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CAMPUS

Fitchburg State gets $1M for study abroad

Scott O'Connell
Scott.O'Connell@telegram.com

Fitchburg State University has received a $1 million gift to start a new foreign travel program for students.

The new Global Ambassadors Scholarship Program is intended to expand the number of students in the school’s faculty-led international programs by 30% over its first six years, according to Fitchburg State.

"Studying abroad creates better understanding of the global forces that shape our region and our world," university president Richard Lapidus said in a statement. "Fitchburg State has committed to building on these international opportunities, and the transformative gifts we celebrate today will create countless opportunities for students."

He also thanked the Clementi Family Charitable Trust for its donation, one of the largest endowed gifts the school has ever received.

The trust is represented by Anna M. Clementi, who has served on the university’s board of trustees for eight years and was one of the founders of its Center for Italian Culture.

"I have witnessed firsthand the transformative power of travel for our university students," she said. "These young people return with a greater sense of purpose, direction and confidence. It is my hope that all Fitchburg State students take advantage of all the experiential travel opportunities, and that high school students looking at colleges carefully consider this great travel experience as a unique advantage."

The scholarship program will cover half the cost of a participating student’s trip, according to Fitchburg State. While it’s open to students in any major, the initiative is targeted at first-generation college students and students who haven’t traveled outside the country before.

Faculty art exhibit 

Assumption College will open an exhibit next week showcasing the art of faculty members.

An opening reception for the 2019 Visual Art Faculty Exhibition is scheduled for 6 to 8 p.m. next Thursday in the Emmanuel d’Alzon Library on campus. The reception and the exhibit are free and open to the public. The exhibit runs until Nov. 15.

"We all have different visual voices, some of us are traditional while others are experimental," visiting assistant professor of art and design Lynn Simmons said of the exhibition, which will feature works in several mediums. "It is collectively about the practice of making art."

Speaker on addiction

Quinsigamond Community College will host a free event on addiction Monday, sponsored by the Reliant Foundation.

Keynote speaker for "Physiology of Addiction" is Dr. Ruth Potee, the medical director for the Franklin County House of Correction and the Pioneer Valley Regional School District and director of addiction services for the Behavioral Health Network.

MassDiGI at Boston festival

Becker College’s MassDiGI will attend the Boston Festival of Indie Games on Saturday to show some of the institute’s latest games.

Now in its eighth year, the festival, which attracts thousands of attendees, will be held at Harvard University’s Athletic Complex, according to Becker.

MassDiGI will showcase soon-to-be-released titles like Bloom Blast, Merge Critters and Save the Flame at the event.