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2022 SPRING & SUMMER ISSUE JMU GEOGRAPHIC SCIENCE

Student Magazine

Volume 1, Edition 1

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TA B L E o f C O N T E N T S 3

MISSION STATEMENT

HISTORY OF GEOGRAPHY AT JMU

GEOGRAPHY IN THREE WORDS

STUDENT CAPSTONES

ADVISOR AND PEER MENTORS

ALUMNI FEATURES

PHOTO CONTEST

GEOGRAPHY CLUBS

SENIOR CONGRATULATIONS

SENIOR TRIBUTES

STUDENT AWARDS

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Our mission is to recognize the contributions of the Geography program to JMU and society and to showcase the people and community who are part of it. • • • • • •

GOALS Raise awareness for the Geography program Feature Geography students, faculty and staff Encourage an engaged community within our major Recognize students, faculty and staff for their efforts and energy Provide exploration of Geography outside of a classroom setting Help students learn about opportunities such as independent research at JMU, internships, graduate school, and career opportunities available after graduation

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Mineral Museum at Festival

Photo by CISE Marketing Photo by CISE Marketing

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JMU GEOGRAPHY TH space to complete their GIS, Remote SensIn the Beginning In 1908, the State Normal and Industrial ing, or other assignments in the presence School for Women was founded in Harri- of peers willing to offer advice and support. sonburg, VA. Geography was one of the original twelve departments, with Margaret G. King as the sole faculty member. Four courses were offered: • General Geography • Geography and Methods • Industrial and Commercial Geography • Physical Geography

Geography Lab

“Geography is one of the most valuable branches of the school curriculum...It cultivates habits of observation and comparison.”

Changing Times JMU’s Geography program has gone through a large evolution over the past century. It has followed and adapted to advancements in order to offer the best education possible for students.

In 1928, Dr. Raus M. Hanson was hired by what was then known as the State Teachers College. He developed a variety of new courses over his time at the school, and by 1945, students majoring in General Social Science could have a concentration in Geography.

In the 1970s, courses on remote sensing and image processing were added. It was also during this decade that the option to earn a BA or BS degree in Geography was added, and the major continued to grow in popularity.

- Normal Bulletin, February 1909

Place Matters From 1909 to 1953, Geography was housed in Maury/Science Hall (now Gabbin Hall). In 1953, it moved to the newly completed Burruss Hall. At the present time, its home is in EnGeo, with state of the art labs and software in the newly updated Geospatial Commons. The student lab offers a gathering place for every student in need of a Volume 1 / Edition 1

In 1990, Arc/Info was introduced to JMU, allowing students to gain valuable technological skills as GIS began to percolate into the mainstream before reaching its point of prominence in the field. Throughout the 1990s, as GIS grew in use, JMU continued to develop more related courses to offer. These new courses ultimately culminated in the creation of the AGIS concentration,

HROUGH THE YEARS and, overall, a stronger focus on geospatial technologies in JMU’s Geography program. In the mid-2000s, there was a push to make the Geography major more cohesive and strengthen its geospatial focus by combining all of the concentrations into a single geospatial science pathway. Ultimately, the task forces formed to address this determined that narrowing the program’s focus to only geospatial technologies would not be the best choice. During this time, the entire curriculum for the program was altered as every course underwent a redesign except GEOG 210. The Environmental Studies and Global Studies concentrations were combined into ECSD in 2008, and offered alongside an updated AGIS concentration. Another curriculum redesign occurred in 2018. The current six core courses were approved, and the concentrations were updated. Additionally, a third Custom concentration option was added, allowing students to design their own pathway within the major.

Award-Winning All of the work that has been done to design, update, and maintain the program has not gone unrecognized. In 2021, JMU’s Geography program was awarded the American Association of Geography’s Award for Bachelors’ Program Excellence in Geography.

King Hall

Maury Science Hall, pre-1985 Control #Bmh01, JMU Historic Photos Online, Special Collections, Carrier Library, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA

King Hall & EnGeo from Astronomy Park

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Faculty Voices: Geography in Three Words

“Earth

- Dr. Am

“Pl ever “Peace, space, harmony”

“Where space meets place”

- Manita Khemthong

- Dr. Bob Kolvoord

“Intersectional, advective, integral” - Dr. Mace Bentley

“Place “Mapping, understanding, discovering” - Dr. Dudley Bonsal

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- Dr. C

- Dr. G

h is life!”

my Goodall

“Exploration, visualization, understanding” - Dr. Henry Way

“Life, environment, everything!” - Dr. Kayla Yurco

lace is rything!”

