Shaniah Greene '22 speaks during a webinar with Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm. Shaniah Greene ‘22 is anxious to do her part to make a more energy-secure future. The junior chemistry major will spend the summer as a Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internships (SULI) Awardee at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colo. Greene heard about the national program through Professor Emma Downs (Biology/Chemistry) who encouraged her to apply. In her internship, Greene will be working on semiconductor substrates. “We’re always trying to find cheaper and more efficient ways to use solar panels,” she said. “It’s essentially materials science.” It’s a very technical field, and Greene likes to joke that no one can quite understand what she’s talking about when she tells them her planned duties. But with minors in professional writing and literature, Greene hopes to one day help make these concepts easier to grasp. “I like the thought of making new discoveries easier for everyone to understand,” she said.  Born in Boston and raised in Brockton, Greene has always had a passion for science. “You know those kids who get leaves and dirt in a bucket and say they’re making ‘potions?’ That was me,” she said. She found Fitchburg State through her older sister, who graduated in 2020. She knew her sister had a good experience, and liked that her parents wouldn’t have to worry about her being too far from home. “It’s worked out just fine,” she said. “I’m basically in love with the staff at the Antonucci Science Complex. Greene is looking forward to her internship at the renewable energy laboratory, and was one of four undergraduates from across the U.S. highlighted this spring when Energy Secretary Jennifer M. Granholm celebrated her as a future STEM leader at a virtual roundtable discussion. The SULI program which Greene will complete this summer encourages undergraduate students and recent graduates to pursue STEM careers by providing research experiences at the Department of Energy (DOE) laboratories. Selected students participate as interns appointed at one of 17 participating DOE laboratories/facilities. They perform research, under the guidance of laboratory staff scientists or engineers, on projects supporting the DOE mission. The SULI program is sponsored and managed by the DOE Office of Science’s, Office of Workforce Development for Teachers and Scientists (WDTS) in collaboration with the DOE laboratories/facilities. Applications for the SULI program are solicited annually for three separate internship terms. Internship appointments are 10 weeks in duration for the Summer Term (May through August) or 16 weeks in duration for the Fall (August through December) and Spring (January through May) Terms. Each DOE laboratory/facility offers different research opportunities; not all DOE laboratories/facilities offer internships during the Fall and Spring Terms.

In partnership with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the City of Fitchburg, Fitchburg State University will be hosting a COVID vaccination clinic from 2 to 7 p.m. Friday, May 28, at the Athletics and Recreation Center parking lot, 130 North St.  On-site registration will be available and walk-ins are accepted for this clinic, where Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccines will be available. Those seeking their second dose of Pfizer should bring proof of receiving their first shot (and those receiving their first dose on Friday will be able to schedule their second shots). There is no cost to participate. The clinic is open to the public and will be run from mobile units in the Recreation Center parking lot. The program is being conducted as part of the state’s COVID-19 Vaccine Equity Initiative.

Fitchburg State University will support students with housing insecurity through the state’s Moving to College program this fall. Fitchburg State President Richard S. Lapidus this week signed a memorandum of understanding with leaders from Mount Wachusett Community College, LUK Inc. and the Fitchburg Public Schools in support of the initiative that was recently launched by the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education. The purpose of the Moving to College housing program pilot is to test effective housing interventions and address housing insecurity among Massachusetts college students, with the goal of helping homeless and housing insecure students earn college degrees and certificates of value. Fitchburg State will house up to five students a year through the program, selected from the Fitchburg State and Mount Wachusett Community College campuses. “Fitchburg State has long been a student-centered campus, nationally recognized for supporting social mobility,” President Lapidus said. “The Moving to College Program will open doors of opportunity for more students, and we are honored to be a part of it.” “We look forward to supporting our partners in this initiative as we strive to remove barriers to higher education,” said Mount Wachusett Community College President James Vander Hooven. “Housing and food insecurity are significant problems for college students, and this program is a positive move toward addressing these issues.” Beyond the housing and meal plans provided by Fitchburg State, LUK Inc. will provide additional case management and wraparound services to support successful graduation and post-graduation stability. The Fitchburg Public Schools will identify eligible applicants and support them through the process and coordinate connection with service providers. More information on the program can be found on the Department of Higher Education’s website.

