Professor, Dr. Sean Goodlett welcomed our faculty, staff, current and new students to the New Student Matriculation Ceremony this morning in Weston Auditorium. Dr. Franca Barricelli, Acting Provost and Executive Vice President convened the ceremony with Sophie Monis performing the National Anthem. Tim St. John, Dean of Students and Chief Student Affairs Officer introduced our Keynote Speaker Fitchburg State University Graduate, Class of 2014 Red Shaydez, Hip-Hop recording artist and Educator addressed the newest students. After  SGA President Elliot Olynciw-Olkuski and Student Trustee Yari Morales led the the signing of the Class Book, Dr. Donna Hodge, 12th President of Fitchburg State University, led our newest falcons in the Future Falcon Pledge.

The quad was buzzing today! Orientation is in full swing, and our newest Falcons brought their incredible energy to the quad for Falcon Connections.

Incoming students spent the day linking up with campus clubs, connecting with university departments, meeting new friends, and diving into all things Fitchburg State through interactive activities and games.

This morning, Chief of University Police Michael Cloutier conducted a Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events (CRASE) training session for Orientation Leaders and Resident Assistants. The course, designed and built on the Avoid, Deny, Defend (ADD) strategy developed by Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALERRT) in 2004, provides strategies, guidance, and a proven plan for ideally avoiding, surviving an active shooter event. 

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 and members of her Cabinet stopped by to thank them for all their work as well. 

Last week, the Fitchburg State University Police Department hosted an Active Attack Integrated Response (AAIR) course through ALERRT (Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training).

This intensive 16-hour, two-day program brought together regional police officers, firefighters, EMS personnel, and dispatchers to enhance tactical coordination during critical emergencies. The curriculum focused on integrated rescue task force concepts, unified command, and point-of-injury medical intervention.

Special thanks to the Massachusetts Municipal Police Training Committee (MPTC), the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy (MFA), and ALERRT for facilitating this essential training. Inter-agency collaboration remains vital to ensuring the safety and preparedness of our campus and surrounding communities.

Our Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math & Science summer program students spent Friday giving back to the community during their annual Day of Service. After rolling up their sleeves and putting in some hard work, our students headed back to campus to celebrate with a well-earned lunch and a afternoon packed with fun activities on the Quad. 

Last night, Fitchburg State University was thrilled to host the Verge Band on the Quad as the latest installment of our annual Summer Series. The premier dance-rock group delivered a high-energy performance that rocked the quad.  

We always promise a memorable experience on the Quad, but last night we might have taken "special effects" a bit too literally!  A huge thank you to the resilient crowd that joined us for Hamilton. Despite an unexpected, pre-movie sprinkler cameo, everyone took it completely in stride. Thank you for turning a little tech hiccup into a fun campus memory. The Summer Series continues on Thursday, July 16 at 5:30 p.m. with a night of live music featuring The Verge – a premier dance-rock party band guaranteed to liven up the Quad. Rest assured that the sprinklers will not be activated during the rest of our July offerings. 

In partnership with the Spanish American Center and Best Buy, Dean of Business and Technology Dr.Mahmoud Al-Odeh and Fitchburg State University are proud to host Geek Squad Academy's two-day camp that allows students to become "Junior Agents". Working alongside professional Geek Squad Agents, kids will develop tech skills, spark their creativity, build self-confidence, and explore future tech careers. Sessions include, game design, robotics, stop-motion film production, and digital music creation. After their welcome, Admissions Assistant Director Tyler Scipione shared all the opportunities here at Fitchburg State University where they can enlist their new skill set. We love seeing our campus transform into a hub for the next generation of innovators. Welcome to the academy, Junior Agents!