- The Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP) has awarded full seven-year accreditation to the initial licensure programs in the Fitchburg State University School of Education. After reviewing the evidence collected through a process of self-study and peer review, the AAQEP Accreditation Commission issued the decision at its February 23 meeting along with the following rationale: The Commission evaluated the program’s evidence for each AAQEP standard and determined that all four standards are met. The program recruits and prepares candidates to work effectively as professional educators who can adapt to different contexts and continue to grow professionally. Fitchburg State University maintains program quality by analyzing evidence of its effectiveness and making revisions to benefit candidates. It works with stakeholders and partners to strengthen the P-20 education system by addressing local needs as part of preparation. “Congratulations to Fitchburg State and to all of the faculty, staff, and stakeholders who have achieved their goal of national accreditation by AAQEP,” said AAQEP President and CEO Mark LaCelle-Peterson. “The School of Education works closely with its partners to anticipate schools’ needs and to develop and diversify the teacher pipeline.” “We are proud of this acknowledgement of the rigorous standards to which we hold ourselves in service to all of our students, including those in the School of Education,” Fitchburg State President Richard S. Lapidus said. “Fitchburg State was founded in 1894 as a teacher-training institution, and this accreditation is another demonstration that we continue to evolve to respond to the changing needs of our students and the communities they will serve as educators.” “On behalf of the faculty and administrators in the School of Education, I am proud of this acknowledgement of our efforts, and the continued investment of time and resources into the highest standards for our students and future teachers,” said Dean of Education Nancy Murray. “This accreditation recognizes our efforts in our ability to work proactively with partners to address local needs, with a focus on early exposure by prospective candidates to support increasing accessibility and diversity in the teacher pipeline.” National accreditation assures the quality of professional preparation programs through a nongovernmental, nonregulatory process of self-study and peer review. This standards- and evidence-based process serves two broad aims: accountability and continuous improvement. The AAQEP model is also designed to honor local context and foster innovation and collaboration among institutions. AAQEP currently has members in 38 states and other jurisdictions with over 190 educator preparation providers participating in the accreditation system. About Fitchburg State University Fitchburg State University, a public institution located in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, is dedicated to integrating high-quality professional programs with strong liberal arts and sciences studies. Founded in 1894, the university has more than 30 undergraduate programs and 22 master's degree programs, and 6,000 full and part-time students. About AAQEP Founded in 2017, AAQEP is a membership association and quality assurance agency that provides accreditation services and formative support to all types of educator preparation providers. The organization promotes excellent, effective, and innovative educator preparation that is committed to evidence-based improvement in a collaborative professional environment. AAQEP is nationally recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. Visit aaqep.org for more information
- Instrumental and choral ensembles perform Music Mega Mix on March 26The 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 March 26 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 Assistant Professor Amy McGlothlin. Learn more about the university's music offerings at fitchburgstate.edu/music.
