Learn how to identify fake news and misinformation online with faculty and librarians from Fitchburg State University at 11 a.m. Sunday, March 22 at the Bull Run Restaurant in Shirley. This interactive workshop will use real-life examples to cover the impact of misinformation, the importance of truth, and how to spot and fight fake news, regardless of politics. Panelists will include: Assistant Professor Wafa Unus (English Studies) teaches journalism, news reporting and writing, and advises the student newspaper. Her research covers local news deserts, the history of American journalism, contemporary journalism practice as influenced by seminal moments and individuals in early American journalism, journalism curriculum in higher education and news literacy. "The ability to navigate this new iteration of news media is, in part, dependent on our understanding of the process and function of journalism," Unus said. "Complicated by its unique position as a public trust in a private industry, the product of news can sometimes overshadow its value as a public necessity. News literacy is a foundational, and increasingly necessary skill for today's informed citizen. If we are to learn how to evaluate information and identify 'fake news,' we must too understand the function of the 'non-fake' news as a fixture of a democratic society. Workshops like this one have a unique impact. They, hopefully, empower individuals to take control, and ownership, of the information that surrounds them. When frustration peaks, and trust is low, discussing information as something manageable changes us from concerned or confused spectators to curious and engaged actors. A greater appreciation for the power of information can motivate us to become active participants in the securing of its integrity." Instruction and Research Librarian Renée Fratantonio teaches information literacy and research strategies for students and faculty. She specializes in misinformation and is responsible for creating and maintaining a guide for understanding and researching fake news on the Fitchburg State library's website. "We aim to teach others mindsets and strategies for evaluating information in multiple formats," Fratantonio said. "It is easy to be deceived by misinformation and fake news online, in part, because anything can be made to look professional and trustworthy. While many people can recognize a tabloid magazine for what it is, digital 'tabloids,' and other more manipulative sites, are not easily recognizable. This is an opportunity to think critically and reflect upon what we consider trustworthy sources and learn how to find, evaluate, and share information ethically." Assistant Professor J.J. Sylvia IV (Communications Media) teaches classes on human communication and communication law and ethics. His research focuses on analyzing the impacts of big data, algorithms, and other new media.  "New technological innovations tend to shift the way we learn about and interact with the world,” Sylvia said. “This was as true for the printing press and the telegraph as it is for the internet and social media today. But living through one of these periods of innovation can be disorienting because we haven't yet fully understood how these tools work or how they impact us. For me, one of the major aims of this workshop and our broader research on fake news is to start getting our bearings in this new information age.”   Assistant Professor Kyle Moody (Communications Media) teaches classes on social media, professional communication, and media history. His research covers online community information exchanges, mods for video games, and rituals of human-electronic communication.  “Fake news and misinformation impacts all of us, old and young, progressive and conservative,” said Moody. “But identifying misinformation can be difficult. The goal of this workshop is to provide essential training in locating and navigating misinformation of all stripes, all while in a relaxing environment that encourages collegiality and engagement. Put simply, we want to make truth and information great again. As Fitchburg State continues to fight fake news through its strong interdisciplinary liberal arts and science focus, we’ll show members of the community how we use modern tools to combat misinformation.” Tickets are $23 and include brunch buffet, all tax and gratuity (with breakfast service starting at 10 a.m.). A cash bar will also be available. Tickets can be ordered online. Back to News

Fitchburg State University and the Massachusetts Municipal Police Training Committee (MPTC) have renewed the agreement governing the university’s groundbreaking criminal justice program, whose graduates complete, in five years, bachelor’s and master’s degrees plus certification to work as police officers in municipal departments across the state. Officials from the university and MPTC signed the renewed pact on Wednesday, Feb. 12. The five-year program, believed to be the first of its kind in the nation, graduated its first cohort from the academy in 2018. Approximately 30 students will be completing their baccalaureate degrees in criminal justice this May and will begin their academy curriculum this summer, including firearms, defensive tactics and emergency vehicle operations. This fall they will start their master’s degrees. Graduates from the first two cohorts are already employed by police departments in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. “The police program is founded on the principle that better education and training creates better police officers,” Fitchburg State President Richard S. Lapidus said. “This program creates a clear path for dedicated students to pursue their ambitions to serve their communities in this vital, continually evolving profession.” “The graduates this program is producing are incredible,” said interim MPTC Executive Director Robert J. Ferullo. “Leaders in this profession are buying into this program that is turning out well-educated, fully trained police officers.” To learn more about the program, visit the Criminal Justice page. Back to News

