The Fitchburg State University Community Orchestra and Concert Band will perform their fall concert at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 21 in Weston Auditorium, 353 North St. Admission is free and open to the public. The concert, “Music of Sun and War,” will feature music from the video games Skyrim and Celeste featuring guest pianists, Professor Jane Fiske and Cindy Schilling.  The Community Orchestra is led by Professor Hildy Schilling and the Concert Band is led by Professor Amy McGlothlin. Donations to the university’s Falcon Bazaar food and necessities pantry will be accepted at the door. Donors are encouraged to bring shampoo and single serving macaroni and cheese containers for the pantry. “We are excited to present this fall concert which will feature several guest artists and soloists as well as providing a donation spot for much needed supplies for our students,” McGlothlin said. To learn more about Fitchburg State’s offerings, including upcoming instrumental and choral concerts, please visit fitchburgstate.edu/music.

Fitchburg State University celebrated Veterans Day with a ceremony honoring those who served and paying tribute to a fallen alumnus with the re-dedication of a memorial bench on the university quadrangle. U.S. Army First Lt. Theodore A. "Ted" Thompson, Jr., born on Sept. 11, 1942, graduated from Fitchburg State in 1966, where he was a member of the Esoteric Society fraternity. Lt. Thompson was killed in action in Vietnam on Sept. 8, 1968, just three days before his 26th birthday. Carol Cioffari, Lt. Thompson’s sister, recalled her brother and his calling to follow their father’s example by joining the service. “We were Army brats,” she said, joking that she was the “brat” and her brother was “the good kid.” “It’s something he grew up with,” Cioffari said. “Teddy was immersed in the military. It’s what he wanted to do.” Carol Cioffari recalled her brother's passion to serve his country. She recalled her brother as a gentle soul who loved his family and his country. “I didn’t really see him going into the service because he was so easygoing, but that is exactly what he wanted to do, to make his family proud,” Cioffari said. He went to officer’s training school after graduating from Fitchburg State and was commissioned as an officer, serving in the 101st Airborne Division. The family was nervous when he deployed to Vietnam, but were comforted by the knowledge he was pursuing a long-held desire to serve. When he was wounded in Spring 1968, she said, it was while trying to rescue another injured soldier. Lt. Thompson was hospitalized for a month with his injuries. “He wanted to get back to his men,” Cioffari said. “Like a true soldier, that’s what he wanted to do.” She recalled their father offering to intervene to get his son out of harm’s way. “My father made a phone call and said, ‘I know people in the Pentagon, I can get you a desk job until it’s time for you to come home,’” Cioffari said. “Teddy said, ‘I’ll never talk to you again if you do that, Dad. I’m going back into the field. It’s where I belong.’ And that is what he did, as soon as he was able.” Lt. Thompson was killed in action on Sept. 8, 1968, just three days before his 26th birthday. Cioffari said the family was comforted by reports that he didn’t suffer, but the loss is still keenly felt. “I know the way my brother was,” Cioffari said. “He probably would have done another tour of duty there and he would have gone back more than willingly, because of his love of country and loyalty and fight for freedom. His loss will never be forgotten.” A bench commemorating Lt. Thompson and his service was rededicated at the ceremony, installed near the entrance to Thompson Hall, which holds the university’s Veterans Center. University President Donna Hodge honored the student veterans and their contributions to the institution and the nation. President Hodge “At Fitchburg State, we are fortunate to count many veterans among us, individuals whose dedication to service continues to shape and strengthen our community,” Hodge said. “Today, we celebrate that Legacy of Loyalty and Service in several ways. We honor the service and sacrifice of millions of veterans and their families who have protected our country, here and abroad. We honor our Massachusetts veterans, whose commitment to duty has enriched our state. And we honor our local North Central Massachusetts veterans, including the many here on our campus, whose loyalty and service inspire us all.” Hodge recalled her own father and his service during the Vietnam War and how it forever changed him. “My father’s been gone 30 years now, felled by things much more generic than mortar fire or napalm, but I miss him every day, and I'm grateful he was willing and able to serve, and even more grateful that, like each of you, he made his way home. His legacy, like yours, is one of loyalty and service. “At Fitchburg State, we strive to be a university that welcomes all and celebrates the diversity and dedication of our community,” she continued. “Today, as we reflect on Veterans Day, let us honor the Legacy of Loyalty and Service that defines our veterans. You are the heart of Fitchburg State, and I am honored to stand with you every single day.” Andres Crespo, of Leominster, a senior studying business administration, spoke on behalf of the university’s student veterans. “Our service is full of moments of hardships and triumphs,” Crespo said. “Those who have, understand that freedom comes with a price and with that, a fire is instilled within us to be part of something bigger than ourselves.”  Crespo said seeing his father in uniform inspired him to join the military. “In that instant I knew I had no other purpose but to follow in his footsteps and serve with such dedication, courage and sacrifice as he did,” he said.  Two months after graduating high school in 2019, Crespo was in basic training at Fort Benning in Georgia. Throughout, he was grateful to receive regular letters from his proud father.  “During my training, the drill sergeants made it competitive for those who wanted an airborne contract,” Crespo said. “I knew that I had to do whatever I could to get this. I thought to myself, ‘I’ll get paid to jump out of planes with a weapon attached to my hip? Sign me up!’” Crespo won the contract and proceeded to airborne school, and at age 19 was an Airborne Infantryman. Andres Crespo “I graduated from Airborne School in November (of 2020) and came home for a couple of weeks to do hometown recruiting, and then afterwards I got to my unit mid-December,” he said. His break was cut short when the U.S. embassy in Iraq was attacked and he was ordered back for a rapid deployment. “A couple of days later I was on a plane to the middle east,” he said. “The unit and I were camped out around 30 miles north of Baghdad in Camp Taji. What is crazy about this is that when my father went to Iraq, he was also based in Camp Taji. That is how I knew that what I was doing was meant to be.” Another combat deployment followed in August 2021, as American forces were withdrawing from Afghanistan. “There is not much to say about that one since everyone knows what happened,” Crespo said. “It was the worst deployment I had, and let’s just say that I am very grateful for being here today. By the age of 20 I already had two combat deployments and I could not have done it without the support of my family, but I most certainly could not have done it without my brothers and sisters that served beside me. I am glad to have met my fellow veterans here on campus and to have them to simply converse with and share a coffee together. “The veteran support here has made everything easier for me personally and I truly appreciate every single one of them,” Crespo continued. “Each one of them has their own stories and I am happy that they share theirs with me. As we gather to honor our veterans, past and present, let us remember what this bench symbolizes and as everyone passes by: it allows them to reflect and pay their respects. This shows that we will never be forgotten and the appreciation towards those who have served.” Professor Sean Goodlett of the Economics, History and Political Science Department presided over the ceremony. “Today’s ceremony carries a lot of personal meaning for myself and my spouse, as well,” he said. “In our extended family we have numerous Veterans and active-duty service members – grandparents, parents, and cousins who served in the Army and Army National Guard, cousins serving in the Marines, an uncle in the Navy. They served in World War II, Vietnam, and the Gulf War, and now our own son has enlisted in the Navy. In short, as a family we value service to this country.” View additional photos from the event on the Burg Blog.

