Julie Buras Zigo of Arlington was recently honored with a Berklee Urban Service Award for collaborating to develop and implement new technologies that make music more accessible and inviting for local children with special needs. Buras Zigo is an assistant professor of Music Therapy at Berklee College of Music.

Berklee College of Music’s Office of Community Affairs and Campus Engagement acknowledged outstanding members of the Berklee community and local partners who help the college to enrich our neighborhoods and facilitate the educational, cultural, and artistic development of Boston during the third annual Berklee Urban Service Awards.

The ceremony also featured performances by Women of the World, an international ensemble that was awarded Performance of the Year for their 2011 performance at Swingin’ in Mothers Rest; Beyond Borders, a group of Berklee students led by Jennifer Manzanillo that raises awareness to help the children of the world through music; and Studio Heat with the Berklee Hip-Hop Ensemble, which was a collaboration between youths from the Blue Hill Boys and Girls Club Music Clubhouse and students from Berklee.

The Berklee Urban Service Awards are based on the principle that institutions of higher education realize their greatest potential when they serve as fully committed members of the community.