Carole Nash

e Matters!”

Galen Murton

“People, place, planet” - Christy Bradburn

“It’s my life!” - Dr. Mary Kimsey

“Innovative, integrative, world-changing” - Dr. Zack Bortolot

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Geography Students Beyond the Classroom

“It makes me feel as if a lot of the hard work I have put into my undergrad career has been paying off.”

John Paine is a senior Geography major who is currently finishing up his Geography Capstone project, which focuses on human-environment interactions in Sub-Saharan Africa. John says, “I’m expanding on an independent study I did last year that was looking at the history of conservation in East Africa.” He is using insights from Critical Race Theory (CRT) to see how different thought processes, external authorities, and outside influences interact with nature in Sub-Saharan Africa. When asked where his interests in these topics began, John referenced a film he watched in Dr. Kayla Yurco’s Geog 308 class: Environment, Nature, and Society. “I watched a documentary called Milking the Rhino my sophomore year of college. It was focusing on conservation and ecotourism case studies in sub-Saharan Africa, and it really challenged a lot of the ways I thought about nature. I was like - wow! This is really cool, and I want to keep learning about it.” Dr. Yurco has stayed with him as he navigates all the complexities of his Capstone project. He refers to her as “my number one supporter, and mentor as well.” Volume 1 / Edition 1

In 2021, John had plans to study abroad in his study area – plans that unfortunately got cut because of the persisting and ever-present coronavirus. However, he will get the chance to go abroad this summer with the East Africa Field School (directed by Dr. Jennifer Coffman). “While I do not believe the trip will impact the project too much, I’m very excited to finally be able to see a lot of what I am researching and looking at in my project.” Since John wasn’t able to travel when he was due to, he has been having issues finding writings from local authors to supplement his research. Had he actually been able to travel in 2021, he says he would have been able to talk through these issues, visit conservation sites and tourism lodges, and get hands-on experience. “During the study abroad I will have opportunities to visit a variety of conservation sites and be able to learn more about the daily affairs and ideas that go into running a conservation site.” John also has minors in Sociology and African, African American, and Diaspora (AAAD) Studies, and uses knowledge from these areas to supplement his research. “Both of my minors and my major are just right for contributing,” he says. “I’m probably driving my sociology professors crazy because I’m always talking about conservation in my discussion posts and essays!” This February, John presented his research at JMU’s AAAD conference. “That was really fulfilling because it felt like a good opportunity for me to present my research in a public setting that’s not just Dr. Yurco.” He was happy to show not only his research, but also his own narrative and how much he’s changed during this process too. John also earned an award from AAAD for his work. “I’m truly honored to have received it and it makes me feel as if a lot of the hard work I have put into my undergrad career has been paying off.” When it comes to the future, John has a few different plans. “I plan to go to grad school and continue to research on topics like these. The end goal is probably to be a college professor, so I can teach and keep researching.” However, when he looks back, he has some important words of wisdom for students who are just starting their own Capstone projects. “Definitely be open to change. I came in with a really hard idea of what I wanted to do.” Since starting, John has expanded on the original idea of his project, pulling in insights from CRT and other theoretical frameworks to supplement his research. Incorporating CRT into his research became essential when he realized how applicable those thought processes were to conservation goals in Sub-Saharan Africa. Graduation is near, and so is the final product of this research. John plans to finish the project by late April and will spend the rest of the semester editing and revising.

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Geography Students Beyond the Classroom

“It’s been a learning experience for every single one of us.”

