Campus Currents

Please join us as we celebrate the 2020 Distinguished Faculty Awards. The program will start at 5:15 and will feature short presentations by the Distinguished Faculty Award recipients, followed by a Q&A session.

Click here to register

Dr. Patricia Sánchez-Connally, Sociology
Award for Excellence in Teaching

Dr. Satish Penmatsa, Computer Science
Award for Excellence in Scholarship or Creative Work

Pamela Sebor-Cable, Fashion Design and Retailing
Award for Excellence in Advising/Mentoring

Dr. Jon Huibregtse, History
Award for Excellence in Professional Service

Tuesday, Oct. 6th, 6 p.m.
Register Here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/fashionschoolnight-featuring-framingham-state-university-tickets-120652166879

The Fashion Design and Retailing Department at Framingham State University cordially invites you the FSU Fashion School Night as part of Boston Fashion Week 2020. This year’s Boston Fashion Week will be entirely virtual and dedicated to the graduating class of 2020. Faculty and students from MA area colleges including MassArt, Lasell, UMass Dartmouth, and Framingham State University will each join a virtual Red Carpet opening event hosted by BFW Founder Jay Calderin for each night of the week. Each nightly event will culminate in the sharing of a virtual menu of fashion content created by students and faculty showcasing the students collections, garments, and portfolio work.

By Jared Graf, publications intern

The University’s study abroad program is currently adapting to the new normal - virtual events, internships from home, and prohibition on international travel. Anni Xie, a junior business management major, is interning for a Greek-based company offering self-guided audio tours of popular European attractions - from the comfort of her own home.

“It’s only been my first or second week, yet I am enjoying it tremendously,” she said.

As an intern at Clio Muse Tours, Xie has access to all the tours her company offers and receives academic credit for her international internship. She attends virtual courses taught by guest speakers from Rome, Athens, Edinburgh, and Dublin, and said the experience is “like opening up a whole new world.”

Aware of how beneficial an experience like this is for students, the Office of International Education’s (OIE) Directors are determined to find alternative ways to keep students involved abroad.

“Although we do not have students currently studying abroad, there are virtual programming opportunities for students to connect and learn in a cross-cultural setting here at FSU,” OIE Assistant Director Jennifer Hyde said.

These virtual opportunities include international internships and study abroad courses, which can be taken in addition to courses offered at FSU. Students enrolled in the virtual study abroad program are taught remotely from the U.S. by a professor in a foreign country, said Hyde.

“These virtual options open the door to students … creating more accessible opportunities for them to engage in cross-cultural learning,” she said.

In order to highlight upcoming programs and their locations, Hyde said the OIE will be offering virtual events throughout the semester, along with other events held by study abroad returnees (Global Ambassadors) who will discuss their past experience.

“We hope to share what it is really like to study abroad, how FSU makes it affordable, and how it can fit into any major,” Hyde said.

According to OIE Director Jane Decatur, there are no faculty-led programs planned for this academic year due to the University’s ban on international travel. “As soon as it is safe for FSU faculty and students to begin planning for an international experience, we will certainly do so,” she said.

Any student interested in learning more about future study abroad opportunities - either on-site or virtual - should schedule an advising appointment through Starfish, or contact Hyde at jhyde@framingham.edu. Students are also encouraged to complete the short study abroad interest survey to be connected with programs that best suit their needs.

To keep up with ongoing events, see student program highlights, and receive updates from Global Ambassadors, follow @fsu_studyabroad on Instagram.

