Campus Currents

Families as They Really Are: FSU EDITION

Tuesday, Feb. 6, 6 to 8 p.m.
Virtual Discussion: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88621045580

Join sociology and criminology professors Xavier Guadalupe-Diaz, Virginia Rutter, Patricia Sánchez-Connally, and Beth Whalley, as they share contributions to the new book, Families as They Really Are. Zoom in for new work on intimate partner violence with transgender partners, divorce, immigrant families and education, and queering family sexual abuse.

By Kaitlin Carman, publications intern

It is a long 62 miles from the Earth’s surface to space, but at Framingham State University’s Christa McAuliffe Center for Integrated Science Learning, it is a door swing away.

Swirling stars, ambient lighting, music, and cutting-edge technology excite the senses and awaken the mind in the state-of-art planetarium. Guests bask in the wonder that is the reality of Director Irene Porro’s vision of the renovated center.

Since 1994, the McAuliffe Center, named in honor of the first teacher in space and Framingham State alumna, Christa McAuliffe ’70, has been home to one of the 35 Challenger Learning Center’s located across the globe.

The centers were created by the families of the Challenger Crew to honor their legacy by inspiring new generations of students to reach for the stars.

After an $8 million renovation, largely supported by state funding, the reinvigorated center was unveiled on January 26th, as part of a weekend-long celebration to honor the crew of shuttle flight STS-51L on the 38th anniversary of the Challenger explosion.

Challenger Center President and CEO, Lance Bush, described the modernized center as “awe-inspiring.” He said, “this is what helps us get kids realizing they can do this."

“This serves as not just educating the young people, but as a workforce development because we’re connecting middle school, high school, college and then workforce through this particular mechanism. So, this is for the good of the whole community,” said Bush.

Guests had the opportunity to sit under the stars during the planetarium program while experiencing a passionate fusion of science and music with a live keyboard performance by David Ibbett, Ph.D., of Multiverse Concert series.

They were also invited to explore the Challenger learning center and put their communication and problem-solving skills to the test in fully immersive space-themed missions that will continue to inspire STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering Mathematics) exploration for generations to come.

“We need students of all ages to be energized by STEM and to help us tackle real challenges: climate change, income inequality, the technological divide, emergency preparedness, and evolving diseases amongst many other things,” said Massachusetts Senate President Karen Spilka.

However, the center positively impacts all students whether they are interested in pursuing STEM careers or not. It is multi-disciplinary as it integrates a variety of fields.

“Christa was not a science teacher – she was a social studies teacher. So the fact that she wanted to go to space, to me, speaks volumes about … how she already had this idea of integration,” said Porro.

She hopes that by carrying on her legacy and interdisciplinary vision that McAuliffe would be proud of the center.

Framingham Mayor Charlie Sisitsky said, “Christa inspired all of us to reach for the stars. With this state-of-the-art facility, students will have the opportunity to push the boundaries of what is possible to make their own mark on the world.

“Christa’s spirit of adventure and determination lives on and we can all strive to reach for the stars, just as she did.”

Who is your hero? Join us for an afternoon of fun at the Danforth Art Museum and School as you discover heroes and heroines among Meta Warrick Fuller’s sculptures. You will have an opportunity to not only design and draw your own hero, but you will also be able to make them into a sculpture ready to take home.

Sunday, February 11, 2024 - 1-4 pm

Learn more here: https://danforth.framingham.edu/event/drop-into-art-february-2/

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2024
4:30PM | DWIGHT PERFORMING ARTS CENTER (DPAC)
Film Screening, Chinonye Chukwu’s ‘Till’
Mamie Till-Bradley’s fight for justice after her son Emmitt’s heinous murder sparks a movement.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2024
10:45AM | BOSTON, MA
Black History Month Freedom Trail Tour
Learn about African Americans who played vital roles in the American Revolution.
Register Here

JANUARY 2 — FEBRUARY 29, 2024
HENRY WHITTEMORE LIBRARY, FRAMINGHAM STATE UNIVERSITY
Exhibits highlighting Civil Rights accomplishments and events in Massachusetts and beyond, spearheaded by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, Dr. Betty Shabazz, and others.

February 14, 2024 at 1:30 p.m.
Forum, McCarthy Center

Sarah Levecque is a songwriter, guitarist who moves easily between the sturdy roots of American music. Influenced in equal parts by early blues, country, folk, and rock music.

