Yesterday, Alumni and Giving hosted their annual Retired Educators Luncheon in the Hammond Hall Falcon Hub. After a welcome from John Garten, ‘89, President of the Alumni Association, guests received a campus update from Vice President of Institutional Advancement, Jeffrey Wolfman. After that, Mr. Garten presented  the Retired Educators scholarship to Aimee Dennler '26, and the Joel D. Miller Award to Steve Tulli '91, '95. The  Joel D. Miller Award, established in 1955, is presented to a Fitchburg State University alumnus who is recognized as an outstanding educator. Joel D. Miller served as a state senator and member of the Board of Education, and is considered one of the three founders of the State Normal School in Fitchburg. In 1903, he was honored with the name of one of the university’s first dormitories, Miller Hall. In his honor.

On Friday, Lourdes Ramirez, coordinator of field placements, partnerships and recruitment for Fitchburg State’s School of Education welcomed a cohort of local high school students enrolled in The Future Educator Academy program to campus for a day of programming. Students completed a badge focused on topics in education; CPR- Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation with Fitchburg State University Police Sgt. Timothy Grant, Peer Mediation and Conflict Resolution Techniques with School of Education Professor Emily Fournier, Career Planning & my Future Badge with Career Services and Advising Center Director Lindsay Carpenter Connors, Equity and Diversity in a Multicultural Society with School of Education Professor Dr. William Cortez, and Activity Facilitation with School of Education's Lourdes Ramirez.

Yesterday afternoon our Education Department, in cooperation with our Career Services Office, held a Meet & Greet in an effort to give graduating seniors in the Education Programs the opportunity to network with local school systems.

A question from a student in our Fall of 2024 Upward Bound Math & Science (UBMS) program served as a  catalyst to partnering with Technology, Office of Student Development, and Housing and Residential Services departments to provide a sound engineering workshop at WXPL 91.3 FM for the UBMS students. 

This morning, President Donna Hodge and Dean of Education, Mojdeh Bayat welcomed local School Superintendents and Legislators to a panel discussion, and Q & A session in the Hammond Hall Main Lounge. The panel consisted of; State Representative Natalie M. Higgins, representing the 4th Worcester District, State Senator James B. Eldridge, representing the Middlesex and Worcester District,  State Senator John J. Cronin, representing the Worcester and Middlesex District, from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, welcome Senior Associate Commissioner Darcy Fernandes & Associate Commissioner Elizabeth Bennett, and from the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education, Deputy Commissioner for Academic Affairs and Student Success Richard Riccardi. The panel answered questions on a wide range of topics facing education in Massachusetts.

Associate Professor of Education Dr. Danette Day welcomed Fitchburg State University alumnus Mrs. Samira Ait Zbair '23 and her 5th grade class from McKay Elementary School to work with the students in her Culturally Proficient Educator course to implement a program called‬ Making Friends, Building Community, and Increasing Cultural Awareness Across Campus‬. This is made possible by a grant from the Dean’s Anti Racism Fund. Our Dean of Education, Mojdeh Bayat stopped by to observe and interact with the students, also sharing her experience of being a non-English speaking student.

Local High School Seniors enrolled in our Fitchburg State University Upward Bound Math & Science Program (UBMS) met on campus for a College Search/Scholarship Workshop. Our UBMS staff enlightened the students on various scholarship attainment strategies to aid in their college search and acceptance.

Today, the Fitchburg High School Extended Program at Fitchburg State University celebrated Kaylee and Dayana who graduated from the program. The Fitchburg High School Extended Program at Fitchburg State University supports eligible public high school students with intellectual disabilities, ages 18-22, to increase their academic and career success.  Lourdes Ramirez, coordinator of field placements, partnerships and recruitment for Fitchburg State’s School of Education represented the university and presented diplomas along with Fitchburg High School Extended Program and Fitchburg High School staff. 

Biology and Chemistry Professor Dr. Erin Rehrig took students in her Life Science for Educators class around campus to identify each of the four major plant classifications; Nonvascular plants (mosses), Seedless vascular plants (ferns) Gymnosperms (pine), and Angiosperms (flowering plants).