Allison Tucker is a senior Geographic Science major with a concentration in Applied Geographic Information Systems and a minor in Environmental Information Systems. Her Capstone, based on research done with a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF), is a bit different from the Capstones of her peers. She is working with a large team of other students and professors over a range of different majors and specialties. “We’re trying to study the effects of aerosols on thunderstorm creation. We’re looking at three different urban cities, Washington DC, which we’re focusing on right now, Kansas City, and Salt Lake City in Utah. We’re studying the city and the 250 km radius around it.” When asked about her work on the project, she said “We have over 70,000 Volume 1 / Edition 1

different lightning events, so now we’re just analyzing with GIS to try and find patterns and see if there’s any correlation looking at the time of day or month and things like that. The past semester has really just been data mining and getting the data to where it can be visualized and analyzed better.” Working with a large research team isn’t the usual route for Capstone students. Most do mainly solo projects guided by their mentors and advisors. Allison, working with a team, has experienced times when she and other geography students/professors were not at the forefront of the research, and her peers in different majors took the reins. “There’s different leads on who is doing what.”

When asked how this experience is different from her peers, she said, “you have to share what’s going on but also be aware of what other people are doing so you can understand the full scope of it.” This NSF grant is being led by Dr. Mace Bentley with Drs. Dudley Bonsal, Zhoujun Duan, Tobis Gerken, and Henry Way. Besides Allison, the current student interns are Mia Phamm, Endre Szakal, and Leah Wilczynski. This has come with its challenges as well. “I remember the first meeting that we had. I didn’t really know exactly what I was getting myself into. I knew I was dealing with lightning data in these cities, and that was basically it.” She remembers feeling overwhelmed and felt as though her skills didn’t match the task ahead of her. “It has definitely been a learning process.” Allison also spoke about her experience with working on a team with her professors. “The professors that I work with told us at the beginning – we’re all at the same level.” She expresses her appreciation for the geography faculty that have included her in the research and treated her as an equal within the process. “Professionally, that’s really nice because I can communicate and ask them if I do have questions. There’s things a lot of us don’t know, and we’re just trying to figure it out. It’s been a learning experience for every single one of us.” As a Senior, Allison will be graduating long before the project is finished. When asked about the path the research will take once she is gone, she said “We’re definitely expanding the research.” Right now, Allison and the team are only working in the

DC area. “Once we gather everything that we want for DC, we will apply it to other cities. We’re hoping to have papers published too.” She has learned so much from her research and gained skills that she can use in future projects and careers as well. “Working in a team is a skill that is essential to anything, and it’s so important to have those communication skills.” She says, “I’ve also learned how to deal with large data, which is a skill that I think not a lot of people have had the chance to build.” She’s also gotten to work on her presentation skills. “I presented at the AAG conference, which was a cool experience. We also have an Asheville conference coming up that we’re having a poster at.” As a near graduate who has successfully gone through the Capstone experience, Allison has some advice for students who are just starting their Capstone journey. She expresses the importance of being focused and task oriented and says, “It’s definitely baby steps. You have to define a scope for what you need to do.” Allison has enjoyed working with this team and on her Capstone tremendously. “My favorite part has been working with the people that I work with, especially developing a better relationship with my professors and working on a team with other people who I didn’t know beforehand. We don’t always know what we’re doing, but we figure it out together and communicate.”

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GEOGRAPHY STUDENT AD John Paine, Peer Mentor

Email: paineja@dukes.jmu.edu Year: Senior (class of 2022) Geography concentration: AGIS and ECSD What John can help with: Schedule planning, course questions, study abroad, internships, resumes, graduate school, independent study, capstone

Kimberly Robinson (

Email: robinsks@jmu.edu Office: EnGeo 2108 Kimberly has been advising three years and loves work discover more about thems them. She can help with sc graduation requirements, p complimentary minor, and and community resources. which she is most proud, ho

Maya Salzano, Peer Mentor (they/them)

Email: salzanms@dukes.jmu.edu Year: Junior (class of 2023) Geography concentration: ECSD Minors: Environmental Studies What Maya can help with: Schedule planning and course questions (for major and general education requirements) Volume 1 / Edition 1

DVISORS & PEER MENTORS

Sean Haines, Peer Mentor

(she/her)

g for Geography for almost king with students as they selves and the world around chedule planning, meeting pairing your major with a connecting you to campus Of the things in her life for olding a raptor ranks high!

