LONGWOOD HAPPENINGS NEWSLETTER: MAY EDITION
Our monthly Longwood Happenings newsletter is the perfect way to get important, streamlined information about the LMA sent straight to your inbox. From travel advisories to upcoming Outside// events and everything in between, our newsletter has you covered! We'll keep you up-to-date on all you need to know about the Longwood Medical and Academic area.
Click here to check out our May edition.
A Message from the President
Dear Longwood,
As we gear up for the excitement of summer, I want to extend an invitation to participate in our Outside// programming that kicked off this month, including food trucks, dog petting events, live music, and more.
Each May, we jumpstart the season in the LMA with the return of our signature yellow tables, chairs, and umbrellas. These fixtures, along with book and game carts that invite play and relaxation, are the first signs that summer is right around the corner. Already, I’ve seen folks playing ping pong at Shapiro Plaza and enjoying lunch at CLSB Plaza, two of our Outside// sites in Longwood.
Medical professionals from BIDMC compete in a game of ping pong during lunchtime.
Meanwhile, over on the southern end of the district, we kicked off our first Puppies in the Park event of the season at Stoneman Centennial Park. For the afternoon, workers, students, patients, and visitors in the LMA came by to destress and enjoy playtime with adorable, adoptable dogs rescued by Shultz’s Guest House.
A Dana-Farber nurse meets Stella, a puppy rescued by Shultz's Guest House.
Six dogs were visiting at Wednesday's Puppies in the Park event.
Starting next month, musicians from Of an Oak will be returning to our Outside// sites with performances across the district Monday through Friday. Weekly schedules for our music, dog petting events, food trucks, and more will be uploaded to our social media and website.
Our goal as stewards of the LMA is to improve the experience of everyone who works, studies, or receives care here, which means carving out moments for joy and connection in Longwood. We’re driven by the spirit of community, collaboration, and care in the district, and look forward to the coming months spent together Outside//.
Sincerely,
David Sweeney
President and CEO
Celebrating Provider Appreciation Day at the LMACCC
Last week, we celebrated National Provider Appreciation Day at the Longwood Medical Area Child Care Center (LMACCC) with students, teachers, and families. It was a wonderful opportunity to show our gratitude for the teachers and staff who provide essential care and to come together as a LMACCC community.
The LMACCC team provides thoughtful, enriching care for children ages 2 months to 5 years.
As part of the celebration, parents were given the opportunity to share thoughts on their experience and express gratitude for the teachers and administrators who are the backbone of the LMACCC:
The LMACCC is currently enrolling, with a 10% discount on the first three months of care. Visit lmaccc.org for more information.
Longwood Collective Shares Placemaking Insights
Last week, our Urban Planner and Designer Claudia LaFontaine presented on the Longwood Outside// placemaking program at the CleanMed Atlanta Conference. CleanMed brings together more than 750 health care professionals to connect, share, and build upon solutions for a more sustainable health care sector.
Claudia's presentation offered information on Outside// as well as opportunities for engagement through polls and Q&A.
Claudia's session, titled "Placemaking in Boston's Medical District: Bringing a Culture of Care Outside," was a subset of the "Building Climate Resilience Through Psychological Resilience" section of the conference. She spoke about the importance of public spaces, successes and challenges of sustainable placemaking in medical and academic districts, and the health and environmental benefits of the Outside// program in the LMA. To learn more about Claudia's presentation and how placemaking can be tailored to different settings, check out our Placemaking Playbook.
MBTA Updates Near the District
Red Line
- Shuttle buses will replace service between JFK/UMass and Braintree, the weekend of May 31 - June 1 for signal upgrades. Commuter Rail service between Braintree and South Station will be fare-free.
Orange Line
- Shuttle buses will replace service between Oak Grove and North Station, beginning at 8:30pm on Friday, May 9, through Sunday, May 18 for MassDOT bridge work.
Calling all LMA Shuttle Riders
We’d like to hear from commuters about how we can better meet the needs of our ridership. How’s your experience in riding the LMA Shuttles? Is shuttle information easy to access? Your feedback is crucial and helps us to provide the best service we can. Plus, if you fill out the survey, you will be entered to win a $25 REI gift card!
If you have any questions, please email transportationsurvey@longwoodcollective.org.
Bike Longwood Rolls into Summer
With Bike Month well underway, the Longwood Collective TMA has hosted a series of successful bike tune ups this spring season at the 375 Longwood Avenue Plaza and Shapiro Plaza. Joining forces with NEMO, over 80 bikes have been tuned up this season, ensuring safe brakes, lubricated chains, and full tires.