Fitchburg State University has earned the 2020-2021 Military Friendly^®School designation. Institutions earning the Military Friendly^®School designation were evaluated using both public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey. More than 1,000 schools participated in the 2020-2021 survey with 695 earning the designation. The 2020-­2021 Military Friendly® Schools list will be published in the May issue of G.I. Jobs magazine and can be found on the Military Friendly website. Methodology, criteria, and weightings were determined by Viqtory with input from the Military Friendly^®Advisory Council of independent leaders in the higher education and military recruitment community. Final ratings were determined by combining the institution’s survey scores with the assessment of the institution’s ability to meet thresholds for Student Retention, Graduation, Job Placement, Loan Repayment, Persistence (Degree Advancement or Transfer) and Loan Default rates for all students and, specifically, for student veterans. “We are honored to once again receive Military Friendly designation,” Fitchburg State President Richard S. Lapidus said. “Our campus community is committed to supporting those who served in achieving their academic goals, and we welcome the diverse life experiences that student veterans bring to our institution.” “Our ability to apply a clear, consistent standard to colleges creates a competitive atmosphere that encourages colleges to invest in programs to provide educational outcomes that are better for the Military Community as a whole,” said Military Friendly’s National Director Josh Rosen. For more information about Fitchburg State’s student veteran programs, visit the Veteran Services page. About Military Friendly^® Schools The Military Friendly^® Schools list is created each year based on extensive research using public data sources for more than 8,800 schools nationwide, input from student veterans, and responses to the proprietary, data­-driven Military Friendly® Schools survey from participating institutions. The survey questions, methodology, criteria and weighting were developed with the assistance of an independent research firm and an advisory council of educators and employers. The survey is administered for free and is open to all post­secondary schools that wish to participate. Criteria for consideration can be found on the Military Friendly website. Back to News

For the seventh year in a row, all of the Fitchburg State University students and recent graduates who participated in the recent national University Resident Theatre Association (URTA) auditions in New York City are fielding offers from professional theaters and graduate programs across the U.S. and Great Britain. Savanah Hippert of Worcester, a senior majoring in English Studies with a minor in theater, said it was a rewarding but nerve-wracking experience to audition in front of recruiters from URTA’s 43 member universities. She said Professor Kelly Morgan – who directs the university’s professional theater concentration – offered her good advice: “Just give a truthful performance.” Hippert took that to heart as she faced the audition. “I like to think, ‘Nothing ventured, nothing gained,’” she said. “And people are just people.” Hippert had prepared two contrasting monologues – one comedic, one dramatic – for her first two-minute audition. Then she was called back for another round. She emerged from the two days in New York with seven colleges and theater programs interested in her for their Master of Fine Arts tracks. “It was a great learning experience,” she said. As she evaluates her next steps, Hippert is already preparing for her lead role in the university’s upcoming theater production Ugly Lies the Bone, being staged in April. Professor Morgan, a member of the Communications Media Department, was proud of all seven Fitchburg State students who participated in the URTAs. “These seven soon-to-be-graduating students performed extremely well and drew interest from professional regional theaters, graduate programs, and professional actor training programs across the United States and Great Britain,” said Morgan, noting that for the past seven years the university has a 100 percent success rate in securing offers for participating students. “They must now sift through the possibilities presented to them to determine which offers to accept.” The students, and the programs they are weighing, are listed here: Steven Beck of ShirleyCalifornia State at Long Beach East 15 School - Great Britain Long Island University California Institute of the Arts UCLA Wayne State University Florida State Christopher Casper of HanoverStella Adler Studio Regent College Royal Birmingham Conservatorie - Great Britain Meighread Dandaneau of FairhavenColumbia College of Chicago Guilford School Royal Birmingham Conservatorie - Great Britain Dell'Arte International HB Studio Circle-in-the-Square Conservatory Boston Conservatory at Berkley Savannah School of Art & Design Regent College Stella Adler Studio Nina DiRusso of LeominsterUniversity of Central Florida Boston Conservatory at Berkley Liverpool Institute for the Performing Arts - Great Britain Atlantic Acting School Savannah School of Art & Design HB Studio Daniel Hankins of Fall RiverRegent College Dell'Arte International Columbia College of Chicago University of Central Florida HB Studio Florida Atlantic University Stella Adler Studio University of Houston Savannah College of Art & Design University of the Arts/Pig Iron Theatre Company Savanah M. Hippert of WorcesterRegent College Dell'Arte International HB Studio Stella Adler Studio Atlantic Acting School Savannah College of Art & Design University of the Arts/Pig Iron Theatre Company Kaitlin Smith of PaxtonLiverpool Institute for the Performing Arts - Great Britain Dell'Arte International University of Central Florida Stella Adler Studio Regent College Back to News

Fitchburg State University will welcome choirs from across Massachusetts for a concert featuring music by composers of color at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22 in Weston Auditorium, 353 North St. Admission is free and open to the public. This will be the university’s first time hosting the Intercollegiate Choral Festival, according to Professor Jonathan Harvey, who directs Fitchburg State’s vocal groups. The show will feature nearly 200 students from nine institutions performing with guest conductor Anthony Trecek-King, president and artistic director of the award-winning Boston Children’s Chorus. In addition to Fitchburg State, student singers from Assumption College, Bay Path University, Clark University, College of the Holy Cross, Endicott College, Merrimack College, Plymouth (N.H.) State University, and UMass Boston will perform. “Bringing together college choirs from across Massachusetts to perform with guest conductor Anthony Trecek-King is such an exciting prospect for Fitchburg State, and the Fitchburg community,” Harvey said. “This performance will feature beautiful music by composers of color who are chronically under-performed. It's a chance to hear amazing music that you may not get the chance to hear again.” The festival is produced by the Massachusetts chapter of the American Choral Directors Association. Back to News