Email: hainessp@dukes.jmu.edu Year: Junior (class of 2023) Geography concentration: Custom Concentration (Spatial Analysis) What Sean can help with: Custom concentration, scheduling, and geography core class questions

Abby Smith, Peer Mentor (she/her)

Email: smith6aa@dukes.jmu.edu Year: Senior (December 2022) Geography concentration: ECSD Minors: Anthropology What Abby can help with: Study abroad, schedule planning, internships, selecting a complimentary minor/major, extracurriculars and student organizations Geogazine 14

OH THE PLACES YOU’LL GO AND GROW! Geographic Science alumni share their career paths, advice for undergrads, and their favorite memories of being a Geographic Science Duke!

Lindy Westenhoff

I’ve always loved maps! My dad flew fighters for the US Air Force, and as a kid, he’d take me over to the local airport and we’d watch the takeoffs and landings move like a well-oiled machine across the runways. In high school, I had the opportunity to take a course focused on geospatial topics, and there was no going into any other field after that. Currently, I am in my fourth year as a doctoral student at the University of Tennessee and I am an instructor/lecturer for introductory geography courses, as well as working as a precinct officer for the Knox County Electoral Commission during election season (about three times a year). My research focuses on the use of augmented reality (AR) as a lens to understand conflicting representations in place.

Craig Ramseyer

I completed my B.S. in Geographic Science at JMU in 2009 and went on to do my M.S. in Geography (2011) and my PhD in Geography (2016) at the University of Georgia. I am currently an Assistant Professor at Virginia Tech in the Department of Geography where I teach undergraduate and graduate courses in Meteorology and Climate Science. My research uses machine learning modeling to analyze research objectives related to hydroclimatology.

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Olivia Meyer

As an undergraduate, I was committed to environmental justice organizing, which led to my finding a home in the Geographic Science program. I was fortunate to build relationships with faculty mentors both in the department and beyond, which sparked my interest in pursuing graduate school and research in Southeast Asia. After graduating with my B.S. in Geographic Science in 2016, I worked at Kasetsart University in Bangkok, Thailand, and in the service industry in Virginia. I returned to school in 2018 and completed my M.A. in Geography at the University of Kentucky. Now, I am a Ph.D. student in Geography at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa and a Foreign Language and Area Studies fellowship recipient. My research examines power and political discourses that shape Thailand’s plastic waste issue. Using political ecology, I demonstrate how expert knowledge originating from international media and prominent Thai government and plastic industry institutions presume to define Thailand’s plastic waste issue, while sidelining grassroots demands for regulations. Although I am currently pursuing a career in academia, my long-term goal is to conduct environmental research in Thailand. I’m incredibly grateful for the invaluable insights and mentorship from faculty in GS; I wouldn’t be here without them.

“There are so many great courses I took at JMU...” -Lindy Westenhoff “I realized my only real job as a college student was to try to learn as much as I could, both in the classroom and about myself outside of the classroom.” -Craig Ramseyer “My favorite memories are working with other passionate students at JMU...” -Olivia Meyer

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What was the best Geographic Science class you took at JMU and why? Lindy Westenhoff: There are so many great courses I took at JMU, but I think one that still re-

mains on my mind frequently is History and Philosophy of Geography with Dr. Henry Way. I had a very technically-based approach to geography as a whole prior to this, focused on layers and attributes and projections, but the “why” behind these technologies wasn’t something I’d ever considered. It blew my mind to understand how and why the discipline is the way it is in the present, and it actually created a large shift in me regarding my career path. I don’t think I would have gone to graduate school nor become the geographer I am today without his course. I also loved working with Dr. Bentley and Professor Khemthong in their courses on Southeast Asia —I’m no expert in physical geography, but it’s largely on knowledge I gained from their courses that I lean on when I talk about the Mekong or mangroves! If I can add one more opportunity I had at JMU that wasn’t strictly a course, I want to add working with Dr. Nash over the summer in a GPS mapping project to document a historically Black cemetery that had been subject to urban renewal. I still gravitate to work in these sacred spaces and I have to thank her for that amazing research opportunity.

Craig Ramseyer: There are several that come to mind, even 13+ years later! I discovered my love

for climate science in Dr. Wayne Teel’s introductory Physical Geography course. It was the first time I really thought about climate change in a deep, meaningful way. Its impact on me was profound and it was that class that caused me to switch my major to Geographic Science. I went on to enjoy so many other GS courses including Spatial Analysis (Mike Deaton), GIS (Helmut Kraenzle/Zack Bortolot), Cultural Geography (Carole Nash), Climatology (Tom Benzing), and Environmental Geography (Amy Richert Goodall). While I learned so much from all of those faculty about Geography, I also learned what it meant to be an engaged teacher in the classroom. I strive to make my current students’ experience in my classroom as engaged and enjoyable as those that I experienced at JMU in the GS program.

