Prior to today’s Board of Trustees meeting, Chief of Staff Matthew Bruun hosted a special faculty showcase in the Hammond Hall Main Lounge. Professors Joshua Spero and Christine Dee (Economics, History and Political Science) joined David Weiss (Criminal Justice) to highlight the innovative projects and research currently underway. The discussion focused on how faculty are driving innovation through cross-disciplinary projects.

Director of Admissions Tony Trodella welcomed students enrolled in Smith Vocational & Agricultural High School's Public Safety program to campus this morning to learn about our Criminal Justice (CJ) & Fitchburg State University Police Program. Criminal Justice Professor Michael S. McCutcheon led a Police Program/CJ info session and mock lesson with current student available to answer questions. Director of Admissions Tony Trodella then gave highlights of Fitchburg State University, including how to apply with a campus tour following. Last, but not least, was lunch at our Holmes Dining Commons before departure back to Northampton, MA. 

Students who've completed a Criminal Justice (CJ) internship gave presentations about their particular internships to Professor Eileen Kirk and other students. Here, a student spoke about her internship with the Mendon, MA police Department.

Fitchburg State University Police Program  Police Academy Director Alexandra Wysocki welcomed representatives from over a dozen law enforcement agencies to the Hammond Main Lounge yesterday afternoon for the  Career Services and Advising Center's Law Enforcement Reverse Career Fair. A reverse career fair flips the table, students stationed at tables get a chance to pitch themselves to employers, who in turn get quality one-on-one time with job seekers.

Criminal Justice Professor Eileen Kirk welcomed alumni to her First Year Experience (FYE): Behavioral Sciences course today to discuss various aspects of the criminal justice system. Nicole Berthiaume'06,'13 of LifeStance Health, Maeghan Alansky '24 of the  Fitchburg District Court, Travis Morcaldi '22, '23 of the Fitchburg Police Department, and Jevon Brown-Simpson '18 of the Massachusetts Department of Correction discussed their experiences at Fitchburg State University and how it lead them to their current careers.

Students in Professor Michael S. McCutcheon's Criminal Investigation course got to try their hands at fingerprint collecting. After leaving their own fingerprints on various surface types, the students dusted, and lifted the prints using situation/surface specific methodologies. The course will enables the student to understand the fundamentals of the criminal investigation process. They will explore investigative techniques in crime scene search, collection and use of evidence and information. This semester students are using Dr. McCutcheon's recently published Crime Scene Workbook. Learn more about our Criminal Justice Program here.

Economics, History and Political Science Professor Paul Weizer, introduced  Criminal Justice Program  Professor Michael S. McCutcheon  in the Ellis White Lecture Hall. As part of Fitchburg State University's week long observation of Constitution Day 2025 McCutcheon presented "Due Process and Law Enforcement." The week full of events are organized by the General Education Program co-sponsored with the Office of Student Engagement and the Student Government Association.

Fitchburg State University is marking Constitution Day 2025 with a week full of events organized by the General Education Program co-sponsored with the Office of Student Engagement and the Student Government Association. Wednesday It continued with the Keynote Address. After an introduction by Assistant Professor Eileen Kirk of our Criminal Justice Program,  Justice David J. Breen, and Justice Lisa Ann Grant discussed Due Process and the Rule of Law.

The 13 members of the 8th Fitchburg State University Police Program's Recruit Officer Course (ROC) at Fitchburg State were sworn in as police officers on Friday September 12, 2025 before an audience of family, friends, elected leaders and public safety professionals. All of the graduates of our groundbreaking program have already been hired by police departments across the state. As President Donna Hodge told the assembled graduates and audience, “This academy is more than a program, It is a promise. A promise that public higher education and public safety can work hand in hand. A promise that innovation and integrity can meet in the same training ground. A promise that Massachusetts can lead the nation in preparing those who serve and protect." Read the full article here.

This morning President Hodge, Fitchburg State University Police Chief Michael Cloutier, members of the University Police, Military and Veteran Services Director Nolan Buck, university faculty and staff, local dignitaries, and more joined with Fitchburg Fire Department (FFD) at their North Street Headquarters, adjacent to the university, to commemorate lives lost during the attacks on 9/11/2001. The ceremony was held at the 9/11 memorial outside Fire Department headquarters - a piece of a steel beam from the North Tower of the World Trade Center anchors the memorial.