Faculty Friday: Mary Churchill
Faculty Friday is a series highlighting members of the Initiative on Cities (IOC) Faculty Advisory Board, by exploring their work on campus and in the city. This week, we are highlighting Mary Churchill, Associate Dean of Strategic Initiatives and Community Engagement at Boston University Wheelock College of Education and Human Development.
Diya Ashtakala: Tell me about yourself and what you are currently working on.
Mary Churchill: I am currently the Associate Dean of Strategic Initiatives and Community Engagement at the Wheelock College of Education and Human Development. In that role, I work on strategic partnerships locally, but also regionally, nationally, and internationally that support the mission of our college. Right now, I’m working on a book related to women’s leadership in higher education and another book about higher education and community engagement, with a focus on urban colleges and universities.
What do you think are the biggest challenges faced by cities?
I think that one of the biggest challenges facing our country and our cities is inequity and injustice, especially racial inequity. The divide between those who have privilege and those who do not is growing. Some of the related challenges are food insecurity and housing instability and their intersection with the opioid crisis. Many cities are currently serving as hubs providing services for people who are dealing with drug addiction, and this is a challenge. And, of course, climate change and infrastructure challenges are issues that all cities are dealing with. Aging transportation infrastructure exacerbated by climate change has brought us to a crisis situation. We are facing unprecedented challenges and our cities are challenged to deal with these problems both socially and physically.
How can cities use community engagement to address these challenges?
In 2021, I served as the Chief of Policy and Planning in Boston for Mayor Kim Janey, and I learned a tremendous amount about the benefits and challenges of community engagement. It is important to make sure that a diversity of voices are engaged. Unfortunately, public meetings are often dominated by a small group of individuals with similar views. Then there is what I call the parking challenges. When you ask community members what they want, they almost always want more parking because that is what they need in their lives. But, you also have to balance their desires and wants with the needs of the most underserved who often do not participate in community meetings. You have to go out of your way to make sure you that hear from a diverse set of city residents.
It takes vision and leadership to say, “The future of our cities depends on us becoming less dependent on cars.” It may not be the most popular decision with drivers, but it’s where we need to move because of climate challenges. So, community engagement becomes very challenging because you are not always making a decision that is the most popular decision. It gets back to privilege, so you’re often trying to create a space for the voices of residents who are not always heard.
How can students become more engaged with cities and play a role in addressing issues?
There are so many opportunities for students to become engaged. I think that becoming informed about local issues and candidates and voting in local elections are really important. Working on a campaign is a great way to start to understand the local climate and get involved. I also think volunteering with a local non-profit is a great way to get to know people in the city and understand the challenges and the culture of the city where you live. There are so many different paths to advocacy and activism for students.
Students have a lot of passion and activism, and many are at a stage in their lives where they really want to live their values. What I’ve seen in higher ed is that a lot of that activism ends up staying on campus The more we can get our students to meet with non-profits and ask “what can I do? “and “how can I play a role?” the more we are using student power, passion, and activism to make change happen in the whole city, and not just on our campuses.
If you were the Mayor of Boston and had unlimited resources, what program or project would you pursue and why?
During my time in city hall, I learned that the different sectors such as higher ed, hospitals, hospitality industry, etc. are really important to be able to mobilize, especially during a time of crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic. It is crucial to be able to connect with everyone, make things happen and offer solutions. We found that the we were able to work much more effectively with the sectors that were already organized, I would create a program that would bring the universities and colleges together with the K-12 system and employers so that every high school student in the city of Boston has access to early college credit and paid meaningful work opportunities with local employers.
What do you love about Boston?
What I love most about the city of Boston is the people. They are resilient, mouthy, and have strong personalities. I’ve been here since 1989 so I think I’ve learned not to take rudeness personally, but I’ve also learned to be a stronger person, stand up for things, ask for more and advocate for people in ways that I hadn’t in the past. I like the strength of the people and I like the fact that they don’t back down. They ask for more and they fight and advocate. There’s a real fiery-ness that I just love in Bostonians.
I also love the physical beauty of Boston. Franklin Park is an amazing oasis designed by the same person who designed Central Park; it’s just absolutely gorgeous. Jamaica Pond and the Arboretum are also beautiful. Some of my favorite hidden places are three courtyards — one at the Museum of Fine Arts, one at the Gardner Museum and one at the main branch of the Boston Public Library. The Institute of Contemporary Arts has these phenomenal steps that face the harbor. On a warm summer day, you can just sit there, have a glass of wine, and just watch the harbor, the people and just listen to music. It’s just such a beautiful space.
What is your favorite city and why?
I love Boston! Internationally, the favorite city I have visited is Alexandria in Egypt. I fell in love with Alexandria. The people, the culture, the architecture, the natural landscape, and the tea houses, it’s just so beautiful. In the US, I also love New York City. I’m a true Bostonian but I try to go to New York City as much as I can. It’s again about the people, and the people are so diverse and from all around the world. I also love the New York attitude. There is this energy and buzz in New York City that is inspiring.