- Grants support augmented reality investments in nursing programKaleigh Visbaras Nursing students at Fitchburg State University will benefit from cutting edge technology and next-level simulations thanks to generous grants from the Elaine Nicpon Marieb Charitable Foundation and the George I. Alden Trust. The grants will fund wearable technology to let students and instructors utilize the latest augmented reality software as well as stipends for nursing and game design students to create and deploy new scenarios for nurses in training. (See more images from the simulation training on the Burg Blog.) “This really is cutting edge,” said Associate Professor Deborah Benes, chair of Fitchburg State’s Nursing Department. “We’re giving our students the opportunity to work with equipment they never would have seen before that’s being used in the workforce right now.” The Marieb Foundation was formed by Fitchburg State graduate Elaine (Nicpon) Marieb from the Class of 1984, a nurse turned textbook author. Her nursing-focused text on anatomy and physiology remains a key volume in the field, according to Professor Benes. With the grant funds, Fitchburg State has invested in technology from Gig XR, creators of a holographic healthcare training platform wherein students and faculty may interact with lifelike virtual patients in augmented reality. Wearing special headsets, the students can see and interact with virtual patients in the classroom or simulation lab, as well as analyze anatomy and physiology. “Elaine Marieb’s emphasis as an educator and author was innovation, she continually strived to improve the learning experience and to approach nursing education from a student’s perspective,” said Martin Wasmer, chair of the Marieb Foundation. Benes adds, “I think that’s what keeps her work so relevant. We have to keep growing and changing.” The George I. Alden Trust has also been a foundational partner in Fitchburg State’s commitment to ensure its nursing students graduate career-ready. The latest grant, supporting the investment in virtual and augmented reality technology, is the second such funding from the Alden Trust dedicated to excellence in nursing at Fitchburg State. The grants recognize the university’s regional role as a powerful driver of workforce development. A team from Gig XR recently came to campus to begin training students and staff on the technology and its potential. Nursing students Kaleigh Visbaras and Ryan Aker will be among those working with game design student James Livingstone to design simulations that will be used by future students. The students will be paid for their contributions through the Marieb Foundation grant. Visbaras, a senior from Somerset, said her first reaction upon trying out the headsets was envy. “I am so jealous of the nursing students who will be here next year, and beyond,” she said. “It will be so helpful for students. There are so many options that GigXR will help you explore.” Visbaras said she found the augmented reality interface very intuitive to use, and predicts her fellow students will quickly get accustomed to the technology and use it to accelerate their learning and understanding. “We all learn in different ways,” she said. “This will really help visual learners. In a scenario, when you figure out what’s wrong is the best feeling in the world. You’re thinking on the spot and using abilities you didn’t think you had. It’s like a mystery game, and this will be great for students just building that foundation.” Ryan Aker Aker, a senior from Templeton, agreed. “As a visual learner, this technology would have absolutely enhanced my learning as a student tenfold,” he said. “This technology has the potential to be great for students, and for patients.” Aker is a non-traditional student, who came to Fitchburg State after 10 years in the Army. He began his medical training in the military, and looks forward to completing his bachelor’s degree in nursing this semester. “It’s one of those careers where you can do so many different things, from critical care to mental health. And there are always job opportunities.” Visbaras and Aker are hopeful they can lend their insights to the creation of meaningful simulations and scenarios that students can experience using the Gig XR technology. James Livingstone attends an augmented reality training session. Livingstone hopes so, too. The Raynham native is spending his capstone internship embedded in the Nursing Department, where he will be working with Visbaras, Aker and others to create simulations using the Gig XR platform. “I’m used to working in teams with other game design students, where this will be more client-driven,” said Livingstone, who has worked during the early weeks of the semester helping to get his collaborators proficient in the tools they will be using. He is confident the interdisciplinary skills he is developing will be helpful when he is pursuing professional opportunities after graduation.
- Alumna Mary Cardona-Foster to compete on The Amazing RaceMary Cardona-Foster, a 2018 graduate of Fitchburg State University, will be among the competitors on the upcoming season of the globe-trotting, Emmy Award-winning reality series “The Amazing Race.” Cardona-Foster, a Waltham native who works as a marketing manager, is a longtime fan of reality TV. And “The Amazing Race” was her late mother’s favorite television show. “I applied on a whim, and got a casting call,” she said. With her father, Chris Foster, as her teammate, they went through a battery of psychological examinations, vaccinations, and other trials just to qualify to appear on the show. They were selected as alternates, but Cardona-Foster chose to look at the bright side. “I’m a positive person, so I thought, ‘That’s not a no.’” They were flown to Los Angeles and stood by for several nights, until they got the call that they were indeed being added to the season’s cast of competitors. Cardona-Foster is forbidden from discussing how she and her father fared on the show - viewers will have to tune in when the season premieres on March 13 - but was happy to say it was a meaningful experience. “Doing the show with my dad was very special,” she said. “He’s always been my biggest supporter.” Cardona-Foster returned to the Fitchburg State campus in February to start work with current students in the Communications Media Department. For Professor Randy Howe’s class on communicating project design, Cardona-Foster will be serving as the client for whom teams of undergraduate students will be preparing marketing materials and campaigns. Later this semester, she will pick the winning proposal. She said it was gratifying to be back on campus, where she honed the skills that she uses in her professional life every day. She majored in Communications Media with a concentration in professional communications and a minor in Spanish. As an undergraduate, Cardona-Foster also worked with the Athletics Department and was among 40 students selected from across the country to participate in the NCAA Convention Division III Student Immersion Program. “I loved Fitchburg State because I felt like a big fish in a small pond,” she said. “I appreciated the real-world experiences I had. Now, it’s nice to give back to the university with my knowledge and experience.” “The Amazing Race” kicks off Wednesday, March 13 (9:30-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network, and streaming on Paramount+ (live and on demand for Paramount+ with Showtime subscribers, or on demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the episode airs).
