Campus Currents (remote learning edition)

April 27, 2020

Members of the Wickman family

FSU Nursing Alumni on the Front Lines of COVID19 Battle

Graduates of Framingham State's bachelor's and master's degree nursing programs are among the heroes on the front lines in the battle against COVID19.

They include Kristina Wickman, who graduated from FSU's Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program in 2010, and was recently featured on Boston 25 News. Kristina, her sister, brother-in-law, and mother are all nurses at Brigham and Women's Hospital, where they are working around the clock to help the sick, while also worrying about one another.

Fellow MSN graduate Caroline Ferzoco, class of 2018, recently published a first person narrative on Medium detailing the experience of her four person STAT team during a shift at the Boston hospital where they are employed. It is an intense read and worth your time.

Dawn Ross offers advice on entering a difficult job market

By Thomas Maye, Publications Intern

Although the Coronavirus Recession has disrupted the global economy, Career Services Director Dawn Ross stressed students can still take steps now to better prepare themselves to enter the job market.

By knowing how to market their skills and being willing to adapt, students in even the hardest-hit industries will have a better chance of getting hired, she said.

Ross has lived through recessions in 1980, 1981, 2001, and 2008, though in some ways, she sees this particular economic downturn as unique.

“It wasn’t as bad as this,” she said. “Now is the worst time I’ve ever seen, and I think everyone’s still shell-shocked. I know the worst is still ahead.”

But over time, the economy will recover, Ross said. Shoppers will start spending again, tourists will eventually continue traveling, and jobs will slowly crop up once more.

As they adjust to the current shifts in the career landscape, students should “realize the skills they have gained in previous employment are transferable now,” and market those skill sets - along with the value they’ve gleaned from their education - to employers.

For example, being able to work in a team environment, analyze a problem critically, and communicate effectively are integral to performing well in a wide range of careers.

Ross herself has worked in the hospitality industry during a recession, which is one of the most vulnerable to economic disturbances, and said she’s used skill sets learned from that position “in every job I’ve had.”

By emphasizing transferable skills, students are not necessarily confined to working directly in their area of study, and can hone their resumes to meet new workforce demands.

After all, not every industry has been impacted equally. With the exponential rise in remote working and learning, many data and technology companies have continued to post openings, for instance. Digital sales and marketing jobs have also largely weathered the storm, she said.

The Lockdown Recession, and the coinciding rise in remote work, will likely still have longer-lasting impacts on the economy.

“I think it will change the landscape of jobs in the United States forever. It's really going to change how people work,” Ross said. “I never thought I could do my job remotely - it was never in my vocabulary.”

But, armed with this knowledge, future job candidates are in a better position to highlight digital expertise and their ability to rise to the challenge. “Adding these remote virtual skills on their resume is vital right now,” she said.

Career Services is working to help students navigate these changes to the playing field. Among other efforts, they are hosting a lengthy assortment of presentations, hosting digital office hours, and have received overwhelming support for plans to offer a “virtual mentorship program,” with “over 100” alum messaging them saying they want to help.

Ultimately, Ross wants students to walk away with the message that Career Services is here to help.

“I just want to let students know that we understand their priorities could be elsewhere, but we’re here for them, [and] we'll be there for them virtually over the summer.

“Any career concerns, we want to hear from them,” she said.

The Latest on Social Media

Have you seen the excellent "4 Things" weekly video, a campus collaboration to bring students just 4 things they need to know for that week? The latest episode offers tips for staying organized with some help from CASA; tips on catching some extra Zzs; information on how FSU librarians can help with your research papers; and ways to remotely connect with the University's Office of Career Services and Employer Relations. Look for the video on social media every Wednesday!

Jana Queen, Class of 2022, shares her thoughts on COVID19 and getting through these unprecedented times together.

Two must follows on social media are the Biology Department's public Facebook Group and the English Department's Instagram account. Tons of useful information, entertaining posts, alumni stories and more!

Episode 2 of Living Room Chats with David and Rachel can be found here!

Framingham State's Study Abroad Instagram account features some great content, with information on upcoming virtual events, as well as senior spotlights of students who traveled abroad.

Also, be sure to check out the social media accounts of the Career Services & Employer Relations Office. Another excellent source of good information.

The latest issues of "fRAMily Wellness Vibes" is available now on the Food & Nutrition Department's Facebook group page. Check back each week for the latest edition, which is created by seniors in Karen White and Meredith Coley's class.

The Fashion Design and Retailing Department just launched a YouTube Channel where you can find video clips of old fashion shows and other events!

Vote in the Study Abroad Photo Contest!

Spring 2020 Study Abroad Photo Contest

View the “Top 5” student photos & cast your vote here by May 4th!

http://framingham.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6yEET9DS4j2MJwN

fRAMily Fridays

Help us promote fRAMily Fridays on social media by wearing your FSU gear every Friday! Post photos to your social media accounts and tag the University's main accounts on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Or, just send your photos directly to Social Media Coordinator Chris Casinelli (ccasinelli@framingham.edu).

Career Services Virtual Events

The Office of Career Services and Employer Relations has organized several virtual events for students and employers, including drop in career counseling, career fairs, information on LinkedIn as a career tool, learning about etiquette in the virtual world and much more!

Visit their events page to learn more: https://www.framingham.edu/the-fsu-difference/career-services/events/index

Chris Walsh Center

The Chris Walsh Center for Educators and Families of MetroWest has been working to get its remaining events fully online and are pleased to announce that they have several events coming up through the end of the semester.

To learn more about the events and to register, visit the group's Eventbrite page.

Notable Accomplishments

-Professor Ani Gjika, a Visiting Lecturer in the English Department, is celebrating a monumental week. Yesterday, she published two translated books of poems: Kosovar poet’s Xhevdet Bajraj’s Emergency Exit, and Julia Gjika’s Memories Pretend to Sleep. Xhevdet Bajraj has lived in exile in Mexico since the Kosovo war in 1997. Julia Gjika, Professor Gjika’s mother, belongs to the first generation of Albanian women poets. The first of her four poetry collections, Birthday, was published in 1971. Julia Gjika has lived in the United States since 1996. (The Dream of Returning).

Here is a link to the publisher’s website: http://www.laertesbooks.org/egret-chapbooks

Here is a link to a few of Julia Gjika’s poems, translated by Professor Gjika, that have just been published in Asymptote:

https://www.asymptotejournal.com/poetry/julia-gjika-memories-pretend-to-sleep/

Last year, Professor Gjika’s translation of Luljeta Lleshanaku’s Negative Space (Bloodaxe Books, 2018) won an English PEN Award and was shortlisted for the International Griffin Poetry Prize.

-Professor David Blair, a Visiting Lecturer in the English Department, has just published his latest book of poems, Barbarian Seasons (MadHat Press). The cover design is by Art Professor Stephanie Grey. Here’s a link to the announcement if you would like to order a copy:

https://madhat-press.com/products/barbarian-seasons-by-david-blair

Professor Blair will be participating in an online reading with poets Donald Revell and Joseph Lease on Saturday, May 2 at 5 p.m. Here are links to the reading:

Zoom https://us04web.zoom.us/j/461603228

Livestream at https://www.facebook.com/LitBalm

This is Professor Blair’s fourth published collection of poems. Last year, he also published his first collection of essays, Walk Around: Essays about Poetry and Place.

Upcoming events

Women's Lacrosse vs Fitchburg State

Saturday, March 30, 2024

12:00 pm - 2:00 pm

Maple Street Field

Organized by: Athletics

Baseball vs Albertus Magnus

Monday, April 1, 2024

3:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Bowditch Field Athletic & Cultural Complex

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