Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Patricia Marshall and Deans welcomed Department Chairs to a two day workshop prior to the start of the fall semester.

Our Office of Student Development Student Orientation Leaders came back to campus yesterday for a week long preparation for Move In & orientation sessions for our newest Falcons coming to campus next week. After moving in, and reconnecting over lunch, the Orientation Leaders began a week of training with review of the schedule, introductions, and a name memory ice breaker.

Interim Associate Vice President, Capital Planning and Maintenance Matt Lechter hosted a luncheon on the quad to thank Capital Planning and Maintenance Maintainer staff members for all their hard work this summer readying the campus for the fall semester. President Hodge stopped by to thank them for all their work as well.

This morning, Environmental, Geographic and Public Health Sciences Professor Reid Parsons welcomed other School of Health and Natural Sciences professors and staff as he introduced Student Researchers Sara Beaulac & Ethan Chaco in the Antonucci Science Complex. Sara and Ethan's projects relate to ice ages on Mars and some enigmatic features found on the Martian surface. They presented their work as practice for the December American Geophysical Union (AGU) conference they will be attending in New Orleans.

Recently, Jacalyn Kremer, Dean of the Amelia V. Gallucci-Cirio Library, invited all the staff in Hammond Hall to a mixer in the Amelia V. Gallucci-Cirio Library. This casual get together gave staff the opportunity to catch up before the fall semester ramps up.

Our student athletes are on campus, and Head Football Coach Izzy Abraham is wasting no time at the onset of his second season here at Fitchburg State University. He, along with the rest of the Coaching Staff ran through plays on the quad after holding a  morning meeting in the Randall Lecture Hall. 

Spencer Police Sergeant Patrick Waugh took the 8th Fitchburg State University Police Program's Recruit Officer Course (ROC) outside of the McKay Campus School to review proper motor vehicle stop procedure. Later on, the Student Officers will be given various scenarios to work through in teams.

Our newest Nursing Student cohort in the START STRONG; Your Nursing Journey Begins Here program ended today with tours of our Nursing Foundations and Nursing Simulation Labs. Afterward, Nursing faculty and current students took feedback about this program in its first year, as well as hand out some swag and have a raffle for prizes.

Dean of Students, Tim St. John, hosted the Student Affairs Retreat on Tuesday at the Hammond Main Lounge.

“This is an exciting time,” St. John said. “We’re going to enter our sophomore year of our Hodge Era. We have new team members joining our division. Uniquely positioned, we in Student Affairs have the awesome opportunity and responsibility to serve as stewards of the student experience and to ensure that it is one that is enriched and supported for all of our students. 

“I’m going to continue to challenge us intensely this year to dream big and to act boldly, as we uncover what it means to serve all of today’s Falcons. It will mean taking risks and piloting new things, much like our activity here today. It will also mean saying ‘no’ or ‘not right now’ with intention or sunsetting some old things to make way for the new. It is my hope that, together, we keep fostering and engaging in these kinds of conversations and brainstorming beyond today.”

In addition to all of their coursework, physical training, defensive tactics, hands-on training, etc., the Fitchburg State University Police Program's Recruit Officer Course (ROC) staff have stressed the importance of public speaking. Student Officers are expected to be able to speak extemporaneously on a variety of topics daily. This reinforces the students ability to think on their feet and express themselves clearly and concisely. Yet another "soft" skill that will help them succeed as law officers.