- Documentary will screen as part of CIC's Nuovo Mondo seriesThe Center for Italian Culture at Fitchburg State University will continue its 2023-2024 programming series, Nuovo Mondo: A Century of Immigration from and to Italy, with a series of film screenings that focus on recent immigration to Italy from diverse perspectives. Admission to the screenings, all of which will be held in Ellis White Lecture Hall in Hammond Hall, is free and open to the public. The events will also include a virtual workshop in April for those interested in applying for Italian citizenship. The film series continues at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, March 21 with a screening of Fuocoammare (Fire at Sea) (2016), a gripping Italian documentary film directed by Gianfranco Rosi. This film, which was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature, was shot on the Sicilian island of Lampedusa during the on-going European migrant crisis, and sets the dangerous Mediterranean crossing by migrants against a background of the ordinary life of the islanders. Programming continues at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 2 with Maka (2023), which tells the story of Geneviève Makaping's life in Italy and perilous migration journey. The Cameroonian-Italian anthropologist and writer is the first black woman to serve as the editor of a newspaper in Italy. Inspired by Makaping's book Reversing the Gaze, the film offers a poignant reflection on displacement, identity, and belonging. Following the screening, Associate Professor Kevin McCarthy of the Communications Media Department will facilitate a virtual question and answer session with the film’s director, Simone Brioni. The Center for Italian Culture will also host a virtual workshop on applying for Italian citizenship at 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 16. Information on signing up for the forum, presented by the Vermont Italian Cultural Association, will be posted to the CIC’s programming page at fitchburgstate.edu/nuovo-mondo.
- Panel talk on March 19 will explore psychedelic-assisted therapyThe medical, scientific and social aspects of psychedelic-assisted therapy will be discussed when Fitchburg State University hosts a panel discussion of experts from medicine, neuroscience and clinical practice at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 19 in the main lounge of Hammond Hall. Admission to the talk is free and open to the public. Psychedelics, such as psilocybin and MDMA, are promising treatments for mental-health disorders including addiction, depression, anxiety, and PTSD. The expert panel will discuss psychedelic-assisted therapy as well as future prospects and challenges. The panel discussion will be moderated by Fitchburg State Associate Professor Michael Hove of the Psychological Science Department. Panelists will include: Yvan Beaussant (MD, MSc, Harvard Medical School, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute), a hematologist, palliative care physician, and clinical investigator, with training in psychedelic research and therapy. He studies the effects and mechanisms of psilocybin and MDMA-assisted therapy on depression, pain, and existential distress in patients with serious illness. Francis Guerriero (MA, LICSW), a therapist, trainer, supervisor, and clinical social worker in private practice. He trains and supervises local clinicians in psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy. He was a therapist on a national study of MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD, deemed a breakthrough therapy by the FDA and currently under FDA review for approval. Alexandre Lehmann (PhD, McGill University, Montreal), a cognitive neuroscientist and a psychedelic science advisor to media and nonprofits. Fascinated by the therapeutic potential of music and non-ordinary states, he has been involved in ketamine and psilocybin research. The event is sponsored by the university’s Psychological Science Department and its School of Health and Natural Sciences.
