Class Leader Cooper Howell Fitchburg State University recently celebrated the graduation of its latest police recruit officer class, with all 10 graduates already hired by municipal police departments across Massachusetts. Members of the 7th recruit officer course recalled being forged by COVID as they completed the groundbreaking program that blends academic and tactical training, allowing graduates to complete both bachelor’s and master’s degrees along with full certification to work in municipal police departments in just five years. The program was developed in collaboration with the Massachusetts Municipal Police Training Commission (MPTC). In his address as class leader, Cooper Howell of Acushnet recalled the experience of his classmates as high school students who graduated during COVID. “We were presented with an unprecedented situation and took it in stride and figured it out,” he said. “It gave us the ability to become problem-solvers, which will be crucial for the rest of our lives as we start our careers in law enforcement.” Adapting to the challenges of the pandemic also inspired the students to consider their ambitions, he said. “While most people our age were taking gap years, or no longer planning on going to college because of what was going on, this group of officers stayed locked in, and committed their next four years to getting where we are today.” Howell also recalled the political turmoil surrounding the police profession as this group began their studies. “It was a time of distrust and tension between law enforcement and the members of our nation,” Howell said. “Rather than make what could have been a very smooth transition into the traditional criminal justice track and away from the police concentration of this program, the 10 new officers sitting in front of you decided to stand fast. I think that speaks volumes to the type of people that my classmates are and shows how dedicated they were to what they knew to be their calling. “This program is truly like no other,” Howell continued. “Through four years of undergrad work, it prepared us academically and gave us an advantage that officers in traditional police academies don’t get. Not just because we had a degree, but because we had been attending specific classes and getting specific curriculum on areas that aren’t normally covered until you reach the academy. It gave us a leg up in numerous areas of studies, and gave us a better idea of what was happening when we got here.” Fitchburg State President Donna Hodge also addressed the graduates and guests. “The program whose graduates we recognize today is a remarkable example of the work public colleges and universities can do when smart, motivated people get together to find innovative solutions to the challenges of the day,” she said. “In this case, there was a recognition that a new model of police training would be a worthwhile experiment, one that bridged the worlds of academic inquiry and tactical training. The outcome of those visionary discussions is before us today, and our communities will be stronger, and safer, because of it.” President Hodge saluted the graduates. Hodge congratulated the departments who have hired the new graduates and thanked the family members and loved ones who had supported them on their journeys. “And to our graduates, we are so very proud of what you have achieved, and so grateful to call you graduates of Fitchburg State University,” she said. “Be well, stay safe, and keep setting incredible goals for yourself, because today you have proven that you can achieve them.”  State Rep. Michael Kushmerek, who studied criminal justice during his own undergraduate years at Fitchburg State, told the graduates to remember the importance of compassion as they enter their careers.  “My message to our recruits here today is to remember that same empathy, compassion, conviction and dignity that you have treated your fellow graduates and faculty with, and to use those same skills out there on the streets,” Kushmerek said. “Often when you arrive at a scene you’ll be there on somebody’s worst day. I hope you treat them with the same dignity and compassion you hope your loved one would be treated with.” MPTC Director of Training Andrea Nardone saluted the resilience of the graduates who had persevered through great challenges to arrive at this point. As they begin their careers, she urged them to foster connections with the communities they will serve. “As a law enforcement officer, it’s all about the relationships you build,” she said. “Remember to stop and say hello and get to know your community.”  In her address, Academy Director Ola Wysocki saluted the members of the 7th ROC for being thoughtful, considerate and independent thinkers. “The recruits of the 7th ROC have heart, grit, and determination,” she said. “They have heard me say on too many occasions that this is what they must have as police officers.” The members of the 7th ROC, and the departments that have hired them, include Cameron Bern of Upton (Upton Police Department), Justin Cappuccio of Westborough (Hopkinton Police Department), Jordyn Gagliardi of Dalton (Chatham Police Department), George Haddad of Burlington (Nantucket Police Department), Cooper Howell of Acushnet (Fairhaven Police Department), Robert Lee of Billerica (Billerica Police Department), Hunter Luby of Millbury (Northborough Police Department), Dominic Marabello of Princeton (Sudbury Police Department), Alex Stellato of Phillipston (Townsend Police Department), and Caleb Tolley of Yarmouth (Dennis Police Department). To learn more about the police program, please visit https://www.fitchburgstate.edu/academics/programs/police-program-41-concentration-criminal-justice-bs.

