U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) will be honored by the New England Council with a Legacy Award in October. Courtesy photo

Now in the twilight of her storied career, U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) has been chosen by the New England Council to receive one of two Legacy Awards.

“It’s an extraordinary honor to be selected as a recipient of the New England Council’s Legacy Award,” said Shaheen. “I first ran for office to make a difference for the people of New Hampshire and that purpose has remained my North Star throughout every office I’ve held. In a divided political system, the only way to get things done is by bridging divides even when we have strong disagreements.”

The other Legacy Award will go to documentary filmmaker Ken Burns.

The award was established last year in celebration of the council’s 100th anniversary. Recipients are recognized for their “ongoing legacy of excellence and contributions to the region.”

Shaheen entered the political arena serving on Jimmy Carter’s presidential campaign in 1976. She was also the campaign manager for Gary Hart during his run for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984.

Four years later, Shaheen ran to represent New Hampshire’s 21st district in the state Senate. She captured 58 percent of the vote to defeat Republican Franklin Torr.

After serving three terms in Concord, Shaheen was elected as the Granite State’s 78th governor, defeating Republican Ovide Lamontagne with 57 percent of the vote. This was the first time since 1980 that a Democrat had been elected governor. At the time, Shaeen was only the second woman to serve as the state’s chief executive and went on to complete three terms.

In 2008, Shaheen won the U.S. Senate race, defeating Republican incumbent John Sununu by six percent. She was the first woman to ever be elected as both a governor and U.S. senator.

During her 17 years representing New Hampshire on Capitol Hill, Shaheen has served on the Appropriations, Armed Services and Small Business committees. She is currently the ranking member of the Foreign Relations Committee.

In addition, the council selected three individuals for the New Englander of the Year Award. They include Mental Health Counselor Eliza Dushku Palandjian, Pamela Everhart, senior vice president at Fidelity Investments, and U.S. Sen. Angus King (I-Maine)

The awards will be presented at the council’s Annual Celebration on Oct. 29 at Encore Boston Harbor in Everett, Mass.

“We are looking forward to celebrating the contributions and achievements of our incredible honorees this fall,” said James Brett, the council’s president and CEO. “Each of our honorees has made valuable contributions to the economic wellbeing and quality of life in our region. We are grateful to each of them for their tireless work in our communities and proud to call them New Englanders.”