Tuesday, February 20, 2024, at 4:30 PM in Ecumenical Center

This event brings together voices from two political struggles against women’s imprisonment in Turkey and the US. Emek Ergun (Associate Professor, Women's and Gender Studies & Global Studies, UNC Charlotte) and Sashi James (Families for Justice and Healing, Roxbury MA) will join in a conversation about prison conditions, politics of prisons, and solidarity practices that flourish within and outside prisons. By telling the inspiring stories of courage and resilience of Kurdish women political prisoners in Turkey and incarcerated women of color in Massachusetts, the conversation will contribute to the efforts to forge solidarity among freedom struggles across borders. The event will also include the promotion of a new book on imprisoned Kurdish Women politicians in Turkey, The Purple Color of the Kurdish Politics (Pluto Press, 2022).

Sponsors: Arts & Ideas and the Sociology & Criminology Department

Wednesday, February 21, 2024, at 4:30 PM, at DPAC

Chinonye Chukwu’s Till tells the powerful story of Mamie Till-Bradley, the Chicago educator-turned-activist after the heinous lynching of her 14-year-old son, Emmett. His murderers have unfortunately never been brought to justice. Nevertheless, six decades after the crime, on March 29, 2022, President Biden signed the Emmett Till-Anti-Lynching Act into effect. Till not only acknowledges Till-Bradley’s courage and resilience, but also forcefully addresses questions of equity, inclusion, power, social justice in the lives of Black Americans.

Dr. Jeffrey Coleman, Vice President & Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, will lead a post-screening discussion with Dr. Jon Huibregtse and members of the Black Student Union and Brother2Brother. This event is being held in partnership with Framingham Public Library.

Sponsors: Arts & Ideas and the Division of Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Engagement

Tuesday, February 20
Stop by any time between
5:30PM - 7:00PM
Location TBD, Framingham state University

Participants of all ages are welcome!

Use telescopes to observe the Moon, Jupiter, Pleiades, and Orion Nebula! McAuliffe Center staff are available to answer your questions about telescopes and our Universe.

Fly Me to the Moon
Friday, February 23
SHOWTIMES at 2:30pm AND 3:45PM

An elaborate 3D-animated film offering big adventure and comedy, set against the real story of our first visit to another world. Follow three young flies as they inadvertently stowaway aboard Apollo 11 and join Neil, Buzz, and Michael on their mission to pull off the very first moon landing!

Recommended for: Families and all ages
Length: 49 minutes
https://cm-center.org/event/feb23films

Spring 2024 Campus Sustainability Events & Activities:

• Join the Green Initiative (or encourage your students to do so)! Students interested in sustainability, climate justice issues, and/or community gardening are invited to join the Green Initiative Club on Ramlink
  
  
• Monthly Campus Sustainability Meetings on Zoom:
  • Monday Feb 12th at 1:30pm
  • Monday March 11th at 1:30pm
  • Friday April 19th at 2:30pm
    
    
• Diversify Your Relationship with Fashion - Campus Sustainability is teaming up with the Fashion Department to offer an exciting series of events that will help us re-think our relationship to fashion.
  • Design Competition – Designers are challenged to create new original garments, sculptures, paintings, or art-pieces from damaged luxury goods. Winners of the competition will receive prizes as well as have their work displayed at the annual FSU student fashion show. Check out the dates below and attached flyers to learn more.
    
    • Wednesday, February 21st – Round 1 Deadline to Submit Design Concepts via Google Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1HhWM-9lrQacriR5Inn4-Jbx0X9Xtz8CeW6ecvZXHGwk/viewform?ts=65a934a0&edit_requested=true
    • March 4th – 8th, Finalists Create their Upcycled Designs, Hemenway Hall sewing labs (HH202, HH206).
  • Lunch and Panel Discussion – join us to hear from three professionals each involved in a different area of sustainable fashion – upcycling, recycling, and resale.
    • • Thursday, March 7th at 12pm in the McCarthy Center Forum
        
        
• Climate Justice Teach-in - “Turning from Climate Despair to Climate Repair”
  • April 1 – 8, in classrooms throughout FSU
  • Faculty and staff – please sign up here if you’re interested in participating: https://framingham.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eLJya769pO9bDcq
    
    
• Climate Hope Concert, hosted by Christa McAuliffe Center
  • Saturday, April 20th, time and location TBD
    
    
• Earth Week Celebration
  • April 22-26, 2024
  • Event dates and times TBD but will include a campus and community garden clean-up, tabling and plant-based food in the Dining Commons, and the Framingham Earth Day Festival
    
    
• Science on State Street at Framingham State University
  • Saturday, April 27th, time TBD