Best-selling author and illustrator Peter H. Reynolds, a 1983 alumnus of Fitchburg State University, will return to the campus this month for an artist residency with students, faculty and community members on Thursday, Sept. 26. Reynolds’ works, including The Dot, The Word Collector and Say Something!, have inspired children of all ages with their messages of authentic learning, creativity, bravery, empathy, and courageous self-expression. He is also the illustrator of the best-selling I Am series written by Susan Verde, as well the Judy Moody series written by Megan McDonald, which has now over 40 million copies in print worldwide. Reynolds, who studied communications media at Fitchburg State, will visit classrooms at the McKay Elementary School on the university campus before taking part in a public forum at 2 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 26 in the main lounge of Hammond Hall. University President Donna Hodge will moderate the discussion. This year marks the 15th anniversary of International Dot Day, a global celebration of creativity, courage and collaboration that began when teacher Terry Shay introduced his classroom to Reynolds’ book The Dot on Sept. 15, 2009. The Dot is the story of a caring teacher who dares a doubting student to trust in her own abilities by being brave enough to “make her mark.” What begins with a small dot on a piece of paper becomes a breakthrough in confidence and courage, igniting a journey of self-discovery and sharing, which has gone on to inspire countless children and adults around the globe. Earlier this year, Reynolds made an appearance on the lawn of the White House to perform as narrator of the TheaterWorksUSA production of DOT DOT DOT: A New Musical, an adaptation of three of his books about creativity, The Dot, Ish and Sky Color published by Candlewick Press/Walker Books, also known as the Creatrilogy. Performances of the show, featuring Reynolds and the musical’s talented young actors, were part of the annual White House Easter Egg Roll. In addition to his celebrated books, Reynolds is the founder of the Boston-based educational media development firm FableVision Studios, which creates animations, interactives, and game-based learning apps for organizations such as PBS Kids, National Geographic, Smithsonian, Nickelodeon, and Library of Congress. Reynolds also launched FableVision Learning, whose mission is to help educators inspire their students to develop and strengthen their skills in creativity, communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and compassion.  With his twin brother, Paul, Reynolds also founded the Reynolds Center for Teaching, Learning, and Creativity, which just opened the doors on its new creativity recharge center in Dedham, Mass. called TLC Studios. And, because he didn’t have enough to keep him busy, Reynolds also launched a children’s book, toy and creativity store The Blue Bunny, which is celebrating 21 years this October.

Fitchburg State University’s celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month will include a series of programs organized around the theme, “Pioneers of Change: Shaping Our Future Together.” The programs are designed to commemorate and encourage the study, observance, and celebration of the vital role of Hispanic and LatinX/O/A folks in history and our society. The National Hispanic Heritage Month’s theme for 2024 celebrates “Pioneers of Change: Shaping Our Future Together.” The theme encapsulates the spirit of innovation, resilience, and unity that define the Hispanic experience. Fitchburg State’s campus observance will kick off with an outdoor cookout and music on the main quad at 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 14. The Center for Diversity and Inclusiveness will welcome the executive boards of the campus African Student Association (ASA), Black Student Union (BSU), Caribbean American Student Association (CASA), and Latin American Student Organization (LASO). There will be a Hispanic Heritage Month flag raising ceremony at 4 p.m. Monday, Sept. 16 to formally launch the month’s festivities. The ceremony will be held on the Alumni Quad between Hammond Hall and Thompson Hall. The events will also include a look at social determinants of health with stories of Latino men in recovery at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 3 in the main lounge of Hammond Hall. This panel talk will include Worcester Commissioner of Health and Human Services Dr. Matilde “Mattie” Castiel, along with Latin American Health Alliance (LAHA) President Clara Reynolds and Latino men who are graduates of the Hector Reyes House. Dr. Castiel and the team will discuss identity, public health, her role as the Commissioner, along with the Hector Reyes House and LAHA. Additional programs include a panel discussion featuring students discussing their experiences growing up with Hispanic parents, a young Latinx alumni networking event, as well as cooking and dance demonstrations. See the full list of campus events at https://www.fitchburgstate.edu/student-support/diversity-equity-and-inclusion/center-diversity-and-inclusiveness/hispanic-heritage-month.

