Recently, President Hodge welcomed Worcester District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr. recently to view a presentation by students in Communications Media Professor Kyle Moody's  social media campaign class. The students spent the fall semester designing multimedia collateral for the Worcester County District Attorney’s public relations campaign to encourage safe driving for mobile phone users.

The experience was life-changing for the students and, according to District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr., will also make an impact on members of the public who view their work.   

This morning saw the culmination of the Annual Care & Share Holiday Community Program, spearheaded by the Office of Student Development, Fitchburg Community Outreach Center (FCOC) & the Mckay Elementary School. Members of Student Development, Materials Management, University Police, and TRIO Program gathered in Hammond Hall to gather all the gifts collected for the Care & Share Program, donated by faculty and staff, for delivery to the McKay Campus School. For more than 45 years, the campus community has "adopted" children from the McKay school community to receive unwrapped gifts. This year, 118 Children consisting of 46 families were adopted with Athletics sponsoring 25 children.

The Fitchburg Activities Board (FAB) sponsored last day of class activities in the G-Lobby of Hammond Hall. Students were treated to a nacho/tater tot bar and various stress relieving activities - with slime making being the most popular. One student was heard to say, "I am totally playing with this slime during my final."

Students got a chance to unwind last night, on the eve of the last day of class, at the Fitchburg Activities Board (FAB) sponsored ChristmasHanukkahKwanzaKings (Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa/Three Kings) event. Various student groups were on hand to spread holiday cheer with holiday themed crafts, the wildly popular stuff-a-plush, and much more. Meanwhile, members of the administration passed hors d'oeuvres festooned in holiday garb.

Yesterday afternoon, students got a little break from classes, tests and projects this afternoon by spending a little time with Moka, and Penny in the Hammond Maine Lounge, These therapy dogs were a welcome respite from the stress of finals season.

The University recently hosted the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce'sCommunity Leadership Institute Class of 2025 in the Hammond Main Lounge. President Donna Hodge, along with Nicole Conroy of My Turn Inc., and Thomas Browne of Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School spoke to the class about challenges facing the region through the lens of education.

Yesterday afternoon our Veteran Center hosted a Veteran Student Meet and Greet event. This gave  our veteran students the opportunity  to gather for coffee, a snack & camaraderie. In addition, these students had the chance to discuss the unique concerns of veteran students with university staff.

Student teams in English Studies Professor Dr. Katharine Covino's First-Year Experience (FYE) course each created a Public Service Announcement (PSA) which were judged, with a PSA about bussing issues coming out on top. Fitchburg Mayor Samantha Squailia visited the class to sign and give certificates to the winning team. Their efforts paid off as Mayor Squailia has already made improvements, and promised a bus stop shelter is ready to be installed on campus.

President Hodge capped off International Education Week yesterday accepting the generous donation by fellow community member  Rollstone Bank & Trust. A big thank you to Rollstone Bank & Trust employees, customers, friends who donated time and energy to creating these baskets of basic necessities for our newest international students. Director of International Education Nelly Wadsworth, and a group of students were on hand to accept the "kindness kits."

Members of our Student Nursing Association recently gathered in Thompson hall to create Holiday cards that they will deliver to local nursing homes.