The Office of International Education Presents: Study Abroad Fair

AFRICA & EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING, MONDAY, OCTOBER 5TH, 1:30-2:30 PM

AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND & ASIA, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 6TH, 7 - 8 PM

INTERNSHIPS & SHORT TERM PROGRAMS, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7TH, 4:30 - 5:30 PM

Register here for Zoom Links

Questions? Email jhyde@framingham.edu

As part of Massachusetts STEM Week, the MetroWest STEM Education Network and the McAuliffe Center for Integrated Science Learning present the following events:

Friday, October 16 at 7:00PM
AstroNights LIVE! - Mars Mania
Speaker: Dr. Jeff Hoffman, Former Astronaut and Professor in MIT’s Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics
Recommended for: General Public
For more information: https://cm-center.org/events-display
Register Now: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_SJ75H5XHR8e3OnpcJwhmdg

Wednesday, October 21 at 4:30PM
Technology, Seems Neutral, But Is It?
Assimilationism vs. Intersectional Antiracism in Technology Design
Speaker: Dr. Katlyn Turner, Research Scientist at Space Enabled, MIT Media Lab
Recommended for: Grades 9-12, College Students, Educators and Other Adults
For more information: https://cm-center.org/events-display
Register Now: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_su1M0COuSriMHrWl3RqfYA

Thursday, October 22 at 4:00PM
STEM Thinking to the Rescue – Pandemic Tent Prototype
Speakers from: Paul Lukez Architecture / PLASES; Norian / Siani Engineers; Hirsch Construction Corp.; Sparks; Acentech.
Recommended for: Grades 9-12, College Students, Educators and Other Adults
For more information: https://cm-center.org/events-display
Register Now: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ZJbneii-SNWDnnZIoF-z-A

Saturday, October 24 at 12:00PM
BIPOC See Yourself in STEM + Mentorship - Navigating the Road to Success
Speakers: Aliyah Nisbett, Mechanical Engineering and Sustainable Community Development at UMass Amherst; Jessica Sanon, CEO/Founder, sySTEMic flow and Youth Employment Coordinator, Waltham Partnership for Youth
Recommended for: Grades 9-12, College Students, Educators and Other Adults
For more information: https://cm-center.org/events-display
Register Now: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMtcuuurzsjHdOEPxH7SMEW7ato8aiCX_Vl

In addition to the events above, the following three Astronomy Programs will be offered during STEM Week:

Solar System Explorers
Monday, October 19 at 4:30PM
Recommended for: Grades 1-3
For more information: https://cm-center.org/events-display
Register now: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJUocO6spz4rGdZilAHWJdL_M8XYRlDZM_6N

The Star Factory
Tuesday October 20 at 4:30PM
Recommended for: Grades 6-8
For more information: https://cm-center.org/events-display
Register now: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYqc-mrqzouG9QuMcEpVWX3HpL8MzouJYhR

Your Place in the Universe
Friday, October 23 at 4:30PM
Recommended for: Grades 9-12
For more information: https://cm-center.org/events-display
Register now: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJIoceGrrTwsGNQ9dCpDz61wxSZCferR-Roe

Programs sponsored by Henry Whittemore Library and the Civic Engagement Center.

Zoom RSVP: https://forms.gle/9Bqe2UaCRa9iVCfb6

Centennial Anniversary of the Nineteenth Amendment Tuesday, October 6 at 5 p.m.

President Stephanie Deeley of the Framingham League of Women Voters will provide a lecture on the importance of the Nineteenth Amendment, which provided women with the right to vote. The Nineteenth Amendment to the Constitution was ratified on August 18, 1920. The wording is simple and straightforward, yet changed the face of elections and voting by guaranteeing that every citizen has a say in our government.

Unraveling the Truth: Fake News and the Election Monday, October 19 at 1:30 p.m.

What is Fake News? How can you tell what you are reading is not false information and what is a trusted news source? How does this relate to the upcoming presidential election and how you make your voting decisions? Journalist Emily Sweeney from the Boston Globe and Professor Laura Saunders from Simmons University will address these issues. Moderator: Sandra Rothenberg is Senior Librarian and Coordinator of Library Instruction at Framingham State University.

Democracy in Crisis Tuesday, October 27 at 5 p.m.