Olivia Meyer: Political Geography (GEOG 375) with Manita Khemthong was my favorite course because it challenged me to think more deeply about the political-economic structures that shape inequality across the globe. The course also led me to explore the role of film in mediating and understanding geopolitics. Other courses that I consider especially valuable led me to re-think human-environment relations and sustainability through a critical lens.

Specifically regarding your time as an Geographic Science undergrad, is there any advice you wish you could go back and give yourself? Lindy Westenhoff: This is a hard one because whenever we consider the past, we have to con-

sider who we are in this present moment as a product of that past — the good and the bad. I don’t think I would have listened to myself either, since I’m fairly stubborn and was even more so in undergrad! But, if we ignore those premises, there’s two things I wish I could tell that version of myself. First, relax, good grief. Mental health is nothing to push to the wayside, and I was wound tight as a spring trying to keep myself together. Anxiety about the future will eat you alive if you let it, speak-

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ing from personal experience here. It certainly drove a lot of my research until I got it under control. My harshest critic is always myself and “perfect is the enemy of good” is absolutely accurate. (I think Voltaire said that, but if it applied in the 18th century and stuck around, it must be fairly universal as a concept.) Second, take that risk and come out a little earlier. I waited so long, and there was so much lost time. Love isn’t something to hide, and my friends in and outside the program never saw me differently on the basis of my orientation. No employer or career opportunity has either, for the record, as should be the case.

Craig Ramseyer: Not necessarily! When I was a student at JMU, I worked hard to remind myself, “these are the good ol’ days.” It gave me the motivation to pursue every opportunity available to me and to take my job seriously as a student as I realized my only real job as a college student was to try to learn as much as I could, both in the classroom and about myself outside of the classroom. My advice to today’s JMU students is to do the same. Your job is to learn as much as you can in your 4+ years. There will never be a time in your life again where your job is to just learn.

Olivia Meyer: As a human geographer, I didn’t invest as much time in my spatial analysis training.

Looking back, I would advise myself to spend more time gaining skills with Arc and QGIS. These tools can allow researchers to work more collaboratively with grassroots groups and create public outputs, which helps to ensure your research is not purely extractive. There are many ways to do this, but it never hurts to have more tools in your toolbox.

What is your favorite memory you have as a JMU student? Lindy Westenhoff: I’d like to talk about my favorite remembered place, if you don’t object! On

theme, too, right? On the ground floor of what is now called Engineering and Geosciences was a special geospatial lab. It was swipe-card access, which meant only GS majors were supposed to be there (though that could vary on occasion.) There were ten to twenty computers built to handle the demands of the ArcGIS suite, a small couch area, and a bulletin board that was rarely useful. Drawings and origami cranes I’d fold when I was waiting for data to render would pepper the tables. That room felt like a space that was for me, for us, more than anywhere else on campus. I loved working there, even if it wasn’t on GIS-related material, soaking in the quiet concentration around me. I wish we had a similar space at my current institution, but I haven’t found that sort of energy and focus in any other space. I’m so glad it existed for me, because that’s where I could truly enjoy the work and the journey.

Craig Ramseyer: Oh come on, do you want me to write a novel?! I have so many wonderful

memories as a JMU student. I loved eating Buffalo Mash at the old DHall, being an RA and HD for Residence Life, conducting research with Dr. Amy Richert Goodall, going to football games, being a Student Ambassador, laying on the Quad on the first warm Spring day of the semester, taking courses in the Honors College, and hanging out with my colleagues in the GS Program. I also met my wife, Caitlin, at JMU and now we have two sons. I obviously have JMU to thank for those people. We are now season-ticket holders for JMU football games and my sons are getting to grow up fans of the Dukes, so JMU just keeps giving me even more great memories.

Olivia Meyer: My favorite memories are working with other passionate students at JMU on a fos-

sil fuel divestment campaign and connecting with Harrisonburg community members to organize climate justice actions.

