The Fitchburg State University Bias Incident Response Team (BIRT) met this morning in Percival Hall. Team members, including Dr. Hank Parkinson, Dean of Student Development, Rachel Graddy, Director of Disability Services, Jason Smith, Assistant Dean for Student Success for Academic Affairs, Dr. William Cummings, Director of Compliance and Title IX, and Junior Pena, Director of Student Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Programs (via zoom) discussed policies and procedures in an effort to improve the groups work and the overall Fitchburg State University community.

Mark St. Laurent gives a lesson in voice as part of our Community Music Program this afternoon in the Band Room of our Conlon Fine Arts Center. The Community Music Program offers year-round programs (individual & group lessons, cello choir, chamber music fest) to the public.

This afternoon, President Lapidus hosted an Ice Cream Social at the Lisciotti Pavilion in the Antonucci Science Center. The event was an opportunity for colleagues to gather and welcome new arrivals to campus including Provost Patricia Marshall and Dean of Health and Natural Sciences Jennifer Hanselman. President Lapidus and Special Assistant to the President Gail Doiron doled out the ice cream to an eager and grateful crowd.

Today saw the culmination of Fitchburg State University's Admissions, Marketing & Integrated Communications, Print Services departments, in partnership with officials and departments within Fitchburg, MA. The weeks long partnership enables the university to enhance our downtown presence as the city continues to grow.

Fitchburg State University's Upward Bound Summer Program students work on thank you notes to send in gratitude to their area internships. Upward Bound provides academic support through tutoring services, educational and college preparatory workshops, and cultural field trips stressing academic development, The program serves high school students from Fitchburg and Leominster for the duration of their high school career and beyond. The 6-week summer residential program gives students an opportunity to live on the Fitchburg State University campus and experience life as a college student. Students attend academic classes in the morning, participate in community service worksites in the afternoon, are engaged in a variety of entertaining workshops in the evening and have the option of attending college visits and cultural trips on the weekend.

Last Friday, incoming First Year students took a break as they helped out with a Housing and Residential Services video.

This summer more than 65 students from Fitchburg State's Early College, Upward Bound, and Upward Math and Science Programs are taking part in Dual Enrollment courses made possible by a grant from the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education's Commonwealth Dual Enrollment Program.  Here students in Professor Kyle Anderson's Earth Systems Science Class take part in a lab exploring the principles of Oceanography. 

This week, Snapology is holding their Summer Camp Program here at on the Fitchburg State campus. Snapology is the premier partner for STEAM programs (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art & Math), offering year-round programs in schools,  community facilities, homes and in their Discovery Centers. "Kids have so much fun in our classes and camp activities that they don’t even realize they’re learning STEM / STEAM  concepts."

A new transfer agreement between Fitchburg State University and Mount Wachusett Community College will help streamline the transfer process for students pursuing degrees in middle school or secondary education.

Under terms of the agreement, qualifying students enrolled in MWCC’s associate programs in biology, chemistry, or liberal arts and sciences will be able to take three key education courses at Fitchburg State at the community college rates. They will then be able to transfer to Fitchburg State as juniors to complete their undergraduate degrees in middle or secondary education.

“We are pleased to work with our partners at Fitchburg State to offer our students a new educational pathway,” Mount Wachusett Community College President James Vander Hooven said. “There’s an incredible willingness between Mount Wachusett Community College and Fitchburg State to bridge these divides. Our graduates stay local. Having that next opportunity to complete their bachelor’s degrees and go to work in our region is very important.”

This afternoon, students enrolled in the  Mount Wachusett Community College (MWCC) Upward Bound Math & Science (UBMS) Summer Academy, played a game of Capture the Flag in the Fitchburg State University quad. Fitchburg State University Campus is hosting the program which is administered by MWCC to serve high school students from Athol, Winchendon, and Gardner to prepare them for college and STEM careers.