Greta Alquist and Fay Simer

Greta and Fay have followed remarkably similar paths since graduating from Macalester, and both have given back to the Geography Department in extremely generous ways. Even more importantly, they form part of a core group of recent female Geography alumni who have served as role models and provided direct encouragement and advice for other female students who are interested in careers in planning (and transportation more specifically).

After graduation, both Greta and Fay attended the Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota for their masters of urban planning degrees. Specializing in transportation, both of them worked initially in the public sector — in fact, they worked together in the same office (in the bicycle and pedestrian planning section at the Minnesota Department of Transportation). More recently, each of them has moved into the private sector: Greta now works for Toole Design Group as a transportation planning consultant, and Fay works as a planner at Stantec consulting firm.

Given their broad professional perspectives on transportation, and their passion for engaging members of the communities in which they have worked, they are called upon repeatedly for visits to Laura Smith’s Transportation senior seminar or Metro Analysis class, or to serve on career panels in Geography (or Urban Studies). Their visits are interactive and inspiring! Greta had seminar students engrossed in designing streets, working in teams to lay out the elements from sidewalks to trees to bike lanes to parking to driving lanes, all while considering engineering parameters. Fay had students running a mock charette for the real-life proposed bike lanes on 26th and 28th streets in Minneapolis, complete with a rainbow selection of post-it notes.

After connecting with students during their visits to campus — or through frequent digital introductions — both women have individually communicated with numerous Macalester Geography students over the past decade about interests, professional development, and general advice. Their mentorship has made a palpable difference in the pathways and careers of a significant number of our alumni, including at least three alumni who have been awarded scholarships for graduate school through the Women in Transportation Studies organization in which Fay has served as a board member.

They are both truly are deserving of the Crystal Globe award.