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ELISE MAZUR Alumni Feature

Elise Mazur is a Research Analyst at the

World Resources Institute (WRI). The World Resources Institute is a nonprofit organization that works globally with governments, businesses and civil society to solve issues that improve the lives of people and the environment. They focus on topics such as food, forest, water, ocean, cities, energy, and climate. Prior to her current position, she had an internship with WRI after graduating from James Madison University, which resulted in a job at WRI working as a Research Analyst on multiple projects for two years. After the two years, Elise completed a master’s degree in Geography from Oregon State University and returned back to the WRI. Elise is currently working on a project called the “Land and Carbon Lab,” where she works with data partners and conducts spatial analyses of new land cover products.

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Elise enjoys her job as a Research Analyst. She likes being able to work with the latest global geospatial data on land cover and having the freedom to explore the data. One aspect of her job is finding patterns of land cover change, which she thinks is fun because it allows her to explore and run multiple spatial stats. Elise also feels like her job has a great work-life balance that allows her to pursue other interests in life. When asked about advice for academic and career development for current students in the program, Elise has insightful information. For students who are unsure about what extracurricular activities would be beneficial to their Geographic Science program, Elise advises that students should first find what they are passionate about. She offers, “Geography covers so many topics that it is important for you [students] to

find what you care about and figure out how to apply geography to that.” For other career development, Elise shares the importance of reaching out to people who are in a position that students are curious or interested in working for yourself. This could be via LinkedIn, an email, or on Twitter if they have a public account. She says, “They might not have a job for you, but they likely have good advice for what skills are needed for their field.” Many students in our program try to pursue an internship during their undergrad. Elise has had two internships throughout her journey. Her first internship as an undergrad was at the American Geographical Society. This internship was very informative for Elise. She was able to understand more about what different kinds of geographers do and learn about geographically focused companies. At a fall conference for the American Geographical Society, Elise learned about the WRI. After graduating from JMU, Elise got her second internship at the WRI, where she was given more responsibility and was able to incorporate more of her GIS skills. When it comes to internships, Elise clearly emphasizes the importance of the education internships provide. She says, “Internships are all about learning, so make sure to be curious and open-minded.” As mentioned, Elise attended a graduate program at Oregon State. Graduate school is a path many current students are curious about. Graduate school can be a great opportunity for geographers to further develop their studies and credentials in a more focused field. For Elise, she wanted to center her work on food systems. At Oregon State she found a professor who had a grant that used remote sensing to study agriculture. During her program, she was able to become a Research Assistant and a Teaching Assistant for her professor. Elise really enjoyed these opportunities because she felt that it exposed her to not only her professor’s research, but it also allowed her to go into her own direction for a thesis. For her thesis, Elise focused on studying

urban agriculture with high resolution aerial imagery. For students who are interested in graduate school, Elise has a few tips. She first notes the importance that everyone’s experience is and will be different. She also states that “everyone’s graduate school experiences are shaped by their advisors [professors]; finding one that has similar research interests and a good relationship with their other students is critical.” For many students, GIS can be a challenging experience. For others, they might wonder how GIS is applied in the real world. Elise has a lot of experience and advice related to GIS. She suggests that students grow their GIS skills outside of the core classes. This could be simply creating maps just for yourself, a research project, or an independent study. Elise had an independent study as an undergrad where she was able to expand her critical thinking skills the most. When it comes to GIS work in the real world, Elise shares that training will vary by job, so it is important to gain a solid foundation of skills while in the program. She also notes that “many people are moving towards coding their spatial analyses for replicability so learning Python, JavaScript for Google Earth Engine is very useful.” When asked to reflect about her time at JMU, Elise keeps it lighthearted. She would tell her younger self to “use and enjoy the resources and community you have around you!” With the unique, resourceful landscapes and the people-oriented community we have at and around JMU, this is relevant advice for any student in the program. Elise also mentions her favorite memory at JMU, which if you weren’t in an environmental based major, you would think is quite wild (no pun intended). Her favorite memory is when one of her professors had an interesting wildlife-related show-and-tell in the ISAT loading dock. Elise’s thoughtful and insightful experience of her life in Geographic Science gives students a great start into professional development for their careers and realistic examples of life in Geography.

“internships are all about learning, so make sure to be curious and open-minded.”