- Drag Show on April 4 will benefit scholarship fundThe Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) at Fitchburg State University will present its 17th annual benefit drag show at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 4, an event designed to entertain, enlighten, and share a great cultural experience with the community. The “Dancing Queens” drag show will be held at the Athletics and Recreation Center, 130 North St., Fitchburg. Proceeds from the show will support the LGBTQ Student Scholarship at Fitchburg State. The program is labeled as New England’s largest and oldest drag show. This year’s program will feature dancing and cabaret-style performances by 7 stage performers including Anita Cocktail, Destiny Boston, Jada Pinkette Fox, Abby Cummings, Lady Sabrina and Roxy Brooks, with Raquel Blake to be the Mistress of Ceremonies for the evening. DJ Scotty P will spin the tunes for the show, during which a major announcement will be made. The highly anticipated Drag Race, with students from the university, will crown a Drag Queen and a Drag King. “It is a thrill and honor to be able to advise this club for 23 years,” said Associate Director of Student Development Shane Franzen, who has organized the show since its inception. “Their commitment to change, education, and camaraderie is overwhelming. This show is a culmination of a year’s worth of hard work. With the negative rhetoric that the LGBTQ+ community faces every day, this show is such an important way for our students and Fitchburg State Community to combat such hate. We are very excited, ecstatic to be honest, to be able to make a major announcement at this year's show as a way to make change in the lives of our students and the Fitchburg community.” This event is for audiences aged 18 and over. Tickets are $5 for students and $10 for the public. Tickets can be purchased at the door the night of the show, or online at https://secure.touchnet.net/C20743_ustores/web/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCTID=94&SINGLESTORE=true. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. before the 7 p.m. showtime
- Women's History Month programs honor those who fight discriminationFitchburg State University will commemorate Women’s History Month in March with a series of programs that celebrate women who advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion. The national Women’s History Month’s theme recognizes women throughout the country who understand that, for a positive future, bias and discrimination must be eliminated from our lives and institutions. Programs include the Nancy Kelly Memorial Lecture at 2 p.m. Thursday, March 21, in which Rachel O’Leary Carmona will present “Fostering Our Feminist Future.” Carmona, executive director of the Women’s March, will discuss her activism work and the future of feminism in the U.S. and the rest of the world. The talk will be delivered in the Randall Lecture Hall of the Antonucci Science Complex. Admission is free and open to the public. The lecture is presented by Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies; the Economics, History, and Political Science Department; the English Studies Department; the Humanities Department; and the Behavioral Sciences Department. The campus will also celebrate Women in the Arts with a performance at 4 p.m. Thursday, March 28 in Kent Recital Hall in the Conlon Fine Arts Building, 367 North St. For this event, the Women’s History Month planning committee is welcoming singers, musicians, dancers, filmmakers, poets, actors, visual artists, and more to perform and/or display work in celebration of women. There will be an exhibition at 3:30 p.m. before the performances at 4 p.m. The full calendar of offerings may be viewed online. Also this month, the Amelia V. Gallucci-Cirio Library presents the exhibit "Mapping Our Past: The Women of Fitchburg State's Campus Buildings." The exhibit, located near the first floor entrance of the library, features the women who serve as the namesakes for a number of buildings and spaces around campus, including the library itself. Fitchburg State's celebration of Women's History Month was organized by the following: Junior Pena, Director for Student Diversity, Equity, Belonging, & Inclusion Programs Krysta Lopez, Program Coordinator for the Center for Diversity & Inclusiveness Marquise Harding, Undergraduate Intern for the Center for Diversity & Inclusiveness Shane Franzen, Associate Director of Student Development, Commuter, & Volunteer Affairs Angelo Prevosto, Assistant Director for the Office of Student Development Elizabeth Swartz, Director for TRIO Student Support Services Allison Bunnell, Technology Trainer, and Academic Project Administrator Additional Contributions made by the African Student Association, Latin American Student Organization, and the Black Student Union
