords have helped make M.O.V.E. Bootcamp a meaningful tradition at Miami, Bridget has played an equally important role in building the energy and sense of community that students have come to love. As graduation approaches, the Miami community is excited to see where her next chapter takes her.