Dr. John Ambacher, Professor Emeritus of Framingham State University, will present on the current state of democracy. Dr. Ambacher argues that America was in crisis well before the presidential election of 2016. The crisis centered on the state of our democracy itself. A representative democracy should guarantee that every citizen has equal worth. That can only be accomplished if every citizen is guaranteed an equal freedom to vote. This is no longer the case. Dr. Ambacher will explore how we arrived at this state of affairs and what we can do to restore a representative democracy.

Federal funds provided by the Institute of Museum and Library Services and administered by the Mass. Board of Library Commissioners supported these programs, which are sponsored by the Henry Whittemore Library and the Civic Engagement Center.

The English Department's Alan Feldman Week of Poetry will be held during the week of Oct. 19-23 and feature a special reading and Q&A with Poet January Gill O'Neil.

January Gill O'Neil, Tuesday, Oct. 20th, 7 p.m.

Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/poetry-reading-by-january-gill-oneil-alan-feldman-week-of-poetry-fsu-tickets-123391209429

January Gill O'Neil is an associate professor at Salem State University, and the author of Rewilding, Misery Islands, and Underlife all published by CavanKerry Press. From 2012-2018, she served as the executive director of the Massachusetts Poetry Festival, and currently serves on the boards of AWP, Mass Poetry, and Montserrat College of Art. The recipient of fellowships from the Massachusetts Cultural Council, Cave Canem, and the Barbara Deming Memorial Fund, O'Neil was the 2019-2020 John and Renée Grisham Writer-in-Residence at the University of Mississippi, Oxford. She lives with her two children in Beverly, MA.

In June, she was chosen as one of six guest curators for the Academy of American Poet’s Poem-a-Day series. In solidarity with the June 2020 protests and the Black Lives Matter movement, she edited the work of 10 Black poets throughout the summer.

Poetry Reading with Poets from the English Department, Thursday, Oct. 22, 4:30 p.m.

Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/98801035203

Open Mic with FSU Student Poets, Friday, Oct. 23, 7 p.m.

Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/92651265852

Monday, Oct. 19th, 5-6:30 p.m.
Register Here

Vivien Morris, MS, RD, MPH, LDN is a registered dietitian and public health professional with extensive work in Boston’s communities. She has been a community activist throughout her life and gets the greatest joy from seeing the coming together of community members of all ages to strengthen relationships and use their collective power to improve our village. She is a founder and chair of the Mattapan Food and Fitness Coalition, an organization that she is most proud of. She is a founder of the Boston Organization of Nutritionists and Dietitians of Color (BOND of Color), which is a professional organization devoted to increasing the number of African American and Afro Caribbean nutritionists and dietitians and providing nutrition education in the community. Vivien coordinates the Kennedy Community Garden and Edgewater Neighborhood Association, serves on the steering committee of the Massachusetts Food System Collaborative, and is Community Relations Manager – Mattapan for the Boston College Corcoran Center for Real Estate and Urban Action. All of this work is fueled by her passion to make her local community and the state of Massachusetts a healthy and wonderful place to live.

Due to COVID-19, all Fall 2020 Mazmanian Gallery Exhibitions have been postponed.However, in its place, a special Art and Design Lecture Series has been arranged with several exciting artists.

The speakers include: Janine Antoni, Jessica Bellamy, Hernease Davis, Amy Khoshbin, Heidi Lau, and Tim McDonald. After each talk there will be an opportunity to ask questions and interact with the speaker.

These events will be held virtually. All talks are free and open to the public.

To learn more about all the speakers, and to register for the events, click here.

Partner with Framingham State University Police in the fight against Breast Cancer! The Pink Patch Project raises awareness and funding during the month of October, which is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Learn more and purchase your Pink Patch Here.

Why Pink Patches?

Breast cancer affects both men and women.

We have the simple goal of increasing awareness about the life-saving benefits of early detection and early intervention in the fight against breast cancer. In addition to our public education efforts, we have the added goal of raising funds from the sale of Pink Patch Project patches and other items to go directly to fund the research, treatment and education needed to help find a cure.

