In this episode of the CATCHING UP WITH... series, Fitchburg State University President Donna Hodge catches up with Peter Reynolds (COMM ’83), as he talks about his journey from being a hungry Fitchburg State graphic design student in the Communications Media department to best-selling author, illustrator, and 2025 Commencement Speaker.

Peter Reynolds is an acclaimed author with over 40 million copies of his books in print worldwide, including The Dot, Ish, The North Star, and Be You. He has also collaborated as an illustrator on the Judy Moody series by Meghan McDonald.

He founded FableVision, an award-winning multi-media production studio based in Boston, whose mission is to inspire, teach, and move people to action through their animations, interactives, and game-based learning apps games – for clients as varied as PBS Kids, National Geographic, Smithsonian, Nickelodeon, and the Library of Congress. Audiyo-yo is a production division of FableVision Studios dedicated exclusively to creating entertaining, engaging, and inspiring audio content for children and families. He also runs Blue Bunny Book Store and Mocha Java Café in Dedham – where you might find him sitting at a table drawing.

Peter Reynolds is an advocate for the arts and encourages everyone to express their artistic potential, shining as a contagious light of creativity, inspiring children, adults, parents, people of all ages to embrace their creativity, which he believes has the power to change the world.

We'll be welcoming Peter Reynolds back home at Fitchburg State as the 2025 commencement speaker for the 2025 Undergraduate Graduation ceremony, taking place on May 17th. The commencement will be simulcast live on Fitchburg Access Television (FATV).

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This conversation was recorded in March 2025, before a live audience. The discussion has been edited for brevity. To watch the talk in full, check out the Fitchburg State University youtube channel.

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Episode transcript can be found here.

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This episode was produced & sound mixed by Adam Fournier (COMM '25) and edited by James Hoffman (COMM '28); both are members of the Perseverantia staff.

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