English Studies Professor Katharine Covino's Literature for Young Adults course, who are reading Fitchburg State University alumni Robert Cormier’s canonical novel The Chocolate War. dug deeper into the story and investigate their questions by working collaboratively with their classmates in the Robert E. Cormier Archive. After an introduction to, and a tour of the Amelia V. Gallucci-Cirio Library Archives by University Archivist Asher Jackson, students began reviewing the abundance of archives related to the novel. 

Students in Dr. Robert Carr's Writings in Aesthetics course work on their group and independent projects. Located at the interface between theory and production, this course is a writing intensive Communication Studies course that capitalizes on this vantage point to critically examine the professional arts comprising our curriculum, namely film, video, graphic design, photography, interactive media, and professional communication. Through weekly readings and writings, seminar discussions, presentations, and a term length qualitative research project, this writing intensive course bridges the theory/production dichotomy. 

This morning, our ever vigilant  Capital Planning and Maintenance (CPM) department, in an effort to complete work on our Antonucci Science Complex, needed to close the portion of North St. that runs through campus. Seth O'Hearn, a Criminal Justice/Fitchburg State University Police Programstudent, through a cooperative program with the Fitchburg Police Department, directs traffic in an official capacity.

Today the university kicked off its Young Falcons Academy week, where students from Fitchburg and Leominster public middle schools partake in a week full of activities on campus. After a tour this morning, these students visited our Recreation Center, learned about clubs and organizations from current Fitchburg State students, social media, visual arts, and more. Here, Fine Arts Professors Petri Flint and Andrea Olmstead lead students in a color-centric project.

 Students in  Communications Media Assistant Professor, Film and Video, Rachelle A. Dermer's Writer's Room course explore collaborative writing for a series. The classroom is structured as a Writer's Room. Students learn about the formation of a Writer's Room, the ways in which they vary, and the hierarchy. Collaboratively, students will write a complete season of a series as a writing team. Each student takes on a specific role on the team. They work as a group to determine the series format (Network, Cable, Streaming, etc.), outline the season arc for the series and then determine how many episodes are required to achieve their narrative goal.

Students in Biology and Chemistry Professor Billy Samulak's Chemistry for Health Sciences Lab work on an assignment in the Antonucci Science Complex. This course is designed specifically for nursing and exercise sports majors and includes the study of selected topics from general chemistry, organic chemistry and biochemistry.

Students in Theater Professor Ellen (Cap) Corduan, take the next step in her Stage Makeup class in Conlon Fine Arts. The students move from paper to flesh and experiment with various make-up techniques to attain various looks and moods. This lecture/laboratory course investigates the principles, techniques and materials of character stage makeup and practical application. Students will apply, in a production setting, principles, techniques and materials of character stage makeup. They will identify historical justification for period makeup and apply techniques for live animation, clowning and dramatic character.

Dr. Jonathan Harvey held practice for the Fitchburg State Chamber Choir in Weston Auditorium. Learn more about our music programs here.

The Office of International Education hosted a Study Abroad Fair this afternoon in the Hammond Main Lounge. Students had the convenience of asking about the many study abroad opportunities available to them here at Fitchburg State University in one location. Programs available in 2024 include; Peace Studies in Ireland, Eat, Speak Italian and History Program in Verona, Italy,  Rhetoric in Greece - Communications Program, Nursing Program in Costa Rica, Arts and Game Design Program in Japan.

This time, Lily was admitted from the ER with sepsis and is waiting for a bed in the ICU Our nursing students were directed to administer medications, and work through the simulation in real time. Our Nursing Simulation Laboratory assists nursing students in learning critical thinking and clinical judgment skills in preparation for their healthcare careers. The “manikins” act as lifelike patient simulators, wherein instructors provide real-time feedback via a control center, giving students as close to real-life simulation as possible. Fellow students acted as support staff and assisted the team through the simulation once the code blue alarm was initiated. All students and faculty debrief after the scenario.