- Campus welcomes Fitchburg High honors students for writing retreatFitchburg State University hosted a dozen Fitchburg High School juniors during their February vacation for a writing retreat on campus. The students included members of the Fitchburg High Honors Academy, through which they gain special access to their hometown university and its resources. English teacher Kathleen Hytinen helped organize the excursion. The students, enrolled in Hytinen’s Advanced Placement seminar, came to campus on their personal time to hone their writing skills. In addition to the time spent refining their own work, the students critiqued their peers’ work and availed themselves of the university’s writing center and its student staff of peer tutors, including Fitchburg High Honors Academy graduates. “It’s a great opportunity to get them out of their everyday classroom environment and come together to help each other out,” Hytinen said. “These students are amazing and hardworking, and I’m grateful for how much I’ve seen them grow academically in these last two years.” The visiting students said their time on campus was helpful. “It’s been very beneficial for my writing process,” said Carissa Triolo. “It’s good to be in a new environment, and the peer tutors from Fitchburg State were very helpful.” Triolo said she plans to major in English when she begins her college career. Naika Jean, who is interested in studying pre-law or political science in college, also enjoyed the opportunity to focus on her writing during the trip to Fitchburg State. “There’s definitely value in stepping into a new environment,” Jean said. Asa Oywech said the seminar gave him valuable insights into his approach to writing. “I think this process has been very introspective in how I operate as a writer,” said Oywech, who is also looking at studying English with a minor in international affairs or sociology when he goes to college. The students said they have enjoyed the Early College courses they have taken at Fitchburg State, through which they are earning college credit while honing their academic skills. They also didn’t balk at coming to campus on what could have been just another week off. “This is definitely a responsible use of my time,” Oywech said. “It’s better than sleeping in or watching TV.” The visiting students concluded their visit to campus with lunch in the university’s dining commons. Fitchburg State and Fitchburg High School first signed the Honors Compact in 2013, an agreement that gives students enrolled at Fitchburg High School’s Honors Academy priority admission to the university as well as access to university courses, facilities and scholarships. The program was a collaboration between the FHS Honors Academy, Fitchburg State Early College and Dual Enrollment, and the Fitchburg State Honors Program.
- Theater students shine at Kennedy Center festivalTwenty-one students from Fitchburg State University took part in the recent Kennedy Center American College Theater Region 1 Festival, where several were recognized for acting, directing and technical achievements. Fitchburg State has long participated in the festival, sending students from the Communications Media Department’s theater and technical theater concentrations to compete against peers from across the country. Its graduates have gone on to award-winning careers in theater, film and television. Among the honorees at the recent Region 1 Festival: Allison Thompson of Melrose received The Best Director Award for the “Ten-Minute Play Festival’ James Mcgarry of Highland Lake, N.Y. received the coveted invitation for the Next Up Review & Response Session for Up and Coming Writers for “The Ghost” in the Short Stage Play Category Chris Brennan of Fitchburg received the Communication with Actors Award for Directing. Chris Brennan of Fitchburg, Lina Kherallah of Fitchburg, and Gabriel Mangrum of Fitchburg received 1st Runner-Up in the Directing Showcase for their scene from “The Language Archive” by Julia Cho Noah Barnes of Merrimack, N.H. received 1st Runner-Up for the Aspire Award for his Original Theater Company proposal. Colby Hairston of Melrose was selected to Stage Manage the Invited Scenes Showcase The following KCACTF Awards and Nominations were for the university’s Main Stage production of “It's a Wonderful Life” that was performed on campus in December: Marco Grogan of Brockton, Lina Kherallah of Fitchburg, and Gabriel Mangrum of Fitchburg were nominated for the National Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship The cast and crew received the Regional Merit Award for Excellent Ensemble Colby Hairston of Melrose was nominated for the National Stage Management Award Allison Thompson of Melrose received the Regional Merit Award for Directorial Assistance Cole Wilkinson of Methuen received the Regional Merit Award for Sound Technician The Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF) honors excellence of overall production and offers student artists individual recognition through awards and scholarships in playwriting, acting, criticism, directing, and design. Started in 1969 by Roger L. Stevens, the Kennedy Center’s founding chairman, the KCACTF is a national theater program involving 18,000 students from colleges and universities nationwide which has served as a catalyst in improving the quality of college theater in the United States. The KCACTF has grown into a network of more than 600 academic institutions throughout the country, where theater departments and student artists showcase their work and receive outside assessment by KCACTF respondents.
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