Tom Birmingham
Encyclopedia
Thomas Francis Birmingham (born August 4, 1949) is the former President of the Massachusetts Senate
. He is widely credited, along with Mark Roosevelt
, with passage of a sweeping education bill, the Education Reform Act of 1993. He is a graduate of Austin Preparatory School
, Phillips Exeter Academy
, Harvard College
, Harvard Law School
, and received a Rhodes Scholarship
to study at Oxford University, after graduating from Harvard College
in 1972. He was an unsuccessful candidate for the Democratic nomination for Massachusetts governor in 2002
, despite impressive fundraising. An avid cyclist, Birmingham biked across the state of Massachusetts in 2001
In 1999, his proposal to keep the home stadium of The New England Patriots in Massachusetts was accepted by Patriots owner Robert Kraft
and passed by the state legislature.
Today, Birmingham serves as Senior Counsel at the law firm of Edwards, Angell, Palmer & Dodge, and recently taught state and local government at Tufts University
, and teaches education policy at Northeastern University in Boston. His wife, Selma Botman
, has a Ph.D in Middle Eastern Studies from Harvard University
and serves as the President of the University of Southern Maine
. They have two daughters, Erica Birmingham, a graduate of Harvard College
, and Megan Birmingham, a student at Bates College
.
President of the Massachusetts Senate
The President of the Massachusetts Senate is the presiding officer. In the United States Congress, the Vice President of the United States is the ex officio President of the United States Senate. In Massachusetts, however, the President of the Senate is elected from and by the Senators...
. He is widely credited, along with Mark Roosevelt
Mark Roosevelt
Mark Roosevelt has been since January 2011 the President of Antioch College. He was previously the superintendent of the Pittsburgh Public Schools, the second largest school district in Pennsylvania, until December 31, 2010....
, with passage of a sweeping education bill, the Education Reform Act of 1993. He is a graduate of Austin Preparatory School
Austin Preparatory School
Austin Preparatory School is a co-educational Catholic school located in Reading, Massachusetts. It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston. It was founded by the Order of Saint Augustine in 1961...
, Phillips Exeter Academy
Phillips Exeter Academy
Phillips Exeter Academy is a private secondary school located in Exeter, New Hampshire, in the United States.Exeter is noted for its application of Harkness education, a system based on a conference format of teacher and student interaction, similar to the Socratic method of learning through asking...
, Harvard College
Harvard College
Harvard College, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is one of two schools within Harvard University granting undergraduate degrees...
, Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
, and received a Rhodes Scholarship
Rhodes Scholarship
The Rhodes Scholarship, named after Cecil Rhodes, is an international postgraduate award for study at the University of Oxford. It was the first large-scale programme of international scholarships, and is widely considered the "world's most prestigious scholarship" by many public sources such as...
to study at Oxford University, after graduating from Harvard College
Harvard College
Harvard College, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is one of two schools within Harvard University granting undergraduate degrees...
in 1972. He was an unsuccessful candidate for the Democratic nomination for Massachusetts governor in 2002
Massachusetts gubernatorial election, 2002
The Massachusetts gubernatorial election of 2002 was held on November 5, 2002. Businessman Mitt Romney was elected to a four-year term, to be served from January 2, 2003 until January 4, 2007. Every four years, Massachusetts holds state-wide elections for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney...
, despite impressive fundraising. An avid cyclist, Birmingham biked across the state of Massachusetts in 2001
In 1999, his proposal to keep the home stadium of The New England Patriots in Massachusetts was accepted by Patriots owner Robert Kraft
Robert Kraft
Robert K. Kraft is an American business magnate. He is the Chairman and was the Chief Executive Officer of The Kraft Group, a diversified holding company with assets in paper and packaging, sports and entertainment, real estate development and a private equity portfolio...
and passed by the state legislature.
Today, Birmingham serves as Senior Counsel at the law firm of Edwards, Angell, Palmer & Dodge, and recently taught state and local government at Tufts University
Tufts University
Tufts University is a private research university located in Medford/Somerville, near Boston, Massachusetts. It is organized into ten schools, including two undergraduate programs and eight graduate divisions, on four campuses in Massachusetts and on the eastern border of France...
, and teaches education policy at Northeastern University in Boston. His wife, Selma Botman
Selma Botman
Dr. Selma Botman became the President of the University of Southern Maine on July 1, 2008. She was appointed to the position by the University of Maine System's Board of Trustees at the March 10, 2008, meeting of the Board. She was officially inaugurated on April 25, 2009, succeeding Richard L....
, has a Ph.D in Middle Eastern Studies from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
and serves as the President of the University of Southern Maine
University of Southern Maine
The University of Southern Maine is a multi-campus public urban comprehensive university and part of the University of Maine System. USM's three primary campuses are located in Portland, Gorham, and Lewiston...
. They have two daughters, Erica Birmingham, a graduate of Harvard College
Harvard College
Harvard College, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is one of two schools within Harvard University granting undergraduate degrees...
, and Megan Birmingham, a student at Bates College
Bates College
Bates College is a highly selective, private liberal arts college located in Lewiston, Maine, in the United States. and was most recently ranked 21st in the nation in the 2011 US News Best Liberal Arts Colleges rankings. The college was founded in 1855 by abolitionists...
.