Fitchburg State University's Community Read of A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win World War II by Sophia Purnell continues in November. There will be a book discussion at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 6 at the Leominster Public Library, 30 West St. The program, sponsored by the Friends of the Leominster Public Library, will be facilitated by the library's local history and genealogy librarian Diane Sanabria. No registration required, and the event is free and open to the public. Next, the public is invited to "Writing Home to Fitchburg: A Reading of WWII Service Members’ Letters" at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 7 at the Fitchburg Historical Society, 781 Main St. A Woman of No Importance was chosen as a Best Book of the Year by NPR, the New York Public Library, Amazon, the Seattle Times, the Washington Independent Review of Books, PopSugar, the Minneapolis Star Tribune, BookBrowse, the Spectator, and the Times of London. In 1942, the Gestapo sent out an urgent transmission: “She is the most dangerous of all Allied spies. We must find and destroy her.” The target in their sights was Virginia Hall, a Baltimore socialite who talked her way into Special Operations Executive, the spy organization dubbed Winston Churchill’s “Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare.” She became the first Allied woman deployed behind enemy lines and–despite her prosthetic leg–helped to light the flame of the French Resistance, revolutionizing secret warfare as we know it. Based on new and extensive research, Sonia Purnell has for the first time uncovered the full secret life of Virginia Hall–an astounding and inspiring story of heroism, spycraft, resistance, and personal triumph over shocking adversity. A Woman of No Importance is the breathtaking story of how one woman’s fierce persistence helped win the war. Learn more about the Community Read at fitchburgcommunityread.com.