Fitchburg State University will observe Constitution Day at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 17 in the main lounge of Hammond Hall with a keynote address by attorney, author and student advocate C.L. Lindsay III entitled “Knowing Your Rights: Title IX and Gender Equity on Campus.” The program is free and open to the public. Constitution Day commemorates the formation and signing of the U.S. Constitution on Sept. 17, 1787. Each year, Fitchburg State’s Constitution Day events are planned and organized by the General Education Program. Experts on campus in the Constitution and the law come together and decide on a theme. The planned events focus on that theme as well as how different general education learning outcomes work together. Programming continues Wednesday, Sept. 18 in the Center for Teaching and Learning in the Amelia V. Gallucci-Cirio Library, with Director of Title IX and Equal Opportunity Rebecca H. Newell presenting “Title IX 101.” This overview of the federal civil rights law passed in 1972 will include a discussion of how the 14th Amendment's Equal Protection Clause has been interpreted over time. Attendees will learn about the roots and evolution of the regulations surrounding the prohibition of sex discrimination in educational programs, how Fitchburg State has recently summarized over 1500 pages into campus policy, and what campus community members’ responsibilities are.   With a background in higher education legal and policy analysis, Newell supports the institution's adherence to civil rights laws and helps to foster an environment where all students and employees can thrive. See more about Fitchburg State’s Constitution Day observances at fitchburgstate.edu/academics/general-education-program/constitution-day.

Fitchburg State University will observe Banned Books Week in September with programs highlighting children’s books and the challenges facing public libraries. The program will begin with a Banned Book Storytime at 9 a.m. Monday, Sept. 23 in the Amelia V. Gallucci-Cirio Library in Hammond Hall. In this program, faculty, librarians and students will read and discuss banned children’s picture books.  There will also be a panel discussion at 11 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 26 in the Amelia V. Gallucci-Cirio Library featuring librarians from surrounding communities who will discuss questions related to book banning and censorship. The panel, to be moderated by Olivia Rossetti of Fitchburg State’s Amelia V. Gallucci-Cirio Library, will include Muir Haman of the Lunenburg Public Library; Marcia Ladd of the Fitchburg Public Library; Sabrina Bonetti of the Leominster Public Library; and Catherine Sebastian of the Leominster Public Library.   The programs, sponsored by the Amelia V. Gallucci-Cirio Library, are free and open to the public. The library will also feature a banned book display from the week of Sunday, Sept. 22, displaying volumes that have been challenged or banned in libraries and schools.

Fitchburg State President Donna Hodge, the university's 12th president, outlined her vision for "A Year of Service" as the theme of the 2024-25 academic year at her first State of the University address on Wednesday, Sept. 4 on the main quadrangle. (See photos from the event on the Burg Blog.) "This year, together we will explore what it means to serve one another, to serve students in our rapidly changing world, and to serve our community—our state, this region, and the world," Hodge told a crowd of students, faculty, librarians, staff, trustees, alumni, and community members. "No loftier goal exists for higher education, and Fitchburg State is ready to become its next best version—a place where we celebrate our successes, live joyfully, and balance hope against the numerous pressures our world faces today." Despite changing demographics and other factors affecting higher education, Fitchburg State has met its enrollment target for the fall semester, Hodge said, and continues to enjoy growth in its graduate, online and international programs. This year there are 39 countries - from Albania to Zimbabwe - represented on campus, she said. Hodge described a vision of Fitchburg State becoming a formally designated Hispanic Serving Institution. "This prestigious federal designation will open new doors to national collaborations, new federal funding, and elevated opportunities for first-generation, Pell-eligible, and minoritized student populations," she said. She also described a renewed focus on the local community, from strengthened municipal partnerships and collaborations to enrollment efforts. Citing research showing that public university graduates tend to stay in the area after they graduate, becoming the backbones of their cities and towns, Hodge unveiled a new partnership with the Fitchburg Public Schools. "Looking forward, our vision for growth at Fitchburg State must be ambitious," she said. "We must be dogged in our determination to serve first-generation students, minoritized students, adult learners, and our highest-achieving students from this region. This fall, we will be opening an admissions center at Fitchburg High School—an exciting first step in our mission to recruit and serve students and families right here in Fitchburg. This partnership embodies our commitment to being the university of choice for our local community."  In addition to enrollment growth, Hodge said major goals for the year ahead will be financial transparency and improving campus morale. The event was streamed by FATV and may be viewed online or below.  In addition to outlining her vision for the year ahead, the event included an acknowledgement of years of service by university faculty, librarians and staff members, followed by a fall semester celebration picnic.