The university held its annual Celebration of Faculty and Librarian Excellence on May 18, where faculty members were recognized on achievements of tenure, promotions and retirements. Emeriti faculty were also recognized, and the university’s signature faculty awards were bestowed. Videos about each of the faculty award recipients may be viewed online. The honorees will also be inscribed on award plaques hanging in the foyer of Thompson Hall. Tenure AchievementDr. Nermin Bayazit (Mathematics) Dr. Deborah Benes (Nursing) Dr. Katharine Covino-Poutasse (English Studies) Dr. Emma Downs (Biology/Chemistry) Dr. Adem Elveren (Economics, History and Political Science) Dr. Wendy Keyser (English Studies) Dr. Nirajan Mani (Engineering Technology) Dr. Christa Marr (Economics, History and Political Science) Dr. Lindsay Parisi (Exercise and Sports Science) Dr. Reid Parsons (Earth and Geographic Sciences) Dr. Kori Ryan (Behavioral Sciences) Dr. Robert Shapiro (Education) Dr. Deborah Stone (Nursing) Connie Strittmatter (Amelia V. Gallucci-Cirio Library) Promotion to Full ProfessorDr. John Ludlam (Biology/Chemistry) Dr. Joann Nichols (Education) Dr. Renee Scapparone (Business Administration) Promotion to Associate ProfessorDr. Katharine Covino-Poutasse (English Studies) Dr. Emma Downs (Biology/Chemistry) Dr. Nirajan Mani (Engineering Technology) Dr. Christa Marr (Economics, History and Political Science) Dr. Lindsay Parisi (Exercise and Sports Science) Dr. Reid Parsons (Earth and Geographic Sciences) Dr. Kori Ryan (Behavioral Sciences) Dr. Robert Shapiro (Education) Dr. Mark Williams (Behavioral Sciences) Professor EmeritusSusan Wadsworth (Humanities) Linda McKay (Nursing) RetirementsDr. Augustine Aryee (Behavioral Sciences) Dr. Judith Budz (English Studies) David Keith Chenot (Engineering Technology) Dr. Chola Chisunka (English Studies) Dr. Rodney Christy (Economics, History and Political Science) Ellen “Cap” Corduan (Communications Media) Dr. Meledath Govindan (Biology/Chemistry) Dr. Lynne Kellner (Behavioral Sciences) Dr. Wayne Munson (Communications Media) Dr. Angela Nastasee-Carder (English Studies) Allison Shields (Nursing) Nancy Turnbull (Amelia V. Gallucci-Cirio Library)

Fitchburg State University recently held its 125th commencement exercises, with virtual ceremonies honoring the graduating class. Fitchburg State President Richard S. Lapidus saluted the graduates for persevering through the challenges of a global pandemic. “You’re transitioning into a very different world from the one that you had been planning for when you started college, and find yourself at a pivotal time in our country’s evolution,” President Lapidus said. “The pandemic has changed all of our lives in significant ways.  It has impacted the way we live and work, think and behave. It has raised questions of uncertainty about the financial future, it has enhanced political polarization and magnified ongoing issues of inequality and injustice. The experience has, at times, been chaotic, stressful and often fatiguing. In many ways, how you respond to this current situation will define your generation. You are well trained and possess the talent and skills to do great things. So, use your education wisely, summon your knowledge, insight, creativity, and courage. It’s your time to challenge what is, affect real change, and realize what can be in the world.” At the graduate ceremony, Graduate Student Leadership Award recipient Christopher S. Brooks talked about his journey from serving in the U.S. Navy to becoming a physician assistant, and the decision to continue his education with an MBA from Fitchburg State. He said he was encouraged to go back to school by a patient who was recovering from a stroke, who was also a teacher. “To make a long story short, for every excuse that I had on why I could not go back to school, the teacher had given me a positive answer on how and why I should,” Brooks said, encouraging others to follow the teacher’s example. “Help guide or teach someone that may be feeling stuck. Lead others to help them achieve their goals. Lastly, do not be afraid to take a chance on yourself, whether it is continuing your education further, or possibly applying for that job that you saw, but did not think you’d get.” Undergraduate valedictorian Joseph Bourgeois recounted the challenges all of the members of the Class of 2021 had faced in pursuit of their degrees. “As the brilliant Albert Einstein once said, ‘In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity,’” Bourgeois said. “This past year has been filled with challenges brought on by COVID. Our lives have been changed drastically, especially in terms of our academics. The transition from in-person classes to online was not easy by any means but we were able to push forward and cross the finish line. When we face difficulty in life, we must adapt to the changes and make the best out of a bad situation.” The complete virtual ceremonies can be viewed online at fitchburgstate.edu/commencement.

