Mapping first kisses, reimagining Rondo, stellar sustainability, and more

Maccolades is a monthly round-up of the most recent accolades and accomplishments earned by members of the Macalester community. Below are highlights from October 2025.

Kiss and tell

Macalester graduate and artist Dio Cramer ’20 was featured in the Star Tribune for mapping something unexpected: first kisses across the Twin Cities. Their project has collected more than 600 anonymous submissions from 500 people to date, charting where sparks first flew. Selected kiss stories and locations will be published in a book and print map this winter.

The project explores psychogeography—how geographical environments influence emotions and behavior. Cramer hopes this project will help people feel more connected to each other through the places we all share. Originally from the D.C. area, Cramer studied geography at Macalester.

People can follow Cramer’s Instagram @dioishh or subscribe to their Substack for publication updates. Or submit your own first kiss and include an email to get updates.

 

Rock solid support

Geology professors Kelly MacGregor and Karl Wirth were awarded a grant from the Maxwell/Hanrahan Foundation in support of the Keck Geology Consortium Gateway Program. This Consortium will attract, retain, and develop earth science undergraduate students by providing exceptional field and laboratory experiences that involve students in all aspects of the research process.

Rondo neighborhood exhibit shines at national conference

St. Paul’s Rondo neighborhood was one of the nation’s most prosperous Black communities in 1950. Labeled “blighted” under the federal highway program, the construction of I-94 destroyed the heart of its business and residential district.

Macalester student Jolie Davis ’28 received a grant to support an internship preserving Rondo’s history. Using Roblox Studio, she created “Enter the Rondo-Verse,” a virtual, immersive platform that invites users to experience the community’s past and present. Her work drew on two semesters of study about African American history and the use of design to preserve that evidence.

Davis recently presented her exhibit at the 110th Annual Conference of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History in Atlanta. Her talk was among 12 sessions on Afrofuturist Design, which also featured two presentations by Macalester alum Larry Alexander ’73 on British law and the trans-Atlantic slave trade. Watch the presentation here (YouTube).

 

Taking the stage at NYU

Theater and Dance Professor Cláudia Tatinge Nascimento co-taught a workshop “Dance and Theatricality: Building a Personal Vocabulary” and served on a panel “Cultural Continuum in Contemporary Dance” at the Center for Ballet and the Arts at NYU.

 

Shaping Southeast Asian policy

Macalester student Mo Chang ’29 was awarded a Visiting Fellowship at the KSI Strategic Institute for Asia Pacific, a leading think tank based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He will produce policy analysis and support policy development in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

“With this award supporting my policy research and studies, I’m excited to directly contribute to policy advocacy while also publishing my work in the journal,” Chang said. “It was a highly competitive process, so I’m really grateful and excited for the opportunity.”

From classroom to stage

The Jungle Theater in Minneapolis opened The Cherry Orchard on October 4 where it will run until November 9. Set in a world teetering on the edge of transformation, Anton Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard follows a family confronting and evading the traumas of the past and the realities of the present. This performance features Randy Reyes, assistant professor in Macalester’s theater and dance department. With a contemporary lens, this adaptation invites audiences to consider the perils of refusing to acknowledge the shifting landscape of our present moment.

 

Doubling down on green excellence

Macalester earned #18 in The Princeton Review’s Top 50 Green Colleges for 2026, earning a 97/99 Green Rating among 388 environmentally friendly colleges profiled.

“Among the hundreds of schools we surveyed for this project, Macalester, which offers excellent academics, is also a standout for its record of environmentally-responsible practices,” said Rob Franek, The Princeton Review’s editor-in-chief.

The rankings evaluate renewable energy use, recycling programs, conservation efforts, and environmental studies offerings through school-reported data and student surveys. Macalester’s Top 50 placement recognizes its superb sustainability practices and commitment to sustainability education.

 

Also, for the second consecutive year, Macalester ranks #2 among baccalaureate institutions in the Sustainable Campus Index, earning a gold rating. Published annually by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, the Index celebrates colleges leading in sustainability as measured through STARS (Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System)—a framework used by hundreds of institutions to measure and improve their environmental performance.

 

Marketing whiz recognized

Macalester graduate Burcu Sahin ’10 made this year’s 40 under 40 list from Ad Age, a global media brand that provides news, data, and analysis on the advertising, marketing, and media industries. This year’s list, narrowed down from several hundred entries, serves as inspiration for current and future leaders in marketing and advertising. Ad Age praised Sahin for reaching the next generations in her work with Mars, selling gum to Gen Zers after finding it helps them focus.

 

Picture perfect fellowship

Macalester student Loree Keushgerian ’27 was named a 2025-2026 Imagining America Joy of Giving Something Fellow, one of eight undergraduates selected nationwide for using art to uplift diverse stories and build community. Keushgerian studies studio art and media and cultural studies at Macalester.

The fellowship aims to elevate photography and digital media as pathways for students to pursue careers and make a difference in their communities. Fellows receive a $2,000 tuition scholarship, mentorship, and financial support for a community project. They attend the 2025 Imagining America National Gathering in Las Cruces, New Mexico, participate in virtual learning exchanges, and connect with a national network of scholars, artists, and community organizers.

 

Training leaders who transform classrooms

Macalester placed third among small schools (under 3,000 undergraduates) for contributions to Teach for America. The nonprofit organization finds, develops, and supports leaders to transform education and expand educational opportunity for all children.

 

How to be considered for future Maccolades

If you or someone you know recently earned an award, fellowship, or honor and would like it to be considered for inclusion in next month’s Maccolades, please let Communications & Marketing know by filling out this Maccolades form. For recent book publications, please use this book publication form.