Campus Currents

November 17, 2025

Promotional image of a woman from the movie The Teachers' Lounge

 

The Arthur Nolletti, Jr. Film Series: The Teachers’ Lounge

Thursday, Nov. 20, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., Heineman Ecumenical Center

Described by Variety as “a gripping classroom-ethics thriller,” The Teachers’ Lounge follows Carla Nowak, a novice teacher whose effort to protect a student sparks escalating conflict. As suspicion and tension spread, Carla finds herself entangled in a moral crisis that challenges her values—and threatens to undo her. Nominated for Best International Feature Film at the 96th Academy Awards.

DICE Professional Development Series: Creating an Accessible Classroom Environment

Monday, Nov. 17, 1:30 to 2:30 p.m., Center for Inclusive Excellence

This session will be faciltated by Mary MacDonald, Senior Instructional Technologist for the Educational Technology Office; and Tanya Milette, Associate Director of Disability and Access Services for the Center for Academic Success and Achievement.

Register for DICE Professional Development sessions here.

Accessibility is essential to excellence in teaching. This session introduces faculty to Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) standards and provides tools for identifying barriers in both physical and digital classrooms. Explore Universal Design for Learning (UDL) concepts, screen reader compatibility, and captioning to ensure your course materials and spaces are accessible to all students.

Distinguished Faculty & Librarians Award Ceremony

Wednesday, Nov. 19, 5 p.m., Heineman Ecumenical Center 

Celebrating the work of:   

  • Mirari Elcoro (Psychology & Philosophy) - Excellence in Scholarship
  • Rachel Trousdale (English) - Excellence in Scholarship
  • Jorge Riveras (Management and Business & IT) - Excellence in Advising
  • May Hara (Education) - Excellence in Service
  • Elizabeth Whalley (Sociology & Criminology) - Excellence in Teaching
  • Mark Morabito (Mathematics) - Division of Graduate and Continuing Education

International Education Week Panel Discussion

Wednesday, Nov. 19, 1:30 to 3 p.m., Center for Inclusive Excellence

In celebration of International Education Week, join us for a dynamic panel featuring FSU international students and students returning from studying abroad as they share their personal journeys, challenges, and life-changing moments studying in the U.S. and around the world. Whether you're curious about global education opportunities, thinking of studying abroad yourself, or just want to hear amazing stories from fellow students, this event is for you!

Public Planetarium Program: Big Astronomy

Friday, Nov. 21, 6 to 7 p.m., FSU Planetarium, O'Connor Hall

Join us for an evening in the planetarium to experience the planetarium film Big Astronomy. Tickets are required.

Planetarium Film: Big Astronomy

Take a journey through observatories used by professional astronomers in the gorgeous mountains of Chile, one of the best astronomical observing locations on Earth. Our planetarium is transformed into a giant observatory dome as astronomers investigate the Solar System and the distant observable Universe. Visit with the technicians from an array of STEM disciplines who build, maintain, and operate these huge instruments.

https://cm-center.org/event/nov21film

Danforth 50th Anniversary Celebration

Saturday, Nov. 22, 6 to 10 p.m., Village Hall

Celebrate 50 years of art and community with the Danforth Art Museum and Art School at this 50th Anniversary Celebration!

Interactive Art
Silent Auction with exclusive items
Music
Light Bites
Cash Bar
Special Guests

Click here for more information and tickets. 

Celebrating National First Generation Student Week

By Dylan Pichnarcik, Publications intern 

Almost 50% of Framingham State students are first in their family to attend college. 

The Center for Academic Success and Achievement (CASA) celebrates these students by hosting events around the annual First-Gen Celebration Week, during the first week of November.

Events include bracelet-making and an ice cream social in the Center for Inclusive Excellence and tabling in the McCarthy Center Lobby, where first-gen students could receive first-generation T-shirts and sign a banner pledging their commitment to complete their degree. 

Jenna Saade, a student success coach in CASA and a first-generation student herself, said it requires resilience and the ability to tap into on-campus resources. 

She added, “It comes with its own pros and cons, but navigating a new world and preparing for a better future and opportunities that maybe my parents weren't given the opportunity to allow for their children.” 

Saade said her experience as a first-generation student has made her aware of the challenges facing students with similar backgrounds who seek her support in CASA. 

“That culture shock of going to college and realizing, ‘Yes. I might have been able to do it by myself in high school, but it's a completely different ball-game in college,’ and that you might be operating with the ‘I don't need anyone. I can do it by myself’ mindset. But that's what a college community is there for - that's what the resources are there for.” 

Senior Izayah Morgan said he believes he is supported by the resources offered on campus, and going to college for the first time is the “intersection between being the first in your family to go to college, but also having limited support. Certainly for me, it was tough my first couple of years not knowing how to navigate college.” 

Morgan said he encourages all students on campus - regardless of first-generation status - to utilize the resources offered on campus, including visiting the staff at CASA. 

Sophomore Ana Julia Ribeiro said she believes being a first-generation student “means daring to dream beyond what was ever imagined for us. It means pushing past limitations, whether they come from society, circumstance, or self-doubt. It’s about striving for a career that not only fulfills our dreams but also allows us to give back, to uplift our families and communities who have supported us along the way.”

She added, first-generation students are - in my eyes - the greatest fighters being resilient, determined, and unafraid to dream big.

Events Calendar