To learn more about breast cancer, breast cancer symptoms, breast cancer risk factors and diagnosis, breast cancer research and breast cancer in men, click here.

The program centers on vibrant pink versions of the public safety employee's uniform patch. These bright pink patches have been specially designed by each participating agency specifically for their Pink Patch Project participation. Public safety employees at each of the participating agencies wear their pink patches on their regular duty uniforms each year for the entire month of October during “Breast Cancer Awareness Month.”

The pink patches are intended to stimulate conversation with the community and to encourage public awareness about the importance of early detection and the on-going fight against this disease.

Virtual Employer Showcase Series, every Wednesday, on Zoom, 12:30-2:30pm, 10/15 through 12/9
The CSER Office traditional Wednesday Employer Showcase is currently a “virtual networking” platform, for hosting our Showcases on Zoom, through the end of the fall 2020 semester. As we are socially distancing and staying home, networking has never been more important. The Virtual Showcase gives students an opportunity to informally network with local employers who are hiring for full-time and/or internship opportunities, and also provides insight into the spotlighted company, offering advice on the trends in their market and industry.

Virtual Employer Showcase, Wednesday, 10/15, on Zoom, featuring The Washington Center Internships, 12:30-2:30pm
The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars (TWC) provides the experiential education opportunities to students of the Massachusetts public state university system. TWC uses the resources of the nation's capital to provide high-quality learning experiences to enhance student's academic, civic, and professional development, and in this way, seeks to promote future leadership for the public, private, and non-profit sectors of society. TWC's internship placements include positions in government offices, communication organizations, law firms, trade and professional associations, human rights groups, and a variety of companies and other organizations. All majors welcome. Internships are coupled with required academic courses. Register on Handshake or Ramlink to get the required password. Zoom Link: https://zoom.us/j/963892238

Virtual “College/Community” Job & Internship Fairs - October 5, 6, 7, 8, & 9, from 12:30 - 2:30 p.m.
Location: Virtually on Handshake

Students will meet virtually with employers to discuss their career interests. These fairs are open to ALL MAJORS. Students will virtually explore internship, part-time, and full-time opportunities that meet their career goals, though video chats with multiple students and opportunities for one-on-one sessions.

Students must register on Handshake, and registered students can now sign up for and attend available 1:1 and group sessions through Handshake. Share this guide to registering for and attending virtual fairs with students.

• STEM Virtual Job & Internship Fair, Monday, 10/5, on Handshake, 12:30pm-2:30pm
• Business Virtual Job & Internship Fair, Tuesday, 10/6, on Handshake, 12:30pm-2:30pm
• Arts & Humanities Virtual Job & Internship Fair, Wednesday, 10/7, on Handshake, 12:30pm-2:30pm
• Social Sciences Virtual Job & Internship Fair, Thursday, 10/8, on Handshake, 12:30pm-2:30pm
• Education Virtual Job & Internship Fair, Friday, 10/9, on Handshake, 12:30pm-2:30pm


Major/Minor Fair, Tuesday, 10/27, on Ramlink from 11:30am – 1:00pm
On Ramlink: https://ramlink.framingham.edu/
Undergraduate students are invited to explore the many majors and minors FSU offers. The Major Minor Fair provides all undecided, re-deciding, and exploring students the opportunity to speak with faculty and student representatives from all academic programs and campus resources and learn about specific requirements for majors, minors and career options.

Suitable Solutions Career Professionalism Virtual Program Mock Interviews, in October, with assigned mentors, on Zoom or by phone
Practice and receive feedback from professionals remotely. Zoom link provided by employer mentor.

Suitable Solutions Virtual Program Networking & Mocktail Mixer Graduation Ceremony, Thursday, 12/3, on Zoom, 4:00pm-5:00pm
Network virtually with employer partners while learning about proper networking techniques that help you stand out, from our Networking Navigator. Discover how to start and wrap up a conversation, or keep a conversation going, and more! https://zoom.us/j/963892238 - Register on Handshake or Ramlink to get the required password.