Program
Welcome and Introduction of Guests
Melissa Gilliam
President
Remarks
President Gilliam
Zaki Araujo
Menino Scholar, CAS’27, GRS’28
Guest Speaker
Mary Skipper
Superintendent of the Boston Public Schools
Presentation of Awards
Refreshments will be served following the ceremony.
Remote CART/speech-to-text services are available for the audience.
A Word about the Boston University Thomas M. Menino Scholarship Program and the Community Leaders Award Program
The Thomas M. Menino Scholarship Program annually awards four-year, full-tuition scholarships to graduating seniors from Boston’s public high schools. Boston University inaugurated the program in 1973 as the Boston High School Scholarship Program, as part of the University’s continuing commitment to the City of Boston and renamed the program in 2013 to honor Boston’s longest-serving mayor, Thomas M. Menino (Hon.’01). Scholars are chosen for their academic achievement and motivation by a five-person committee of representatives from the University and the Boston Public Schools.
Since its inception, the program has awarded close to $227.2 million in scholarships to 2,167 students. Today, 30 new scholars are being honored. Scholars participated in a three-day retreat in June to build connections across their cohort and with their scholarship advisor and will participate in an ongoing support program. Over the next four years, this group will receive more than $8.7 million in scholarship funds from Boston University.
Beginning with first-year students who enrolled in fall 2009, Boston University expanded the opportunities for Boston Public School graduates through the Community Service Award, recently renamed Community Leaders Award. Recipients of this award receive Boston University grants that fully fund their demonstrated financial need without loans. They are also paired with a mentor to assist them in a successful transition to Boston University and connect them with key campus resources, including community service opportunities. In 2017, the program was further expanded to include transfer students from Boston Public Schools, broadening access to this opportunity. This year, we recognize 59 Community Leader Award winners who represent a commitment of $15.4 million from Boston University for the next four years.
Donald Frazier Taylor, Jr. (1933–1983)
Donald F. Taylor, Jr., was a graduate of Boston Latin School. In 1963, he received a master’s degree from the Boston University School of Social Work. During his career, he held many positions at Boston University, including faculty appointments in the Schools of Medicine, Social Work, and Public Health. At the time of his death, Mr. Taylor was the program director for the Area Health Education Center, a federally funded initiative designed to utilize the academic resources of Boston University in an effort to retain professional healthcare providers in primary care facilities throughout the Greater Boston area.
Mr. Taylor was a recognized leader in the human services community and served as a role model for his colleagues, his peers, and, in particular, his students, for whom he had a special devotion and commitment. Today, we honor Mr. Taylor’s many contributions to Boston University, to the human services field, and to the care and mentoring of students by awarding one scholarship in his memory to a graduate of Boston Latin School.
Thomas M. Menino Scholarship Selection Committee
John McEachern
Executive Director of Admissions
Boston University
Michael Dennehy
Executive Director, College Access & Student Success
Boston University Wheelock College of Education & Human Development
and Advisor to the Boston University Thomas M. Menino Scholars
Christopher Downe
Associate Director for Scholarships
Boston University
Brittney Sampson
Senior Associate Director of Multicultural Recruitment
Boston University
Catherine Chiu
Director of Guidance
Boston Public Schools