"Cooksey Dallas: Train Viaduct; Johnson City, Tennessee" (2005) by Keith Morris Washington. Fitchburg State University’s first art exhibition of the academic year will feature the thought-provoking work of artist Keith Morris Washington, whose large-scale landscapes depict lynching sites from across the United States. “Within Our Gates: Site and Memory in the American Landscape” will be on display in the Hammond Hall Art Gallery at 160 Pearl St. from Tuesday, Sept. 3 through Friday, Oct. 11. There will be an opening reception and gallery talk with the artist at 3:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 20. Admission is free and open to the public. Washington’s landscapes, titled for the deceased and the locations of their deaths, do not depict the lynchings themselves, rather they show their sites as they exist now, investigating a past still present. The works are displayed along with contemporary news accounts of the crimes that occurred there. The exhibition includes works depicting the site of the killing of Matthew Shepard in Laramie, Wyo., in October 1998, and Cooksey Dallas in Johnson City, Tenn., in July 1920.  The paintings are visually remarkable in their own right, referencing 19th and 20th century American and European traditions of landscape painting including the Hudson River School, Luminism, and Impressionism. Fitchburg State Professor Jeff Warmouth, chair of the Communications Media Department, has followed Washington’s work for 25 years, including exhibitions at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Concord Center for the Visual Arts, and Fitchburg Art Museum.  “His paintings are stunningly beautiful on their own, but once you add the dimension of the historical context, they become supercharged,” Warmouth said. “There's so much going on, from the conceptual aspect of interpreting history, to the artistry and aesthetic choices: the compositions, the colors, the brushwork, the frames within frames that break the landscape up into grids and geometry, to the emotional resonance as we empathize with the people whose lives were violently ended. Contemplating these works is an incredibly powerful experience.”  Washington is a professor of studio foundation at Massachusetts College of Art & Design. His work is featured in the collection of the Fitchburg Art Museum, and he has had solo exhibitions in California, New York and Rhode Island.  Read about upcoming exhibitions on the Fitchburg State website at fitchburgstate.edu/campus-life/arts-and-culture/art-galleries.

When the new video game GoobnBalloonsDX launches internationally next month on major console gaming platforms, it will mark the culmination of a “crazy journey” by several recent Fitchburg State University alumni. Kristofer Camp of Leominster, who graduated from Fitchburg State in May, has long been an avid gamer and dreamed of creating original work. When he transferred to Fitchburg State and enrolled in its game design program, he found willing collaborators and supportive faculty members who inspired him to keep dreaming bigger. “Me and my friends wanted to show off what we’d learned at the school,” said Camp, who recalled the game’s origins as an exercise that was prototyped over a single week. “A lot of people liked Goobnballoons, so we got our team together and thought what it would be like if we spent time just fleshing that out. It’s been over two years, and now we’re doing a worldwide release on all major console platforms.” The game’s development team includes fellow Fitchburg State alumni Fintan Neff, Veronica Hazen, Benjamin Pielocik and David Marshall, along with Alura Leet. The launch trailer for the game, which will be available September 12 on platforms including Switch, Xbox one/Series, and PS4/5, was recently posted. In the game, described by its creators as a shoot ‘em up adventure, players fight off waves of balloons to save the galaxy. It features whimsical graphics and spans 100 levels. “It’s crazy seeing our game on a storefront, almost ready to be sold,” said Camp. Communications Media Department Chair Jeff Warmouth said he was impressed by the creativity and problem-solving abilities demonstrated by Camp and his team. “They launched it on the arcade cabinet on the third floor of Conlon Hall,” he said. “It was incredibly fun and showed strong design principles, and was popular with students and faculty. Over the next two years, they took their project from a ‘very fun’ student prototype to a real game.” To realize the project’s completion, Camp and his friends formed a new company, Iconic Arts, and already have followup projects in development.  “The reason we started the company was to get our game out on consoles,” Camp said. “We believed that console manufacturers and the bigger companies wouldn’t take us seriously if we were coming as a group of students. We had to change that perspective.” Camp said he is grateful for the support his team experienced throughout their time at Fitchburg State, the first public university in Massachusetts with a major in game design. “We would not be here if it weren’t for the faculty,” Camp said. “The game design professors are amazing, but it goes beyond that. The entire Communications Media Department was astounding to work with the entire time I was at Fitchburg State.” This summer, Camp and his team welcomed their first Fitchburg State intern, and look forward to keeping their forward momentum. “We started working on games together during COVID-19,” he said. “We’ve always talked about a future where there’s an office, and I suppose that’s something to dream toward.”  Learn more about the game on Iconic Arts’ website at iconicartsgames.com.

