The Fitchburg State University Police Department and City of Fitchburg Police Department renewed a memorandum of understanding on Thursday, Oct. 20, furthering the interdepartmental collaboration that has benefited public safety on- and off-campus. The memorandum was signed by University President Richard S. Lapidus, Fitchburg Mayor Stephen L. DiNatale, Fitchburg Police Chief Ernest Martineau, and University Police Chief Michael Cloutier. “The relationship between the university and the city is perhaps the strongest it has ever been,” President Lapidus said. “At this time where departments everywhere face shortages, it’s great to have backup.” “The effective working relationship between our city and Fitchburg State has taken on an even greater importance when we are challenged with maintaining public safety,” Mayor DiNatale said.  The agreement’s stated purpose is to establish, promote, and maintain a continued, harmonious working relationship and cooperative effort between both agencies. The document spells out each department’s roles and responsibilities concerning the prevention and response to incidents of on- and off-campus sexual misconduct, as well as a standard procedure for handling incidents and reports of sexual assaults and issuing timely warnings and emergency notifications. Federal laws provide specific requirements relative to these notification processes as outlined by the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (known as the Clery Act) and Title IX of the Higher Education Amendments of 1972. Massachusetts law also requires that colleges and universities establish a memorandum of understanding with local law enforcement agencies to establish the respective roles and responsibilities of each party related to the prevention of, and response to, on-campus and off-campus sexual misconduct. The chiefs said the departmental relationships between the university and the city are strong. “The relationship has never been better,” Chief Martineau said. “We communicate well and have the same goals.” Chief Cloutier agreed, noting department leaders and officers are effective collaborators. “Everyone is working together,” he said.  Details of the agreement will facilitate opportunities for communication between the campus and city departments, and establish the respective roles and responsibilities of both agencies regarding the prevention of and response to sexual misconduct; to share information, per applicable federal and state confidentiality laws, regarding sexual misconduct incidents involving students or other campus community members of Fitchburg State University; and to identify opportunities for sharing best practices and training resources.

Fitchburg State University MBA candidate Octavian Goncalves is a motivated leader. He was finishing his bachelor’s degree in business administration at Rhode Island College when he set his sights on an advanced degree, and immediately enrolled in Fitchburg State’s MBA program. In the university’s accelerated online program, he is pursuing dual concentrations in finance and management with a plan to graduate in 2023. Goncalves also works as a financial analyst for International Game Technology in Providence, R.I., and was formerly a financial coach at the nonprofit Capital Good Fund. This year he is further advancing his education through the Rhode Island Foundation's Equity Leadership Initiative, to which he was accepted following a competitive admissions process.  The Equity Leadership Initiative seeks to cultivate, mentor, and seek access for individuals who identify as Black, Hispanic or Latino, Indigenous, Asian, and multiracial from across sectors to build a pipeline of leaders of color in positions of influence in Rhode Island. “I am enthusiastic about the opportunity to network with, learn from, and share with established and rising leaders of color through the Equity Leadership Initiative,” Goncalves said. The year-long program supports existing leaders of color who are working in the public, private, or nonprofit sectors. Applicants must demonstrate a commitment to racial equity and social justice. “Through ELI, I am learning how our community can create the equality opportunities our state needs while furthering our personal and professional development,” Goncalves said. “My future goals in corporate finance management and real estate investing are directly related to the knowledge and mentoring I'm currently receiving. I will accomplish my objectives using the connections offered, pursue additional successes with my cohort, and support their long-term goals.” Goncalves said his MBA studies have given a strong foundation in management and finance upon which his ELI experience will build. “The core courses of the MBA program have given me further knowledge on meaning and running a business,” he said. “The management concentration studies enable effective collaboration with coworkers and foster the creation of new social networks for several causes, all while fostering the growth of teamwork abilities. The capacity to manage money wisely in investing, saving and business development is provided by finance concentration studies.”

