The Boston Architectural College was pleased to honor Susan Park, President of the Boston Preservation Alliance (BPA), with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 7th annual Gala Preview Party for AD20/21: Art & Design of the 20th and 21st Centuries & The Boston Print Fair, now a part of Boston Design Week.

The AD20/21 Gala Preview Party is the Boston Architectural College's premier fundraising event of the year, attracting hundreds of guests from the BAC and Boston's vibrant design community, and has been an important opportunity for the College to raise funds to continue to educate the finest emerging design professionals and enhance the student experience. 650 guests attended the event at the Cyclorama at the Boston Center for the Arts on Thursday, March 27 to show their support for the BAC, and to preview this year's collection of modern art and design at the annual show produced by Fusco and Four Ventures.

In addition to serving as President of the Boston Preservation Alliance, Susan is also the former president and current treasurer of The South End Historical Society, which preserves and promotes the South End neighborhood of Boston - the largest intact Victorian row house district in the country. When not advocating for historic preservation, Susan is president and chief executive officer of Boston Harborfest, which promotes the cultural history of Boston. She was also a Parks Commissioner for the Boston Parks and Recreation Department from1997 to 2013. Her tireless efforts over many decades have given us all a city whose design is recognized and appreciated throughout the world.

"I am most proud to have been a part of the Theatre District, protecting the Esplanade from roadway expansion, Fenway Park, and the daylighting of the Muddy River," said Susan during the awards ceremony attended by long-time supporters and colleagues, "The most valuable things of all were not particular buildings or projects, but the honor of being part of the Boston Preservation Alliance. The Alliance is a living, breathing organization and a framework for generations to come, as we seek to preserve the quality of life in Boston, which in large part is due to the quality of design and quality design requires the creative yet respectful engagement of our built heritage. Preservation is good architecture, and it's some of the most challenging architecture."

Susan strenuously commended the BAC on the current partnership with the National College of Arts-Rawalpindi, sponsored by the United States Department of State, Public Affairs Section, and U.S. Embassy Islamabad, Pakistan in their University Partnership program. She encouraged the College to continue to extend expertise to countries with vast cultural resources that are in jeopardy.