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G e o g ra p hy

Students share their photographic interpret

Pho

Photographer: Jorden McLean Theme: Service

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y in Photos

tations of sustainability, sanctuary, & service.

otographer: Cole Moyer Theme: Sanctuary

Photographer: Olivia Lang Theme: Sustainability

Geogazine 22

MEET THE CLUBS Geography Club The Geography Club at JMU was one of the first clubs founded within the College of Integrated Science and Engineering (CISE). The club aims to provide support for geography majors and minors, but is open to all students interested. According to the club website, “Members are united by the beliefs that we have the ability to alter the relationship between human societies and the environment in a positive way.” The Geography Club works with geography faculty and other JMU clubs to organize activities centered around environmental interests such as hiking trips, tutoring sessions, and community service. On Earth Day, the club celebrated the ten year anniversary of the JMU Geographic Science and Kiester Elementary Garden partnership with activities and field experiences. The only requirement to join the club is an interest in geography, and Geography Club members work to promote the Geography Major at JMU and foster community among CISE students. Along with service and social events, the Geography Club also works to purchase and distribute geography-themed merchandise to students each semester. To learn more about the club and how to get involved, students can access this link or reach out to the current faculty advisor, Dr. Amy Goodall at goodalal@jmu.edu.

Photos by CISE Marketing

Gamma Theta Upsilon

Gamma Theta Upsilon (GTU) is one of the many honors societies open to students at JMU. GTU is the JMU chapter of The International Geographical Honor Society, which was founded in 1928 and supports chapters and scholarships at many universities. GTU works with geography students to strengthen professional skills, enhance academic abilities, and share knowledge of geography with others. The club is currently working with faculty to promote a geography-specific peer advising group for students to ask geography-related questions. GTU also works to strengthen students’ professional skills and encourages research and application of geography knowledge. Requirements to join the club include a GPA of at least 3.3 overall, as well as several other geography-specific requirements which can be found at this link. Students interested in applying to GTU can find more information at the JMU site mentioned above. Additionally, the current chapter advisor, Dr. Helmut Kraenzle, can answer questions and provide information about the club at kraenzhx@jmu.edu.

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Photos by CISE Marketing

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CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR GRADUATING G Olga Natalia Amador Salmeron

Benjamin Craig Kettler

Connor Frederick Anderson

Jorden Alexander McLean

Patrick Ferrari Blackburn

Noel Thomas Mikkelsen

Shepard Sutton Burris

James Robert Mitchell

Evan Andrew Butler

Cole William Moyer

Margaret Anne Card-Silache

Kevin Carroll Notley

Jason Scott Darling

Dermot Ryan O’Connell

Joseph Michael Del Gallo

Olivia Tess Offenbacker

Evan Matthew Drake

John Austin Paine

James Staughton Etheridge IV

Christian Nicholas Ray

Rachel Anne Fleisher

Bradley Steven Roberts

Gracyn Doris Goldstein

Michael Ryan Smith

Adam Gregory Harris

Brooke Ann Solderich

Grayson Taylor Heflin

Layne Miller Stevanus

Hunter Christian Hise

Matthew Aiden Stumpfig

Rielly Thomas Hunt

Khaim Ali Syed-Raza

Kyleigh Mikael Jenkins

Charlotte Catherine Terry

Emma Elizabeth Jennings

Allison Claire Tucker

Hanna Sage Kelly

Christopher James Wear

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GEOGRAPHIC SCIENCE MAJORS AND MINORS Braden Joseph Weir

