Eastern Recognizes Tom Serra For Service To Our City

City Councilman Tom Serra received the 2011 Distinguished Service Award today from Eastern Connecticut State University, in a ceremony at their Willimantic campus. The University is recognizing Serra for a “successful, outstanding, and meaningful career as a Local and State civic leader, educator, coach, as well as a volunteer in numerous organizations.”

Serra graduated from Eastern in 1970 with a Bachelor of Science in Education. He went on to earn an M.A. in Education from UConn. He taught briefly at St. Thomas More Prep School in Colchester, at Tolland High School, and at East Hampton Jr. High School, before returning to our city to teach English at Vinal Technical School in 1974. Serra was a member of the 1964 Middletown High School basketball team, which won the 1964 Class B state championship. In a nearly 30 year career at Vinal, he served as coach of Baseball and Basketball teams, and as Athletic Coordinator. He retired in 2003 as Principal.

Serra has evinced an interest in public service since at least High School. He was elected in his junior and senior year of high school, by his peers, to the mock City Council, in the "Mayor for a Day" program. This interest has not waned in the succeeding 45 years. He began his public service very shortly after he came to Vinal, serving as an appointed representative on the Park and Recreation Commission. In 1979 he was elected to the first of many terms as City Councilman, and in 1993 was elected as Mayor. He currently serves as the Common Council Majority Leader.

Not all of Serra’s contributions to the city are as visible as serving on Common Council or in the Mayor’s office. Just a few examples: he was on the Smith Park Building Committee, was a coach in the Youth Basketball League and continues to serve on a variety of Middlesex Community College Committees.

ECSU is honoring someone who certainly gives substantial amounts of his time to the city. Maryann Serra, his wife, told The Eye,

My family and I are very proud of him and all the unselfish time he devotes to his Career, State, City and Community. We are happy to honor him as well.