Institutional Research and Planning (IRP) held its first meeting of a new journal club, Research Roundtable, with following sessions on the first Wednesday of every month. They will be exploring literature on higher education practices and enhancing data and literature literacy. They will discuss selected research papers and share insights relevant to our campus community. At this his inaugural meeting, an article about improving retention through a belonging intervention at a broad-access Hispanic-Serving Institution was discussed.

Yesterday afternoon, Political Science Professor Paul Weizer hosted Suffolk University Law School Associate Director of Admission and Diversity Initiatives Randolph Ceballo for a Law School 101 information session. The event, both in-person and online, guided students through the basics of applying for law school including; application requirements, scholarships, concentrations & areas of study, and more.

Today was a beautiful day for our second Fall Open House. Our Open Houses are  an ideal way for perspective students to find out everything they want to know about Fitchburg State University. After a welcome from President Hodge, attendees took part in information sessions - where they had the opportunity to meet with faculty, current students, coaches, and staff, and later were able to tour the campus. Did you miss our Open Hoses? You can set up a campus visit here.

Economics, History and Political Science Department Professor Joshua Spero Introduced Dr. Klaus Hegemann, Professor of International Business Administration and International Relations at Rhine-Waal University  in Kleve, Germany who spoke about Expanding the Rhine-Waal University-Fitchburg State University Partnership in the Falcon Hub.

This afternoon, the Fitchburg State University Career Services and Advising Center sponsored a Campus Wide Career Fair in the Hammond Main Lounge. This gave students an opportunity to explore a diverse range of majors and minors for every interest. Students were able to engage with faculty members and current students who shared their experiences and insights, offering a deeper understanding of each program's unique offerings, career prospects, and real-world applications. 

Chief Michael Cloutier of the Fitchburg State University Police Department discussed Campus Safety. while Vice President for Student Affairs Laura Bayless, Dean of Students Tim St. John, and other members of the Student Affairs team discussed Building "Habits for Academic Success" in concurrent orientation sessions which were repeated to accommodate all of our newest Falcons. 

Yesterday, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs Franca Barricell welcomed our newest faculty to the Center for Teaching and Learning for the second day of their orientation. Following, that session with current faculty and staff, University Archivist Asher Jackson brought the faculty on a tour of campus, pointing out the rich history of Fitchburg State University.

This morning, Director of of TRIO Student Support Services Beth Swartz, held a Managing Stress session with our Orientation Leaders (OLs) in the Hammond Center Main Lounge. She taught the OLs some stress relieving techniques, and discussed strategies on dealing with stressful situations.

Yesterday evening, President Donna Hodge and campus leaders from student services across campus welcomed students and families to our third and final Falcon Express One-Stop event in the Hammond Hall Main Lounge. 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! 

 Our Summer Institute for Journalism Education wrapped up today with presentations by English Studies Professor Collin Syfert Web Editor Mike Elfland (Worcester Telegram & Gazette), Editor John Osborn (The Harvard Press), and Communications Media Professor Kyle Moody.