A classroom assignment has officially hit the streets of neighboring Leominster. Students at Fitchburg State University, under the guidance of Professor and Business Department Chair Michael Greenwood, have taken their business acumen outside the classroom to help design, plan, and execute a major public safety campaign alongside state and local officials.
The initiative, part of the statewide Community Voices for Road Safety program, officially launched recently with a distinct, hyper-local slogan: “Hey Neighbor, Slow Down. It's not Johnny AppleSPEED.”
What began as a class project in Professor Greenwood’s Principles of Management course, quickly evolved into a comprehensive, real-world marketing and logistics operation. Tasked with finding a meaningful way to address regional speeding and road safety, the students leaned heavily into local history. They drew inspiration from Leominster’s most famous historical figure—folk hero and pioneer Johnny Appleseed (John Chapman), who was born in the city in 1774.
"This project gave students the opportunity to apply classroom learning to a real-world challenge that directly impacts their community," said Greenwood. "Their creativity and commitment helped shape a campaign that is not only impactful but something they can take pride in as emerging professionals."
Over the course of the semester, the Fitchburg State students took ownership of the campaign's rollout, from concept development to media strategy and implementation.
“I could not be prouder of the initiative, creativity, and quality of work that students demonstrated throughout this project in my spring Principles of Management course,” said Greenwood. “This class regularly attracts both business and non-business students, and some of the strongest creative contributions came from outside the business discipline—a powerful reminder that innovation often emerges at the intersection of diverse perspectives.”
Greenwood said that he was especially impressed by how naturally students deployed AI in real time.
“My students reminded me of something important: AI can accelerate creativity and productivity, but sound human judgment remains essential to evaluating, refining, and applying AI-generated work responsibly and ethically,” said Greenwood. “I am increasingly convinced that in the age of AI, human judgment may be the most important skill we can help students develop.”
The students' work has earned high praise from state transportation officials, who emphasize the critical need for grassroots, community-led safety messages.
“Speeding is one of the most preventable dangers on our roads, and reminding drivers about safety is important to changing behavior,” said Interim Secretary of Transportation and MBTA General Manager Phillip Eng. “Leominster’s campaign accomplishes that in the best way by connecting a serious safety message with the community’s local identify in a manner that’s fun and engaging. MassDOT is pleased to support the Community Voices for Road Safety program in partnership with Travelers Marketing working with cities and towns across Massachusetts to promote safer roads for everyone.”
This project gave students the opportunity to apply classroom learning to a real-world challenge that directly impacts their community. Their creativity and commitment helped shape a campaign that is not only impactful but something they can take pride in as emerging professionals.
Local leaders have also taken notice of the university's impact.
“This campaign, coupled with our full city-wide traffic analysis we will be starting this summer, is about promoting safety,” said Leominster Mayor Dean Mazzarella. “By connecting roadway safety to our shared identity and history, we’re reminding everyone that slowing down is a simple action that can save lives and strengthen our community.”
Due to the strategic media planning of Professor Greenwood’s class, residents and visitors are starting to see campaign messaging heavily integrated across the region.
The students' designs and slogans will be prominently featured on MART transit buses and shelters, local billboards, neighborhood yard signs, and across regional digital and social media platforms. The Community Voices for Road Safety program is an award-winning initiative developed by Travelers Marketing.
Moving forward, the campaign will also partner with Leominster Public Schools to continue spreading the safety message.