As part of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center's Earth Week celebration, tune ups were available at Shapiro Plaza on April 28th and May 1st.
The good news is we're just getting started! Time slots are available throughout the rest of the summer, including the following dates in May and June...
- Tuesday, May 20th
- Friday, May 23rd
- Tuesday, June3rd
- Thursday, June 5th
- Thursday, June 12th
- Tuesday, June 17th
- Tuesday, June 24th
- Thursday, June 26th
Reserve your timeslot now and learn more about all the services we offer Longwood commuters on our website.
May: Commencement Season in Longwood
The season of commencement ceremonies has arrived in the LMA and we would like to wish a heart-felt congratulations to students reaching this incredible milestone in their academic journey! Their hard work, dedication, and perseverance have paid off, and they should be proud of all they have accomplished. As graduates of Longwood educational institutions prepare to take the next step in their lives, we hope they remember to hold onto the knowledge and experiences they have gained during their time here in the LMA.
To all 2025 graduates, we commend you on your achievements and wish you the best in your next adventure.
MSI Call Center Excels
The MASCO Services, Inc. Call Center, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Longwood Collective, Inc., keeps hospitals, colleges, physicians and businesses connected to callers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They combine the latest technology with professional personalized services, bilingual capabilities, customized plans and unmatched commitment to quality customer service.
With excellent call performance in April, we're proud to provide this service to meet the call needs of the medical community in Longwood and beyond.
Kicking Off Puppies in the Plaza
We enjoyed our first dog petting event of the Outside// 2025 season on Wednesday, newly dubbed "Puppies in the Park." Students, workers, patients, and visitors gathered at Stoneman Centennial Park to enjoy time in the sun with puppies, featuring plenty of licks, wrestles, and cuddles!
If you couldn't make it, don't worry, because it was only the first event of our Puppies in the Park summer series. Mark your calendar for the remaining dates this season...
- Wednesday, June 11th
- Wednesday, July 16th
- Wednesday, August 13th
- Wednesday, September 17th
- Wednesday, October 15th
We, and the puppies, can't wait to see you there!
Recognizing Longwood Collective Staff
Every year, Longwood Collective celebrates Staff Appreciation Day by taking a moment to recognize the people behind all the great work done at the MSI Call Center, LMACCC, and Longwood Collective. This year, staff gathered at the 375 Longwood Avenue plaza for cupcakes from the Pipe Dream Cupcakes food truck.
Enjoying baked goods in the sunshine, we gathered together to recognize and celebrate the dedication and passion of the team here at Longwood Collective.
The Pipedream Cupcakes food truck served delicious treats to staff members, including a fan-favorite cookies and cream inspired cupcake.
The sunshine made for a pleasant environment for celebration and relaxation all afternoon.
Harvard to Dedicate $250 Million Toward Supporting Research
Boston Globe
Harvard University announced Wednesday that it will dedicate an initial $250 million toward backfilling some of the Trump administration’s research funding cuts to the university, which to date amount to nearly $3 billion. The cuts, which have escalated since Harvard sued the administration, have imperiled scientific projects and trials both planned and already in progress.
Dana-Farber Nurse with Metastatic Breast Cancer Dedicated to Helping Cancer Patients
CBS Boston
Idina Colburn works on the eighth floor at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston helping cancer patients navigate their complicated treatment plans. Now faced with terminal cancer, she is receiving care and support from Dana-Farber as she continues to serve patients daily.
A Day at Boston's Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
National Review
Art Review: Superbly restored rooms, a show on the art of vodou, and energy and élan at a New England treasure.
PRWeb
Fenway Health responded to a new U.S. Department of Health and Human Services report, calling for the exclusion of politicians from young people's healthcare. They presented information about care for gender diverse adolescents and interventions that can help care for these youth and improve well-being.
Reconstructive Surgery at Mass Eye and Ear Helps Skin Cancer Patients Feel like Themselves Again
CBS Boston
Surgeons at Mass Eye and Ear have found a creative way to reduce the appearance of scarring in skin cancer patients who require cancer removal in their noses, which can result in disfigurement or breathing problems. Their method has been key in improving quality of life and confidence in patients.
Editorial: Research Funding Cuts Will Hurt the Mass. Economy, Not Just Universities
BBJ
Universities are big business in Massachusetts, with tens of thousands of employees at the more than 100 colleges and universities in the state. But you don’t have to work at one of those institutions to benefit from their economic impact. Indeed, the health of our post-secondary education sector is a foundation upon which the Boston-area economy rests.
