Massachusetts College of Art & Design Award the Morton R. Godine Medal to the Honorable Thomas M. Menino & First Lady Angela Menino

*Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt) presented the Morton R. Godine Medal to the Honorable Thomas Menino, Mayor of Boston, and First Lady Angela Menino on Wednesday,
November 13, 2013. MassArt's Godine Medal recognizes professional and personal dedication to the advancement of arts and culture in society.  The presentation of the Godine Medal is one of the keystone events kicking off MassArt's 140th Anniversary celebration.
"The Mayor and First Lady created an enormous legacy of arts and communityadvocacy," said MassArt President Dawn Barrett. "From theatre to public art to architecture, the Menino’s impact on the cultural landscape in the City of Boston cannot be overstated. Their tireless efforts on behalf of the arts community truly embody the spirit of the Godine Medal.”  She added, “Mayor Menino’s exemplary work advocating for increased public funding for
arts education is of special significance to us. As the oldest and only publicly funded arts college in the country, we are indebted to Mayor Menino for his advocacy on behalf of public school arts education, and for encouraging public-private partnerships that expand access to high quality arts education. Mayor Menino has been an outstanding supporter of the arts and arts education in our city.   We are grateful to have this opportunity to thank both Tom and Angela Menino for reinvigorating the arts community in Boston over the last 20 years.”
The MassArt Godine Award for Service to the Community was established by Dr. Morton R. Godine, a former Vice President of Administration and Finance, former chairman of the MassArt Foundation, and former MassArt Board of Trustee member.  Past recipients include Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum Director Anne Hawley, former Governor Michael Dukakis and his wife Kitty as well as art patron Pat Stavaridis.
*Commitment to the Arts & Community*
As both a City Councilor and as Mayor, Thomas M. Menino has championed thearts in Boston.  Whether attending Open Studios in the South End, creating affordable housing for artists, or leading the renovation of the Strand Theatre in Dorchester, Mayor Menino has been committed to the arts and culture in Boston.  A national leader on neighborhood issues, Mayor ThomasM. Menino believes that government is about helping people.  Elected five times as Mayor of Boston and five times as a City Councilor from Hyde Park,he has spent a lifetime building a better Boston for residents andbusinesses.
Angela Faletra Menino, First Lady of Boston, has a long history of publicservice and is a passionate advocate for community programs benefiting girls and low-income women.  She was a founding member of the City of Boston Women’s Commission and the Massachusetts Commission on the status of Women, and serves on the Boston Women’s Commission.   Ms. Menino has
received several honorary degrees, including the first ever honorary degree offered by Urban College of Boston in Early Childhood Education, a Doctor of Humane Letters from Emmanuel College, and a Doctor of Humanities degree from the New England School of Law.

*About Massachusetts College of Art and Design: Celebrating 140 Years ofMassArt in the Making*
Massachusetts College of Art and Design is one of the top colleges of its kind in the United States. Founded in 1873, MassArt has a legacy of leadership as the only independent public college of art and design in the country and the nation’s first art school to grant a degree. The college offers a comprehensive range of baccalaureate and graduate degrees in art and design, all taught by world-class faculty, along with continuing education and youth programs designed to encourage individual creativity. Whether at home in Boston or on the other side of the globe, the artists and designers of MassArt are dedicated to making a difference in their communities and around the world. For more information, visit www.massart.edu.