Fitchburg State University hosted its annual Retired Educators Luncheon on Wednesday in the Falcon Hub, a tradition established in 2011 that honors alumni who have dedicated their lives to the teaching profession. The event serves as a powerful homecoming for the university, celebrating its historic roots as a teachers' college originally founded in 1894.
This year’s luncheon, led by Alumni Association President John Garten ‘89, highlighted the university's ongoing commitment to shaping future teachers, celebrating both a rising educator through the Retired Educators Scholarship Fund and a seasoned professional with the prestigious Joel D. Miller Education Award.
“We often speak about the ‘Fitchburg State family,’ but in this room, that phrase is a lived reality,” said Fitchburg State President Donna Hodge. “You represent the very foundation of this institution. Since our founding as a Normal School in 1894, we have been defined by our commitment to training the educators who shape our Commonwealth. Your return to campus today is an incredibly powerful reminder that while your formal years of service in the classroom may have concluded, your connection to this university—and your impact on its legacy—endures.”
Born out of the annual luncheon, the Retired Educators Scholarship Fund awards a $500 annual scholarship to a deserving education major. The funds are applied directly to the student's account to assist with their academic journey.
This year’s scholarship recipient is Kyle Grimard, a Lake Placid, N.Y., native and a dedicated para-educator at the Keystone Educational Collaborative at Ayer-Shirley Regional High School. An avid outdoorsman raised in the Adirondack Mountains, Grimard is working toward achieving prestigious "46er" status by climbing all 46 of the region's high peaks, while indoors he innovatively uses his passions for Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons & Dragons to enhance student learning in his classroom.
Currently enrolled in Fitchburg State's Para-to-Teacher program, Grimard is balancing his summer coursework with his career goals. Upon graduation, Grimard plans to transition into a full-time special education teaching role, with the ultimate goal of continuing his impactful work within the Keystone program.
“There’s something really special about people who have spent their life doing the thing you want to do, and finding you to be worthy of the person they support and the person they give money to and help further that goal,” said Grimard. “It’s such a special thing.”
The luncheon also served as the stage for the presentation of the Joel D. Miller Education Award. Established in 1955, the award honors the legacy of Joel D. Miller, a prominent Massachusetts state senator, member of the State Board of Education, and one of the three original founders of the State Normal School in Fitchburg. His lasting impact on the campus is also memorialized by Miller Hall, a historic campus building.
The award is presented annually to a Fitchburg State graduate who embodies outstanding teaching qualities, distinct originality in the classroom, unselfish devotion to education, and a profound influence for good among their students.
The 2026 recipient of this prestigious honor is Linda Alvarez ’22, who completed a master’s in business administration with a concentration in marketing and communications from Fitchburg State, and has been a business and entrepreneurship teacher at the Windham Regional Career Center in Brattleboro, Vt., for the last four years.
“I am super proud to have been invited back to Fitchburg State for this award,” said Alvarez. “Education is something that’s so important to all of us, and the recognition that I’ve gotten this year through the Vermont State Teacher of the Year program and the National Teacher of the Year program, awards like this allows me to think about the impact that we can have in talking to people about education and what’s happening now, and how important it is that we’re all working together to make education stronger and better.
“Working with young people can be challenging at times, but it’s also very rewarding, most of the time,” said Alvarez. “Days like today are super special because it’s a moment to reflect on all of the things that we do as educators to help people make good decisions, so that they can have better lives.”
Alvarez was also named the 2026 Vermont Teacher of the Year.
As an online student pursuing her master’s degree, Alvarez anticipated visiting the Fitchburg State University campus for the first time when she was supposed to receive her master’s degree during Winter Commencement in 2022.
But due to a significant snow and ice storm in Southern Vermont, Alvarez’s plans to attend graduation, walk the stage and receive her diploma were dashed. She was forced to halt her commute to North Central Massachusetts, missed the graduation ceremony, and eventually had her diploma mailed to her home in Brattleboro, Vt.
However, last December, Alvarez got to experience that full-circle moment as she finally set foot on campus and received her diploma directly from President Hodge.
For more information about Fitchburg State University, please visit fitchburgstate.edu.