Fitchburg State University welcomed hundreds of prospective students and guests for this season’s Future Falcon Day events on Saturday, March 18th, and Saturday April 1st.

Our Women's History Month celebration capped off with the Student Government Association (SGA) sponsored  Women's Leadership Conference Friday afternoon in the Hammond Maine Lounge. After a welcome from SGA President Miranda Guston, attendees participated in break out sessions hosted by Fitchburg State University women from all different backgrounds; Provost Patricia Marshall, Fitchburg State University Police Program's Recruit Officer Course Academy Director Lisa Lane, Asst. Professor Rachelle Dermer, and Vice President for Student Affairs Laura Bayless. These sessions were followed by a student panel, dinner, and a keynote address by Angela Batista.

Recently, Provost Patricia Marshall welcomed those gathered in the Presidents' Hall for English Studies Professor Elise Takehana who presented her Harrod Lecture "Database and Algorithm as Literary Infrastructure", after an introduction by Acting English Studies Department Chair Lisa Gim.

In the lecture, Dr. Takehana discussed the conflicts and overlaps between storytelling and data analysis by exploring examples in experimental literature, interactive fiction, portraiture, and quantitative approaches to studying language and literature. The talk offered several reflections on the nature of human expression in the age of big data and how that might color what we think of as "human."

Students in Earth and Geographic Sciences Professor Reid Parsons' Earth Systems Science class test the affect of temperature on ocean current in their lab. This course gives students a holistic view of Earth and the spatial relationships between its physical, chemical, geological, and biological systems. Students are taught  fundamental scientific principles of physical geography and discuss human-earth interactions. 

As the semester reaches its mid-point, the always popular therapy dogs paid a visit to campus yesterday afternoon, Students got a little break from classes, tests and projects by spending a little time with Daisy, Moka, Penny, and  Fitchburg State University Police's own Odin in the Hammond Main Lounge.

This Afternoon, Our Women's History Month celebration continued with a Women in Law Enforcement panel discussion in the Falcon Hub. The Criminal Justice Club hosted this panel discussion with four female-identified individuals working in law enforcement: Chief Cara Rossi (Ashland PD), Lt. Alfreda Cromwell (Shirley PD), Mental Health Clinician and Co-Responder Jennifer Previti (Tufts University Police Dept.), and an alumna of Fitchburg State University Police Program's Recruit Officer Course 4th ROC. After introductions from Criminal Justice Club Faculty Advisor Kathrine Hazen and Police Program Academy Director Lisa Lane, attendees got to hear about their career paths and unique experiences in a profession that is only 13% female.

Students in Biology Professor Christopher Picone General Biology II Lab are studying invertebrate anatomy, In this particular lab, the invertebrates  being studied are worms and lobsters. 

Yesterday afternoon, the Fitchburg State University Career Services and Advising Center sponsored a Campus Wide Career Fair in the Athletics and Recreation Center. This fair, with over 50 local businesses in attendance, was for students from all majors and all class years. Students were strongly encouraged to attend and take this opportunity to connect with employers from a variety of industries. Click here for a complete list of participating employers.

Our Women's History Month celebration continued with this afternoon's performance of the female led Myanna Jazz Quartet. Attendees enjoyed their funky soul and jazz in performance in the Falcon Hub.

Students in Professor Danielle Wigmore's Exercise Physiology II course ascertain baseline statistics for their experiment to record possible physiological affects of beet root supplement after two weeks. The subject is given the supplement and instructions on dosage. The course is designed to cover physiological response to acute exercise and chronic adaptations to exercise. This part of the multi-phased lab based course examines the  cardiovascular system, respiratory system, and the impact of different environmental conditions on exercise responses and capacity. It also introduces research methods in exercise science.