Fitchburg State President Richard S. Lapidus has announced the students who qualified for inclusion on the Dean’s List and President's List for the fall 2019 semester. A student is placed on the Dean’s List for the semester if an average grade of 3.20 or better is attained, and the student is attending the university full time. View the fall 2019 Dean's List (PDF). The President’s List honors students for consistently high academic achievement. A student is named to the list after achieving a 3.75 average in each of three successive semesters. View the fall 2019 President's List (PDF). Back to News

Fitchburg State University’s Center for Professional Studies is offering a new hybrid course this spring for educators and school staff on supporting LGBTQIA and gender-diverse students in K-12 environments. The course, which carries one graduate credit or 15 Department of Elementary and Secondary Education-approved professional development points, will run April 4 to May 9. There will be in-person sessions from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, April 4 and Saturday, May 2 at the Center for Professional Studies, 150B Main St. There will also be an additional nine hours of online coursework. The course, taught by Center for Professional Studies Assistant Director Dani Langdon, is an introduction into the challenges that Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual (LGBTQIA+) students face in schools on a daily basis. By understanding terminology, historical context, and preconceived notions the LGBTQIA+ community, educators can begin to creating intentional, inclusive, and supportive learning environments. The course will explore myths and perceptions, the prevalence and effects of bullying, unintended bias in schools and classrooms, and the laws and policies in place that affect LGBTQIA+ students. This course will give educators the tools to start developing a more inclusive curriculum, navigate conversations around gender and sexual orientation, and foster a respectful and engaging environment where all students can thrive. Learn more and register now online. Back to News

Fitchburg State will open its Robert E. Cormier archive in February for an exploration of themes in the celebrated local author’s enduring works. “Twisted Intimacy: Disturbing Perversions and Genuine Warmth - A Symposium and Archive Exhibit on Robert E. Cormier’s Life and Work” will be held from noon to 3 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 25 in the main lounge of Hammond Hall on the Fitchburg State campus, with a reception to follow in the university archives. Admission is free and open to the public. The keynote speaker will be Jarrett J. Krosoczka, author and illustrator of the acclaimed graphic memoir Hey, Kiddo: How I Lost My Mother, Found My Father, and Dealt with Family Addiction. The Symposium programming, sponsored with support from The University of Texas at Tyler, will also include two expert panel discussions. The first panel, featuring Deborah Stone (Nursing), Kori Ryan (Behavioral Sciences), and Lynne Kellner (Behavioral Sciences) will offer an exploration of theory, research and writing from their fields that will help shed light on some of the more subversive themes at the heart of the symposium.  In the second panel, faculty and librarians from diverse fields - including Laura Baker (EHPS), Annamary Consalvo (Education - UT Tyler), Katharine Covino (English Studies), and Asher Jackson (Archivist) will showcase a collection of pedagogic strategies and suggestions for those interested in using archives with students. There will also be a panel talk with Fitchburg State undergraduate students Sarah Desiderio, Gregor Goodlett, Paul Kariuki, Brigid McCue, Kelly Mansfield, Peter Morales-Gomez, Lucinda Orne, Kat Pellerin, Matthew Sadowski, Lauren Saunders, Nicole Snow, Courtney Soares, and Maggie Woelfel, who will explore engagement with the Cormier archives as part of Honors English I, Writing I and Young Adult Literature. Symposium organizers Katharine Covino (English Studies), Annamary Consalvo (Education - UT Tyler), and Elise Takehana (English Studies) can be contacted for further details. The event is part of Fitchburg State University’s 125th anniversary celebration. Throughout the 2019-20 academic year, the university will be holding programs celebrating the breadth and diversity of the institution and the vitality of its campus community.  Back to News

Two new works by Fitchburg State University alumnus Matt Cogswell ’07 will be performed in February by The Forge Theater Lab. The works will be presented at 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 14 and 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15 at Kent Recital Hall in the Conlon Fine Arts Building, 367 North St. Admission is free with suggested donations of $10. In Floating on Hope Ave, which will be performed as a staged reading, gay men of all ages and walks of life weave in and out of each other’s lives as they search for pleasure, love, and hope. In One Angry Gay Man, one actor portrays a parade of men who fight against their inner demons in order to find a sense of purpose. Floating on Hope Ave is directed by Kathleen O’Connor. The cast of Floating on Hope Ave includes local actors Simon Jensen-Fellow, Chris Merritt, Michael Walker, along with Fitchburg state alumni and students Kevin Boudreau ’13, Matt Cogswell ’07, Daniel Hankins ’20, and Brett Rochford ’20. This performance is not recommended for children under 14 because of adult language and content. The works are presented as part of The Forge’s Draft House 2020 series, which is sponsored by a generous donation from Andy Bayiates. ​The Forge Theater Lab, in residence at Fitchburg State University, develops new plays that ignite passionate conversations. Our first season began in December 2018 with Generations, a night of short plays by ten writers, and continued in 2019 with Draft House, four staged readings of plays in progress. The journey continues with season two, two full productions plus two staged readings. Back to News