Fitchburg State University recently hosted its 40th Elizabeth Haskins Mathematics Contest, welcoming 75 students from five regional high schools. The event is named  for Elizabeth Haskins, a Fitchburg State mathematics professor who retired in 1978 and passed away in 2004. The competition, which was canceled in 2020 because of the pandemic, was run virtually this year. The Mathematics Department at Fitchburg State looks forward to welcoming students back to campus for an in-person event in 2022. Faculty members Rachael Norton and Peter Staab organized the event, which assembled 75 students from Narragansett Regional High School, Groton-Dunstable Regional High School, the Bromfield School, Notre Dame Preparatory School, and Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School. The contest was administered via WeBWorK, an open, online platform used by many faculty members at Fitchburg State and around the country.  Beyond the mathematics test, other activities for participating students included a solutions session presented by Fitchburg State mathematics majors Brittany Kaldis and Maggie Chase, and a presentation on knot theory titled “Why Knot” by Dr. Colin Adams from Williams College.  The following students received the highest marks in the competition: Grade 10 – 1st place: Oliver Erz (Groton-Dunstable); 2nd place: Ro Dudevoir (Groton-Dunstable); 3rd place: Arushi Chaudhary (Groton-Dunstable). Honorable mentions were awarded to Emma Milano (Groton-Dunstable) and Prachi Hemmige (Groton-Dunstable). Grade 11 – 1st place: Tiana Jiang (Bromfield); 2nd place: Sylvia Han (Groton-Dunstable); 3rd place: Declan Muir (Groton-Dunstable). Honorable mentions were awarded to Ethan Kritzer (Groton-Dunstable), Jason Huang (Groton-Dunstable), Thomas Onishi (Groton-Dunstable); Matthew Hughes (Narragansett); and Olivia Ren (Bromfield). Grade 12 – 1st place: Nicholas Thornton (Bromfield), who with a perfect score of 30 points was the overall winner of the 2021 contest, and was also the top scorer in the 2019 competition; 2nd place: Ben Furman (Groton-Dunstable); 3rd place: Olivier Bradley (Bromfield).

Fitchburg State University will hold virtual celebrations of its 125th graduating class this week. Links to the events will be shared on the university's commencement page.The Graduate Commencement Ceremony will be shared at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, May 13. The Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony will be published at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 15. In addition to an address by Fitchburg State President Richard S. Lapidus, each ceremony will include remarks by student honorees. Graduate Student Leadership Award recipient Christopher S. Brooks will speak during the Graduate Ceremony, while Valedictorian Joseph Bourgeois will speak as part of the Undergraduate Ceremony. Graduate Student Leadership AwardChristopher S. Brooks Christopher S. Brooks Christopher Brooks was already an established professional when he decided to return to Fitchburg State to pursue another advanced degree. Brooks briefly attended Fitchburg State after graduating from high school, but decided to pursue a different path by enlisting in the U.S. Navy. He credits his military service for helping him grow as a person. After serving, he went to physician assistant school. Because he was taking his boards, he missed his undergraduate commencement in 2001. His lengthy health care career has included service as a physician assistant in emergency room settings, as well as orthopedics, and currently in neurointerventional radiology, where he shares duties as a stroke coordinator in his current role. Brooks was inspired to pursue a business degree by one of his patients, who described how it could broaden his professional horizons. He completes his Master of Business Administration with a concentration in healthcare management tonight, for which he earned with a perfect grade point average. He lives in Gardner with his wife and their 16-year-old daughter. ValedictorianJoseph A. Bourgeois Joseph A. Bourgeois Joseph Bourgeois distinguished himself as a driven student during his years at Fitchburg State, balancing the demands of working on- and off-campus with a commitment to excelling in the classroom. Bourgeois came to Fitchburg State in the fall of 2017 to pursue a degree in business administration with a concentration in accounting, as well as a degree in economics. In each of his eligible semesters he was named to the President’s List in recognition of his outstanding academic performance. Bourgeois was also inducted into Sigma Beta Delta (the business honor society) in 2019, and this spring received the Alex Donker Award for Excellence in Economics and the Outstanding Senior in Accounting Award. Beyond the classroom, Bourgeois was a valued member of the university’s Financial Services team, where he was a student worker since May 2019. In that role, he executed accounting functions as well as provided office support. In addition, he supported his fellow students as a tutor in his junior and senior years. Bourgeois also maintained an off-campus job as a tech sales associate. With his degree now complete, Bourgeois is looking for a full-time position in accounting. He lives in Gardner.

