Distinguished Alumna of the Year Award

Kathleen M. Linehan, Eng ’91
Washington D.C.

Kathleen Linehan is using the transformational engineering education she received at Marquette to transform Washington, D.C. As president of Alpha Corporation, Kathleen has overseen major projects, such as modernizing and upgrading the elevator and new security entrance to the Washington Monument, construction of the new terminal at Reagan National Airport and refurbishing the Wolf Trap amphitheater.

Over her more than 25 years in D.C., Kathleen has been involved with revitalizing the area along the Anacostia River to bridge across the physical and socio-economic divide, working to bring such landmarks as Nationals Park, The Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge and the 11th Street bridge to life. She finds fulfillment in being able to see these physical changes strengthen communities, build the District’s tax base and transform underinvested assets into vibrant natural and built features.

In addition, Kathleen has served on the board of the Anacostia Watershed Society, which initiated much of the effort to improve the health of the Anacostia River itself. The quality of the river continues to improve, and on some days, the water quality meets the goal of the effort, which is to be fishable and swimmable. Kathleen and the AWS are working to establish an environmental education center to draw the community into the efforts to improve the environmental and economic health of the river.

For Kathleen, an essential part of living Marquette’s mission is passing those values to her children as they go out into the world. She says, “Their awareness, compassion and understanding of individual and collective challenges lets me know that I have imparted the ideals that will lead them to excellence, faith, leadership and service. Nothing would be a higher achievement for me.”

Name someone (past or present) with whom you’d like to have dinner:

Franklin Delano Roosevelt because of his ability to see the dire needs of society, the wealth imbalance and, more importantly, to find ways to address it that moved the country forward in fundamental ways. He was attentive to both immediate needs — giving people jobs so they could feed their families — and building an economy for the long haul. His partnership with his incredible wife, Eleanor, speaks volumes about his respect for women at a time when that was not the norm. There are so many parallels now to what FDR dealt with and how he found a path forward for the country. I would love to hear his perspective.

Name a Marquette faculty or staff member who had an impact on you, and how.

Dr. Keith Faherty, who was the chair of the Civil Engineering Department as well as an outstanding teacher and role model. He taught us not only the technical material but also how to use that knowledge in real life. Dr. Faherty was a talented educator who challenged his students and held us accountable, while also guiding us and making us feel valued. One of my fondest memories of Dr. Faherty was when he met the graduating seniors at The Gym for a beer shortly before graduation. We had never spent any time socializing with him outside of class, but it felt so natural to sit and relax and talk about the things coming up in our lives. What a wonderful man he was.