Yesterday afternoon, Student Development held its annual Rock the Hall in Hammond Hall. Rock the Hall gives students the opportunity to connect with student Clubs and  Organizations here on campus.

Are you a student interested in some extra work? Stop by our Office of Student Development Student Orientation Leaders table on street level of Hammond Hall. Have your questions answered, apply, spin the prize wheel and maybe you too will be doing a "happy dance." 

This morning, faculty got the chance to reconnect before the semester. Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Patricia Marshall, and other Academic Affairs staff, welcomed all and provided updates, celebrated achievements, and listened to faculty concerns. Keynote speaker Dr. Meira Levinson, Juliana W. and William Foss Thompson Professor of Education and Society, Harvard Graduate School of Education discussed the topic of Educational Ethics.

This afternoon, President Donna Hodge and campus leaders from student services across campus welcomed students and families to the second Falcon Express One-Stop Event before the spring semester in the Anthony Student Services Center. The goal of this event is to provide students with all the resources they need to answer any final questions they may have, and allow students to enroll in their academic coursework with no delays! As has been the tradition, President Hodge draws names of students in attendance and awards each with a 1,000.oo scholarship.

Institutional Research and Planning (IRP) held another roundtable of a their journal club, Research Roundtables explore literature on higher education practices and enhancing data and literature literacy. The group discusses selected research papers and share insights relevant to our campus community. At this his meeting, an article about harvesting data through undergraduate applicant essays was discussed.

Amidst a day full of activities and information sessions, students - transfers and freshmen -  met with the Deans in their selected majors to make sure their schedules are ready before classes begin on January 16th.

Winter Orientation was held in the Hammond Center today to welcome our newest Falcons to campus. After registration, and meeting our fantastic Orientation Leaders, the program began with welcome remarks from Director of Student Development Michael Kennedy, and Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Patricia Marshall in the Ellis White Lecture Hall. After ice breaker sessions, students and their families heard presentations from various student services departments including Commuter Affairs, Housing and Residential Services, Wellness & Counseling Services, Academic Coaching and Tutoring Center,  Career Services and Advising (CSA), Student Accounts, University Police, and Community Health Connections, Welcome to the flock!

Fitchburg State University Police Department (FSUPD) Chief Michael Cloutier hosted his biannual de-escalation training for members of the university community in the Randall Lecture Hall. De-Escalation training is the use of communication or other techniques during an encounter to stabilize, slow, or reduce the intensity of a potentially violent situation without using physical force, or with a reduction in force.

This morning, students enrolled in the Fitchburg High School Honors Academy  visited campus to learn about the Fitchburg State University Honors Program from Honors Coordinator Biology and Chemistry Professor Dr. Emma Downs, and students currently enrolled in the program. Director of Early College and Dual Enrollment Fernando Garcia-Rodriguez was on hand to answer general questions about the university. After the information and Q&A session, students took tours of the campus, learned about writing research papers, visited the Global Middle Ages Literature Fair, and enjoyed lunch in the dining commons.

The University recently hosted the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce'sCommunity Leadership Institute Class of 2025 in the Hammond Main Lounge. President Donna Hodge, along with Nicole Conroy of My Turn Inc., and Thomas Browne of Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School spoke to the class about challenges facing the region through the lens of education.