The American Moot Court Association has released its annual rankings of college and universities and again Fitchburg State University is among the top 20 in the U.S. The moot court competition pits teams of students against one another on opposing sides of a legal case, as in an appellate court proceeding. Students must argue both sides of the case in the course of the competition, making timed arguments as well as fielding questions from a panel of legal experts, as well as submitting written briefs. Fitchburg State, whose program was founded in 2000 by Professor Paul Weizer of the Economics, History and Political Science Department, has competed with distinction every year. Professor Weizer noted Fitchburg State is the smallest public institution to crack the top 25 in the nation. “This is a great testament to the hard work of our students and the support of the institution,” he said. “More than 500 teams competed in the last season, and our students were able to excel in all aspects of the activity. We had two teams qualify for the national tournament in oral advocacy and also had one team earn national recognition in brief writing. While the level of competition continues to rise, our students continue to show great results.” The American Moot Court Association’s Top Program Scores recognize schools based on their performance in both the AMCA National Tournament Oral Advocacy competition and the AMCA National Tournament Written Brief competition.  The scores are weighted at 67 percent for the oral advocacy competition and 33 percent for the written brief competition. More than 200 Fitchburg State students have competed in the tournament since the local program was founded. Many graduates of the program return to campus each year for the regional tournament on the Fitchburg State campus. Their ranks include police officers, lawyers and court clerks, though Weizer said the skills developed through moot court are applicable far beyond the legal profession.

Crystal Aneke of Quincy, who graduated from Fitchburg State University in December, will represent her alma mater this week when the Commonwealth of Massachusetts recognizes “29 Who Shine,” honoring a graduate from each of its public institutions of higher education. The Department of Higher Education’s virtual 29 Who Shine celebration will premiere at 2 p.m. Thursday. A link to the virtual ceremony will be posted this week to www.mass.edu/system/29whoshine.asp. Aneke graduated from Fitchburg State in December with a major in political science and minors in economics and criminal justice. She was a distinguished student at Fitchburg State. As the elected student representative to the university’s Board of Trustees, Aneke worked to amplify student voices in university affairs. In her role with the Black Student Union, Aneke moderated a powerful panel discussion on Black Lives and Blue Lives that included students, staff, and police officers. This was followed by the launch of a series of “Courageous Conversations” on themes related to diversity, equity and inclusion that brought members of the campus community together in virtual space. Aneke also lent her voice to the Unity Rally that occurred on campus in September 2020, which was another powerful opportunity for members of the campus to engage with and learn from one another. Beyond that work in student leadership, Aneke stood out as a member of Fitchburg State’s successful Moot Court team, earning national honors competing against elite peers from across the country. She will continue practicing those skills in her next venture, with plans to attend law school this fall and ambitions to practice public interest law as a career. Aneke identified Professor Paul I. Weizer from the Economics, History and Political Science Department as her faculty mentor. Professor Weizer will also be recognized during the virtual celebration this week. “At times all one needs is a person to believe in them,” Aneke said. “A figure who despite the odds, still provides encouragement and support unconditionally. For me, this person is Dr. Paul Weizer. When I couldn’t see the light, he made sure to steer me away from darkness.”