Fitchburg State University students pursuing careers in education will be able to enhance their creative negotiation skills through a new international partnership launching this fall. Dean of Education Nancy Murray learned about the Game Changers in Education program and immediately saw the value for teacher-candidates in learning how to interact with people of different cultural backgrounds - including colleagues, parents, and students. “All of these skills will benefit our teacher candidates as they develop the skills to be leaders in the field of education,” Murray said. The Game Changers in Education program, conducted by the non-profit PATHWAYS Institute for Negotiation Education, brings together education majors and pre-service teachers from the U.S. and diverse communities in Israel for interactive joint learning and facilitated online exchange focused on developing and applying creative negotiation skills in their schools and communities.  Starting this month as a pilot program, four junior-year Fitchburg State teacher candidates will take part in a one-credit series of virtual seminars in which they will interact with other future educators from the U.S. and Israel.  “This provides an outstanding opportunity for our students to develop and master creative problem solving and negotiation skills that they otherwise would not have,” said Assistant Professor Karen DeAngelis of the university’s Education Department. “The opportunity to work with a diverse group of students in the US and abroad developing critical negotiation skills will both improve their teaching practices and afford them an opportunity to collaborate with students from diverse backgrounds.” The rigors and prerequisites of the Education program can make study abroad a challenging fit for some students, DeAngelis said. This program will give them that experience of international exchange without having to leave campus.  The Game Changers in Education program is supported by the Stevens Initiative, which is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, with funding provided by the U.S. government and administered by the Aspen Institute.  Avi Goldstein, the founder and international executive director of PATHWAYS, said the program curriculum fosters skills that will make today’s students future leaders and problem-solvers.  In paired exercises, group dialogues, and team-based project work, participants develop intercultural understanding and global awareness while acquiring practical, research-based pedagogical and professional tools, Goldstein explained. Through the experiential curriculum, participants build their skills and self-confidence while exploring how the vital mindsets and skills of cooperative, interest-based negotiation can be incorporated into their roles as change-makers in education. Murray, the dean of education, and Goldstein first connected in 2021 and discussions about Fitchburg State partnering with PATHWAYS began soon thereafter. “This opportunity was so unique in how it enables our undergraduate teacher-candidates   to interact with other teacher candidates from other cultural backgrounds,” she said.  “I’m really excited and I’m grateful to Nancy for connecting the dots,” Goldstein added. The pilot program on Fitchburg State’s campus launches with its first cohort in October.

The Center for Italian Culture at Fitchburg State University will launch its “Made in Italy” series with an olive oil tasting and four-course dinner at 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 10 in the Falcon Hub in Hammond Hall. The event, featuring Olio Taibi olive oils and a selection of wines from Italy, will be hosted by Giuseppe Taibo of Olio Taibi. Tickets are $45 and must be purchased in advance.  Throughout the 2022-23 academic year, the Center for Italian Culture will present a series of programs developed around the theme “Made in Italy.” From fashion to sports cars to fine cuisine, the programs will spotlight the enduring impact and global reach of Italian-made products. Learn more about the series and its upcoming events online at fitchburgstate.edu/made-in-italy. The Center for Italian Culture, founded with a major gift by the late Amelia V. Gallucci-Cirio of Fitchburg State’s Class of 1938, has been a fixture on the Fitchburg State campus for over 20 years. Throughout its history, the center has sponsored programs that celebrate Italian contributions to Western civilization and supported study abroad scholarships that let university students and faculty explore the wider world. Learn more about its programs and resources at fitchburgstate.edu/cic.

The Pharos Quartet will begin their 2022-23 concert season with a concert at 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 7 at Fitchburg State University’s Weston Auditorium, 353 North St. Admission is free and open to the public. The Pharos Quartet, composed of four saxophone players, will present modern compositions by composers Eugene Bozza, Stephen Beck, David Masklanka, Erika Svanoe, John Wallace, and Zack Browning. The quartet includes Fitchburg State faculty members Amy McGlothlin and Jennifer Bill of the university’s Humanities Department, as well as musicians Emily Cox and Zach Schwartz. About the Pharos Quartet Based in Boston, the Pharos Quartet is a stirring musical collaborative formed by four New England saxophonists: Jennifer Bill (soprano), Amy McGlothlin (alto), Emily Cox (tenor), and Zach Schwartz (baritone). Their unique combination of ideas, styles, and expressions brings the sound of the saxophone quartet to a new apex. With a vivid repertoire, balanced between notable pioneers as well as visionaries of tomorrow, Pharos maintains a steady appetite for today’s most demanding saxophone quartet literature. Their concerts are stimulating, entertaining, and unpredictable. Its members bring together their own international performance experience and fuse it into a distinct chamber music event.  Pharos has held concerts in Boston, Rhode Island, West Virginia, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and in Western Massachusetts. The quartet continues to enjoy performances of their first commission, Justin Casinghino’s Thinking in Four Places (2018), which explores four global drumming traditions through saxophone quartet and ‘80s synth drum machine. Other commissions include Rift (2019) for saxophone quartet and piano by Thomas Weaver, and,  as part of a consortium led by Prism Quartet, a new saxophone quartet piece by Martin Bresnick to be premiered in 2022.

