CAMPUS NEWS A NEW LOOK Check out www.fitchburgstate.edu to get a look at our transformed website. In the works for nearly two years, the new digital representation of Fitchburg State boasts a more dynamic look and feel, and has been designed to better serve visitors accessing the site through mobile devices. Give it a look, and come back often to find out about the latest news and events, or to explore our ever-expanding list of academic programs.
BRINGING THE PAST TO LIFE In November 1941, a film crew came to the city of Fitchburg to capture local faces and places for a “slice of life” film designed to be shown in local cinemas. The footage went unseen for years but has now been digitized and is in the midst of a meticulous restoration under the auspices of Professor Charles Roberts (Communications Media). Professor Roberts and Fitchburg Historical Society Executive Director Susan Navarre presented excerpts from the film in a virtual event in November as part of the Alumni Association’s “Falcon Talks.” Viewers saw how people presented themselves in public spaces like Main Street or at church, the world of men and the world of women, and a glimpse into children’s lives at school and at play.
REMEMBERING JOE MCALOON Beloved Professor Joseph McAloon, who died in 2019 after a long and storied career in Fitchburg State’s Business Administration Department, was memorialized in November with the installation of a bench bearing his name on the main quadrangle. The bench is adjacent to Percival Hall, where the Business Administration Department offices are housed.
COMMENCEMENT GOES VIRTUAL
Business Administration Department Chair Renee Scapparone, left, and Dean of Business and Technology Keith Williamson dedicated the McAloon bench on Veterans Day in honor of McAloon’s military service.
2 | WINTER 2021 | FITCHBURG STATE UNIVERSITY
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic forced the university to cancel its in-person commencement ceremonies, but the accomplishments of the Class of 2020 could not be ignored. The university created virtual ceremonies recognizing the May and December graduates. For the May ceremony, there were remarks from undergraduate valedictorian Stanley L. Choruzek and Graduate Student Leadership Award winner Paul A. Thibodeau. For the
