Mayor Thomas Menino honored 21 city employees pursuing graduate degrees in Metropolitan College yesterday at Boston University, which he called “the leader in Boston when it comes to being involved in the city.”
At the City of Boston Employee Recognition Ceremony at the BU Castle, Menino called the employees the “best” in the city.
“You are the ones who really step up to the plate when we need it in this city.”
The city employees, called “city scholars,” study part-time at MET on full BU scholarships in fields including city planning, urban affairs and criminal justice. Their studies are part of a partnership with the City of Boston, said MET assistant dean Judith Marley.
“Boston University has awarded scholarships to the city for about 20 years,” Marley said in an email, adding the partnership was formalized in the fall of 2005.
Menino commended the employees for pursuing graduate degrees, noting how the degrees will enrich their service to the city.
“It’s tough going to school and getting a degree, but as you get your Masters, you’ll be better prepared to face the issues in our city and our country,” he said.
Calling education “the most important thing in our city,” Menino asked the city scholars to use their education to mentor students in underperforming area schools.
“Reach out to some of the kids in our neighborhoods,” he said. “They’re great kids, but they don’t have the support they desperately need.”
Indira Alvarez, a city employee and mother of three who is hoping to graduate with a Masters in urban affairs from MET this May, spoke to attendees about the difficulties of earning a graduate degree while working full time and raising a family.
“Without the partnership between the city of Boston and BU, I wouldn’t be able to afford an education at this time,” the inspectional services officer said.
MET dean Jay Halfond, who recommended the BU and city partnership in 2005, spoke to administrators, city officials and fellow employees in attendance about the significance of BU’s community involvement.
“[MET’s] enrollments have grown considerably over the last few years, and we didn’t want to lose our local focus,” he said.
City Director of Human Resources Vivian Leonard commented before the ceremony on the city’s need for partnerships with area colleges, highlighting similar partnerships with Harvard University and Northeastern University.
“The City of Boston would be at a loss not to take advantage of its academic resources,” she said.
At the end of the ceremony, Leonard called employees to the podium one-by-one to shake Menino’s hand and receive gift-wrapped pens from Halfond symbolizing the employees’ “ambassadorship” to MET.
Tax assessor Dan Farnkoff said at a reception after the ceremony that although his Master’s degree may not earn him a promotion in his current job, his MET education has sharpened his intellect.
“[Education] keeps your mind active so you don’t become a dullard bureaucrat,” he said. “I’ve seen it happen.”