Fitchburg State University has been awarded $3,000 to combat food insecurity through a grant from Swipe Out Hunger. The grant was announced at the ribbon-cutting for Fitchburg State’s new community outreach center in Hammond Hall. The center includes the Falcon Bazaar, which has for years supported campus community members with food insecurity, and the professional clothing closet that serves students preparing for careers. The Bazaar, open daily for members of the campus community, is supported by the university and donations. The grant will support the purchase of software for inventory management and visit tracking. Associate Director of Student Development Shane Franzen said the Bazaar has already served more than 60 students this academic year. “The Fitchburg State Community has once again embraced our students,” Franzen said. “I have never seen a program have such a response. Everyone from the Trustees to our students have come together to assist students who may be experiencing some type of food insecurity. The Bazaar has served as a free food source for many students over the past few years who would have gone hungry.” “Unfortunately, these are the realities of the times,” University President Richard S. Lapidus said during a ceremony rededicating the expanded center. “We strive to put students in a position where they can be successful. The campus community has really stepped up and supported this important initiative.” “College students’ lives are extremely complicated,” added Vice President for Student Affairs Laura A. Bayless, noting local and statewide statistics that show food insecurity is a concern for many students. “Addressing these concerns lets our students be engaged the way we want them to be.” Swipe Out Hunger is the leading nonprofit addressing hunger among college students. Founded by a group of friends at UCLA in 2010, it has grown campus-by-campus into a national movement across all 50 states.

The combined choirs of Fitchburg State University and Christ Church will present a joint concert at 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 6, featuring Gabriel Fauré’s Requiem. The choirs performed together for the first time this spring with a program of music from the movies. The upcoming concert will again be performed at Christ Church, located at 569 Main St., Fitchburg. Admission is free but suggested $10 donations will be accepted at the door with proceeds supporting the university’s Community Music Lesson Program and the Christ Church music program. The performance will be conducted by Fitchburg State Assistant Professor Jonathan Harvey, accompanied by Robert Potterton III on organ, Hildy Schilling on violin, and Lishan Tan on the harp. Dr. Schilling is also a member of the Fitchburg State faculty. Fauré’s Requiem, first performed in 1888, is one of the celebrated French composer’s most admired works, praised as deeply moving and focused on consolation and perseverance through grief and hardship. Learn more about Fitchburg State's music programs at fitchburgstate.edu/music.

Sheila King-Goodwin, senior vice president and chief community banking officer at Fidelity Bank in Leominster, was recently sworn in as a member of the Fitchburg State University Board of Trustees. Fitchburg Mayor Stephen L. DiNatale administered the oath of office on Friday, Oct. 7, with University President Richard S. Lapidus also in attendance. King-Goodwin was appointed to the university board by Gov. Charlie Baker. The board consists of 11 voting members; nine are appointed by the governor for five-year terms, renewable once; one alumni trustee is elected by the Alumni Association for a five-year term; and a student trustee is elected by the student body for one year. No member may serve for more than two consecutive terms. “I am a fervent believer in the value of education to develop our youth and create more opportunities that will set our students up for future success,” King-Goodwin said. “I look forward to supporting Fitchburg State and making a difference in the lives of our students.” King-Goodwin brings 30 years’ experience in retail banking. As a senior vice president at Fidelity Bank she develops the strategic direction for community banking, oversees the network of banking centers, client care team and the banks investment services. She is experienced with leading high performance teams, creating cross-functional collaboration, driving business growth and being an active member in the community.  In addition to her service with Fidelity Bank, King-Goodwin worked for Peoplesbank in Holyoke for 13 years.

Fitchburg State University’s instrumental and choral ensembles will perform a joint concert at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 18 in Weston Auditorium, 353 North St. Admission to the “Music Mega Mix” is free and open to the public. The concert program will be a showcase of “bite-sized” performances by the university’s choirs, bands and orchestra. Performers will include Fitchburg State students as well as faculty members. Instrumental selections include Santana's “Smooth,” the “James Bond” theme, and “Jupiter” from “The Planets,” while the choirs will perform works by Bill Withers and a Kenyan piece. Learn more about Fitchburg State’s musical offerings at fitchburgstate.edu/music.