Lorelei Nicole Legg

Maura Rose Whelan

Virginia Anne McDaniel

Kevin Ziba Willis

Adriana Menjivar

Shannon Michelle Yerabek

Madison Elizabeth Storey

Je-Sung Glen Yi

William Marley Mize

Sasha Sophia Sky Ackerman

Kali Morgan Slate

Allison Marie Brauns

Travis Lewis Smith

Briana Gayle Commerford

Jacob Dean Puterio

Zachary Joseph Nowfel

Shaye Faith Widlacki

Marisa Paige Pascual

Felix Thomas Counihan

Hyasmine Marie Briones

Md Rafid Hossain

Alyssa Cullen Cartee

John Meteyer

George Cameron Michael Heath

Brianna Michelle Nassiri

Ariel Nicole Decko

William Daniel Phillips

Elizabeth Ana Emch

Jessica Samantha Puterio

Austin Charles Richard Emerson

Sarah Josephina Starr

Theodore Nickolas Hernandez

Bajo Zella Tetteh

Allison Nicole Snow Kelly Celine Kropff

GO DUKES ! Geogazine 26

SENIOR TRIBUTES Layne Stevanus Layne is a Geographic Science major with a concentration in AGIS and a minor in Spanish-English Translation and Interpretation. His favorite JMU GS memory is the first time he got to use GPS units in his GEOG 216 course. In the future, he plans to continue working at his Page County GIS internship in Luray, VA.

Patrick Blackburn Patrick is a Geographic Science major with concentrations in AGIS and Environmental Justice (custom). His favorite course was GIS for Humanitarian Aid, and his favorite JMU GS memory was doing fieldwork in Dr. Nash’s class. In the future, he plans to work with GIS products for either a state or privately-owned company.

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Lizze Emch Lizzie is a Geographic Science minor majoring in ISAT with a second minor in Environmental Information Systems. Her favorite course was GEOG 360, as she loved being able to apply GIS methods to humanitarian assistance. Her favorite JMU GS memory is learning GIS skills to apply to her ISAT major because of the integration between ISAT and GS. In the future, she hopes to go to graduate school for Environmental Science/Engineering and continue her internship at Sandia National Labs.

Charlotte Terry Charlotte is a Geographic Science major with a concentration in Nature, Society, and Environmental Change (custom) and a minor in Environmental Science. Her favorite courses were Environmental Governance, Indigenous Geographies, Sustainability: An Ecological Perspective, Political Geography, and Political Ecology. She has really enjoyed the hands-on experiences she has been able to have through the program with courses such as Field Studies in Geography and GPS, and she enjoyed her internship at Jubilee Climate Farm. She is studying abroad with the East Africa Field School, and then plans on doing an Americorps internship before going to graduate school. Geogazine 28

SENIOR TRIBUTES Grayson Heflin Grayson is a Geographic Science major with concentrations in ECSD and Climate Science (custom) and a minor in Biology. His favorite JMU GS memory is the advice, laughs, and conversations he has had with the faculty throughout his time in the program. He plans to attend graduate school at George Washington University for a Masters in Environmental Resource Policy.

Maura W

Maura is a Geographic Scie tions in AGIS and ECSD an Affairs. Her favorite profes Kraenzle — she loved all of has inspired her to conside graduate programs. Her fa catching butterflies in Dr. she plans to move to Cha clean energy company fo graduate

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Christopher Wear Christopher is a Geographic Science major with concentrations in ECSD and AGIS. His favorite courses were GEOG 200, GEOG 280, and GEOG 469. His favorite JMU GS memory was going on walks in Dr. Amy’s courses, learning about local bird species, and exploring the lesser touched points on campus. He will be attending Lund University for a Masters in GIS and Remote Sensing, after which he plans to teach future generations about the importance of Geography and the way it connects many disciplines together.

Whelan

ence major with concentrand a minor in Humanitarian ssors were Dr. Way and Dr. their courses, and Dr. Way er pursuing urban planning avorite JMU GS memory is Amy’s class. In the future, arlottesville to work for a or a year before going to e school.

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STUDENT Outstanding Geography Student Award: Brad Roberts AAG Program of Excellence Award: Allison Tucker Geography Achievement Award: Charlotte Terry and Travis Harrison Zehner Award: Tovah Baer and Elena Finelli

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T AWARDS Geography Service Award: Olivia Offenbacker and Noel Mikkelsen Geographic Science Minor Award: Ariel Decko and Kelley Kropff Geography Research Award: John Paine Geography Club Service Award: Jason Darling

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Thank You !

Writers and Content/ Design Creators: Tovah Baer Lucie Griffith Olivia Offenbacker Leah Wilczynski

Faculty Advisors: Professor Manita Khemthong Professor Kayla Yurco

Special thanks to the School of Integrated Sciences and all faculty, staff, alumni, and students that helped make this possible. We would like to hear from you! We look forward to featuring other members of our Geography community in future issues. Please get in touch! Provide Feedback Here Give Support Here

2022