Fitchburg State University will launch the 2024-25 academic year with new academic programs, new institutional initiatives and a new leader.  Dr. Donna Hodge, the university’s 12th president and the first woman to hold the post, will welcome students, faculty, staff, and the community at large with a State of the University address at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 4 on the main quadrangle. “I am thrilled to welcome students, faculty, staff and the wider community to this remarkable campus for the coming year,” said Hodge, who reported for duty this summer following a nationwide search to succeed Richard S. Lapidus, who finished his nine-year tenure in June. “In my first months at Fitchburg State, I have seen what a special role the university plays in the lives of its people and its community, and I look forward to experiencing it with a full complement of students in September.” In her address, Hodge will outline a vision for the coming academic year. The day’s programming will also include a recognition of years of service by longtime staff and faculty members. In addition to the events on Sept. 4, early highlights of the fall semester will include: Rock the Block, where dozens of student clubs and organizations, along with campus offices, share information about extracurricular opportunities on and off campus, will be held on the main quadrangle and along Highland Avenue starting at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 10. The 7th recruit officer course (ROC) of Fitchburg State’s groundbreaking police program will graduate at 11 a.m. Friday, Sept. 13 in Weston Auditorium, 353 North St. The 10 graduates, who completed their bachelor’s degrees in criminal justice in May and spent 17 weeks this summer in police academy training, will be certified as police officers ready to work in municipal departments in Massachusetts and neighboring states. All 10 have conditional job offers at departments across the state. Hispanic Heritage Month is observed from mid-September through mid-October, with a series of programs organized around the theme “Pioneers of Change: Shaping the Future Together.” The full schedule of Hispanic Heritage Month events will be posted to the university website at fitchburgstate.edu. The university will observe Constitution Day at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 17 in the main lounge of Hammond Hall with a keynote address by attorney, author and student advocate C.L. Lindsay III entitled “Knowing Your Rights: Title IX and Gender Equity on Campus.” The program is free and open to the public. The launch of new interdisciplinary academic programs including creative arts therapies and creative arts enterprise. The programs are designed to open career pathways in the arts and healthcare fields, providing students with strong interdisciplinary skills to respond to high-needs sectors of the statewide and regional economies. The university is also starting a new interdisciplinary minor in sustainability studies, with coursework spanning departments to train students for careers in an important emerging field. The university’s School of Graduate, Online and Continuing Education is launching several new programs, including an online master’s degree in construction management that can be completed in as few as three semesters. The program will prepare students to manage complex projects and enhance their decision-making processes.  The university invites prospective students and guests to learn more about Fitchburg State at its fall open houses on Saturday, Oct. 5 and Saturday, Oct. 26. More information is available through the university website. The majority of new residential students will move in Monday, Sept. 2 (Labor Day), starting at 9 a.m. from the Wallace Civic Center. The northbound lanes of North Street will be closed to non-university traffic between Ross and Pearl Streets from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on that date. The majority of returning residential students will move in starting Tuesday, Sept. 3. There may be brief road closures around campus between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. that day. Additional information on news and events is posted on the Fitchburg State website at fitchburgstate.edu.