The Longwood Happenings newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox each month, delivers informative, engaging, and helpful updates about all things LMA! From local events to commuter resources, we provide everything you need to know about the Longwood Medical and Academic Area. 

A Message from the President

Dear Longwood,

The past year has been marked by incredible achievement and transformation in the district. While 2025 has not been without its challenges, the LMA has proven to be dynamic and resilient in the face of uncertainty, remaining deeply committed to each of our unique institutional missions. We at Longwood Collective have stood firm in our role as stewards of the district and are excited to share some measures of our impact in 2025. 

Transportation

Year after year, we are committed to making mobility in and around Longwood safe, efficient, and accessible for employees, students, patients, and visitors. Through our shuttle service, commuter programs, and transportation resources, we helped ensure the district remained well-connected and sustainable in 2025.

Year-Round Placemaking

Our Outside// program saw high engagement in 2025, sparking joy and community in the district’s open spaces.

Beautification

From seasonal planters to outdoor art displays, we worked hard to beautify the district this past year and carried out our bi-annual photography project that documents key sites and corridors in the LMA from an aerial perspective. 

These numbers speak to just a few of the impactful initiatives we spearheaded for our members in 2025. We are eager to hit the ground running in 2026 across a number of key initiatives and look forward to keeping up this momentum in the new year.

Regards, 

David Sweeney

President and CEO

Member Spotlight: MassArt

MassArt President Dr. Mary K. Grant Wins Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce Pinnacle Award

The Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce Women's Network has selected Dr. Mary K. Grant, President of Massachusetts College of Art and Design and Board Member of the Longwood Collective, as the winner of the Achievement in Arts and Education Pinnacle Award. The 2026 Pinnacle Awards honor nine outstanding women professionals in the Commonwealth for achievements in business, government, and management. The Chamber’s Pinnacle Awards continue to serve as the region’s most prestigious honor for women in professional roles across industries. 

She was selected due to her clear vision, deep care, and lifelong belief in the power of creativity and education at MassArt. The Chamber shared that "Dr. Grant emphasizes that education is not just about earning a degree — it’s about discovering purpose and preparing for a meaningful life. She is a leading voice for public service, civic dialogue, the role of higher education in shaping the next generation of citizens and leaders, and the power of creative education as essential to building stronger communities."

Congratulations, Dr. Grant!

Getting Around

Coming in January 2026: New and Improved Shuttle Tracking

We’re happy to announce that beginning on January 2nd, we will be transitioning our real-time shuttle tracking app from Transloc to Passio Go.

Passio Go is fast, reliable, and works seamlessly with other local buses, like Harvard’s Transit system and the MBTA. Be sure to get the app by the end of the year to stay on top of shuttle tracking and updates! Click here to download it.

MBTA Updates Near the District

Major Closure: Green Line

• The MBTA has announced a closure of the Green Line to replace 130-year-old infrastructure in December. From Monday, December 8, through Monday, December 22, the T will suspend service from North Station to Babcock Street on the B branch, to Kenmore on the line's C and D branches and to Heath Street on the E branch.

Commuter Rail

• Please be advised that the new Fall/Winter schedule for the Commuter Rail is in effect. See here for more information about Line schedules.

Honorable Mention 

Celebrating Norva Kennard's Career at Longwood Collective

After over 30 years of unwavering commitment and invaluable service to MASCO and now Longwood Collective, our esteemed General Counsel Norva Kennard has announced her retirement.

It is impossible to fully capture the immense impact Norva has had on our organization and the LMA. For three decades, she has been a source of sound judgment, strength, calmness, and profound institutional knowledge. We have all benefited from her wisdom, whether on the complex legal matters of today, the intricacies of Longwood Collective’s history, or simply navigating the culture of the district. Norva's unique ability to listen, understand every issue, and provide reassuring guidance has made her a trusted advisor, colleague, and friend to us all.

In the Neighborhood

375 Longwood Avenue Hosts Cradles to Crayons Clothing Drive

From now through January 5th, the 375 Longwood Avenue building is hosting a Cradles to Crayons donation collection box in the first floor lobby. Celebrate the season of giving by contributing new or gently used clothing to help children in the Boston area stay comfortable throughout the winter months.

We’re so grateful for the generosity of the LMA community and look forward to watching the donations grow in the coming weeks.

Read more about Cradles to Crayons Boston here.

Longwood in the News

Boston Children's Hospital Plans New $640m Pediatric Psychiatric Hospital with Historic Hale Donation

Boston Globe

Boston Children’s Hospital will build a new $640 million pediatric psychiatric hospital in Brighton, officials announced Wednesday, funded with the largest donation in the hospital’s history. The $100 million gift from Quincy billionaire philanthropists Rob and Karen Hale is the largest donation the couple has made to a single entity. The project has the potential to be transformative for the region’s capacity to offer mental health care, as demand for such services has soared in the aftermath of the pandemic.

Simmons Introduces the First Women's-Focused Sports Management Graduate Program in the Country

Boston Globe

Traditionally, college sports management programs have been structured around men’s sports. Simmons sees itself ideally situated to prepare students for careers in management in women’s professional sports, which have seen exponential growth in popularity and finances in recent years. At the graduate level, the majority of courses will be through a women’s sports lens, complemented by core courses at the management level, such as finance, accounting, and economics. Undergraduates can cross-register with Emmanuel College to receive a sports management minor. 

NCI Awards $12m SPORE Grant to Advance Breast Cancer Research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

OncoDaily

A $12 million federal grant from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) will fuel the next phase of breast cancer research at Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center (DF/HCC). The renewed grant will support research projects such as the exploration of combining targeted DNA repair with immunosuppression techniques, addressing mechanisms of resistance to antibody-drug conjugates, and more.

Martha Stewart Visits Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

The Patriot Ledger

The cooking show host, businesswoman, and author stopped by the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum on Wednesday, Dec. 3, and got a look at the ornate artwork inside the Venetian-style building. Museum Director Peggy Fogelman greeted her and took her on a tour, sharing Isabella's amazing progressive spirit and vision throughout the collection.

Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Lab Struggles in the Face of NIH Funding Cuts

Boston Globe

For years, John Quackenbush’s lab at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health has been at the forefront of human genetics research and bioinformatics. The computational tools developed by the lab help scientists understand how genes are controlled and how things go awry in diseases from cancer to autism, and make it possible for scientists to model cell biology and genetics at a deeper, more complex level. Universities, facing the threat of even more deep cuts to National Institutes of Health funding in the near future, laid off support staff, reduced hiring, and recruited fewer graduate students and fellows. His is one of hundreds of labs that have been struggling to stay afloat since.