A thriller about prejudice and its dark manifestations is the fall theater production from Fitchburg State University’s Communications Media Department. “American Underground,” written by Brent Askari and directed by university Professor Kelly Morgan, will be staged in November at the Wallace Theater for the Performing Arts at the McKay Complex, 67 Rindge Road. Admission is free and open to the public. In “American Underground,” playwright Brent Askari shines a spotlight on America’s history of constructing a societal Other. Just like the Irish, Italians, Jewish, Japanese and other waves of immigration before them; Muslims in Askari’s fictional, near-future America face persecution on a widespread, deadlier scale. The play follows Jeff and his family as their ethics and morals are put on trial when they decide to shelter Sherri, a Muslim-American hiding from the Government. Will freedom ring at the end of the story or will the more vulnerable members of our society become just another statistic?  “American Underground” is presented by Fitchburg State University’s Communications Media Department in association with the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community of Fitchburg. There will be an audience discussion following the debut performance on Wednesday, Nov. 13, with Furqan Mehmud of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. “This play is about Islam and it gives us an opportunity to combat Islamophobia,” Mehmud said. “Hopefully it will make people aware of Islam and lead them to ask questions to combat the misinformation out there.” The production is being mounted with two full casts, composed of current Fitchburg State students as well as alumni, who will take the stage on alternating performances. The play will be performed at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 13; Thursday, Nov. 14; Friday, Nov. 15; Wednesday, Nov. 20; Thursday, Nov. 21; Friday, Nov. 22; and Saturday, Nov. 23. There will also be matinee performances at 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 16; Sunday, Nov. 17; and Sunday, Nov. 24.

The Music Mega-Mix, Fitchburg State University’s showcase of bite-sized performances by its Community Orchestra, Concert Band, Chamber Choir, Concert Choir, and Modern Band will be held at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 22 in Weston Auditorium, 353 North St. Admission is free and open to the public. The ensembles consist of students, alumni, faculty, staff, and community members. The Community Orchestra is conducted by Professor Hildur Schilling. Associate Professor Jonathan Harvey conducts the Chamber Choir and Concert Choir, and the Concert Band and Modern Band are conducted by Associate Professor Amy McGlothlin. Learn more about the university's music offerings at fitchburgstate.edu/music.

Fitchburg State University Professor Kisha Tracy’s book Heritages of Change: Curatorial Activism and First-Year Writing was recently a finalist for a national award recognizing excellence in open educational resources. Tracy, a member of Fitchburg State’s English Studies Department, was one of four finalists for the 2024 Open Education Global Award for Excellence in the category of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. While her book did not win first place, Tracy is proud to have the work recognized, along with illustrating Fitchburg State’s commitment to open educational resources (OER). “I am honored to have Heritages of Change named one of the top four open education resources for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the world,” Tracy said. “It means so much to have both my ideas and my students' work validated in such a way." Open Education Global is a non-profit organization supporting the development and use of free educational resources with a vision of expanding access to education and improving student success. Tracy’s book, which can be downloaded for free, was created for first-year writing students. The volume came about in response to the sensation that writers practice and research in a vacuum, when writing is essentially about communication. Heritages of Change: Curatorial Activism and First-Year Writing was conceived as a method for students to think about the social changes that were prevalent during the COVID years and remain important in their wake. Heritages of Change is a lens for thinking and writing about these ideas.  “Students have so much to say about the world around them,” Tracy said. “Thinking, researching, and writing about those ideas is not only significant for them, but also important for others to hear and read.” Fitchburg State is one of six Massachusetts institutions participating in the Remixing Open Textbooks through an Equity Lens (ROTEL) grant through the Department of Education. This project provides stipends for faculty to remix and/or develop accessible, intentionally inclusive open textbooks and other OER that reflect students’ local and lived experiences.

Adriana Padilla Salgado, left, and Alexia Perez-Lucas at the United Nations in New York City. Fitchburg State University President Donna Hodge accompanied two first-generation students to the recent GlobalMindEd/Foundation to Support the United Nations conference in New York City. GlobalMindEd is an inclusive success network that connects the least economically resourced students to role models, mentors, internships, experiences, and jobs. The conference was held at the United Nations.  Hodge, in her first year leading Fitchburg State, was joined at the conference by students Alexia Perez-Lucas and Adriana Padilla Salgado. “I was privileged to accompany these remarkable young women as they were able to be at the table with government dignitaries, financial leaders, and elected officials to discuss their experiences as first-generation college students,” Hodge said. “Alexia and Adriana were incredible ambassadors for Fitchburg State and the life-changing experiences we seek to cultivate every day.” “Representing Fitchburg State at this event was an incredible honor and a deeply enriching experience,” said Perez-Lucas, who is majoring in political science with a concentration in international politics. “The sheer scale of New York City, coupled with the historic significance of the UN, created a sense of awe and responsibility. Walking into such a storied institution, where global decisions are made, felt surreal. I was immediately aware of the immense impact this body has on the world, and I felt privileged to be part of discussions that reflect the UN’s mission of fostering cooperation.” Padilla Salgado, majoring in education, also found the experience eye-opening. “If you had asked me two years ago if I would have been able to do something like this, I would have said no,” she said.  “Fitchburg State has opened up so many opportunities for me and I am forever grateful that I was able to represent the institution.” Perez-Lucas said she felt a profound sense of belonging and security at the conference, being joined by so many other first-generation students from across the country. “There was an instant connection with others who, like me, are facing the unique challenges of being the first in their families to pursue higher education,” she said. “Seeing how many of us are working hard to overcome similar struggles made me realize that there is a large community of us navigating these complex systems together.” She said she emerged from the conference with a renewed sense of purpose as she continues her studies. “This sense of camaraderie reinforced my belief in the importance of providing support, mentorship, and experiences that help first-generation students thrive in higher education,” she said. “Overall, this experience has broadened my perspective on the importance of empowering first-generation college students and has given me the drive to continue working not just for myself but for others who are on the same path. The strength and resilience of this community have inspired me to push even harder and to advocate for greater support and opportunities for all of us making this journey right now and those who will make the journey after us.” Padilla Salgado also found the experience deeply informative.  “As I watched the many panels and sessions, I took in as much information as I could regarding education specifically, considering I’m an education major hoping to pursue a career in working with English language learners,” Padilla Salgado said. “Each panel had highly inspiring speakers from different backgrounds with diverse perspectives, but many had commonalities. Many of the speakers began as first generation students just like I am, and are now on the stage at a conference at the United Nations. I want my future students to never believe that they cannot accomplish their dreams and goals and to take every opportunity that comes their way, as multiple speakers shared in their sessions.”

