Nicole Seymour

Nicole Seymour

Degree: 2015, MPA

Job Title: Special Assistant to the Administrator, Federal Transit Administration

​​​​A Philadelphia native Blue Hen through and through. Nicole Seymour (MPA ’15) is the Director, Program Compliance at NJ TRANSIT, where she serves to resolve matters related to the Superstorm Sandy Resilience Program and Capital Programs’ multimillion dollar projects. Ms. Seymour and her staff effectively support NJ TRANSIT’s operations, regulatory compliance, and oversight goals.

Applying for a job at the DGS Annex changed the trajectory of Ms. Seymour’s life as she was introduced to urban planning. As a 4+1 MPA Student, Ms. Seymour worked as a research assistant with the IPA’s Planning Services Group. Ms. Seymour is forever grateful for Dr. Jerome Lewis and the countless, but not forgotten, IPA staff who supported her. The academic and work assignments afforded Ms. Seymour the opportunity to produce deliverables that supported a diverse set of stakeholder clients and improved communities; hone her writing skills; and, produce and defend original research before public leaders and policymakers. To the chagrin of her policy-driven mentors, Ms. Seymour later finished her Juris Doctorate at a local rival University.

Nevertheless, those earlier skills and lessons learned continue to impact her work today. Presentation and analytical research skills opened many opportunities throughout her legal, policy, planning, and compliance experiences. Whether defending business recommendations before senior directors and vice presidents in her current role, or working on community engagement matters in previous roles, her MPA education and IPA experience taught her the value of preparedness and providing data-supported solutions. The invaluable writing skills developed under the guidance of Mr. Martin Wollaston and Mr. Andrew Homsey guided her drafting skills as she reviewed contractual agreements and writings of colleagues and staff.

Ms. Seymour continues to advocate for the University of Delaware’s MPA program and is a UD mentor. Aside from her career, helping people, enjoying time with family and friends, and playing the saxophone are other important facets of Ms. Seymour’s life.