Yesterday evening, the Fitchburg State University community gathered on the Highland Ave. Plaza for the Annual Lighting of the Campus. Members of the staff each spoke briefly after the Fitchburg State Choir began the festivities. Holidays that were spoken about were St. Nicholas Day, Fiesta de Guadalupe, St. Lucia Day, Los Posadas, Hanukkah, Winter Solstice, Dong Zhi, Soyaluna, Christmas, Kwanzaa, Boxing Day, Hmong New Year, and Three Kings Day/Epiphany. In closing, both President Lapidus and Student Government Association (SGA) President Miranda Gustin made remarks, then led the crowd in a countdown to the lighting of the campus.

Professor Kisha Tracy, and students in her Global Middle Ages course, assembled some informational packets,  "Hildegard's Horde," a medieval miscellany of entertaining education, as a take away for next week's Choral Kaleidoscope performance. On Tuesday,  the Fitchburg State choirs as well as voices from Gardner High School, Murdock High School and Narragansett Regional High School, will perform in Weston Auditorium. Among the selections performed will be pieces from the Middle Ages by Hildegard of Bingen. The packets are full of information about Hildegard of Bingen, the Middle Ages, and more.

Associate Director of Student Development & Commuter and Volunteer Affairs Shane Franzen placed the lights on the Highland Plaza Holiday Tree in preparation for the Fitchburg State University Annual Lighting of the Campus. The campus will gather at the plaza for the Lighting of the Campus this Thursday, December 1, at 4:30. 

This afternoon, TRIO, the Academic Coaching and Tutoring Center (ACT), and Disability Services hosted a Friendsgiving event. Students were treated to a hot chocolate bar and baked goods set up in the lounge area outside the three offices.

Faculty, staff , and students went about their way on the Highland Plaza this afternoon as preparations were being made for this week's Annual Lighting of the Campus. The campus will gather at the plaza for the Lighting of the Campus on Thursday, December 1, at 4:30. 

Associate Director of Student Development & Commuter and Volunteer Affairs Shane Franzen continued the tradition of decorating the Hammond Hall vestibule for the Christmas holiday. As you can see, a focal point are the trees Shane sets up on the Hammond Hall landing.

Late last week, Dean of The School of Health and Natural Sciences Dr. Jennifer Hanselman and Engineering Technology Department faculty welcomed local business partners to the  Fitchburg State University Engineering Technology Department's Industry Advisory Board (IAB) meeting. Included on the agenda was an opportunity for students to present their work to the partners in attendance.

Members of our Admission Staff, along with our Student Ambassadors/Tour Guides, eagerly welcomed three groups to the Fitchburg State University campus Friday. We were delighted to host seventy students from Narragansett High School, twenty students from Boston Prep Charter School, and twelve transfer students. Each group attended Information session, toured our beautiful campus, and then had lunch where they were able to ask current students about the university. 

Co-Producer and Director alumnus Graham Suorsa '02 screened his HBO Max documentary The Fastest Woman on Earth yesterday afternoon in Kent Auditorium. Mr. Suorsa gave a poignant and powerful introduction to the screening, recounting how his days at Fitchburg State University, and interactions with his faculty, formed him into the filmmaker he is today.  One mention of note was Communications Media Professor Gunther Hoos, whose daughter, and Director of Alumni and Family Relations, Tanya Hoos Crowley MS '21 spearheaded the event, and introduced Mr. Suorsa. In particular, Graham mentioned how Professor Hoos took a chance on him, allowing him to do his own production one summer. At that time, Professor Hoos gifted Graham a new director's  slate saying, "Now you're a Director, you need a slate." That slate has appeared in everyone of Mr. Suorsa's productions as an homage to Professor Hoos. Also noted were the love and support of his parents, Fitchburg State friends, and relatives that were in attendance. 

The filmmaker also hosted a Q&A, along with an informal "Pizza with Graham" chat session after the screening to connect with Fitchburg State Falcons past and present.

This afternoon, the Fitchburg Activities Board (FAB) gave students the opportunity to repot a succulent - get it, "succs"- and get their photo taken with their succulent in it's personalized new "home."