The thought-provoking woodcarvings of artist C.A. Stigliano will be the subject of an exhibition this fall in the Hammond Hall Art Gallery at Fitchburg State University. “We Are Not Okay” will be on display from Monday, Oct. 21 through Friday, Dec. 13 in the art gallery inside Hammond Hall, 160 Pearl St. There will be an opening reception and artist talk at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 24 at the gallery. “This show, about the state of things in this country, in this culture, worries me,” Stigliano writes. “All of this work has been created in the past five years. The past five years have been a nightmare of disease and deception. We live in a culture that profits from anger and fear. If a person or a class or a tribe can be made angry enough, or fearful enough, they can be sold anything; a lie, or a gun, or a horribly unqualified candidate for office. Fear forces people to act, to buy, or to vote. Anger coupled with fear drives people to violence.” And yet, he continued, he has hope. “I find hope in the angry voices of women who will not be forced back into the narrow choices of a century ago, and who refuse to sit quietly while their children go out into an unsafe world, and I find hope in those children, in the generations that have followed mine. So many of them look beyond their own welfare and so many are blessed with the will and the strength and the courage to fight.” Stigliano, born in 1955, recently retired from a career in teaching that spanned nearly 50 years, primarily at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design. Among the pieces in this exhibition is “Galatea,” a carved female nude with articulated joints that can be posed or manipulated as a puppet. It is five feet, eight inches tall, made of wood, and covered with tattoos. All of the images, 65 in total, are taken from works of art, and all represent or refer to violence against women. The originals from which they are derived are two and three-dimensional artworks dating from the 5th century BCE to the late 20th century. “The title of the piece comes from the story of a legendary Greek sculptor named Pygmalion, who, unhappy with the women he has encountered in his life, creates Galatea, an ideal figure of ivory,” Stigliano writes. “He dresses the object in fine clothes and jewelry, creates for it a beautiful bed and prays to Aphrodite to give life to his creation.” In the story, the fantasy becomes reality and the two live happily ever after. “The idea that one can create a woman to suit one’s purposes is older than ancient Greece and not limited to sculptors and painters,” Stigliano continued. “The desire to create the perfect woman, coupled with the inability to remake a human being into that ideal, results in the inevitable failure of the fantasy. Too often, the heterosexual male reaction is violence. Traditional representation of the female in art bears a certain amount of responsibility for the promotion of this concept and the accompanying violence. The female nude comes with consequences."

The Center for Italian Culture at Fitchburg State University invites the public to test their knowledge of all things Italian with a fun and participatory trivia contest at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 24 in the Falcon Hub at Hammond Hall. Tickets for La Serata Trivia are $10 and may be ordered on the Center for Italian Culture website at fitchburgstate.edu/cic. The ticket price includes a delicious selection of cicchetti (Italian-style appetizers) and a variety of Italian wines and beers will be available for purchase. Prizes will also be awarded. The game will be held between teams of six, so participants may bring friends or make new teams on the spot. The friendly competition is designed to be enjoyed by experts in Italian culture, history or food, or just looking for an enjoyable night out.  The program is part of the Center for Italian Culture’s celebration of Italian-American Heritage Month. Learn more and order tickets at fitchburgstate.edu/resources/our-community/center-italian-culture/center-italian-culture-programming-ay-2024-2025.