William “Bill” Koelsch, 89, professor emeritus of geography, retired University historian, and a longtime activist for LBGTQ rights, died on Nov. 5, 2022.
Koelsch, who established the modern Clark Archives, was well known on campus as the author of the highly regarded “Clark University, 1887-1987: A Narrative History,” a chronicle of Clark’s first 100 years, researched and written over five years and published to coincide with the University’s centennial celebration in 1987. The volume graces bookshelves across campus and remains an invaluable repository of Clark’s early history.
In a 2012 story in Clark magazine, Koelsch recalled that he convinced then-President Mortimer Appley to grant him some time off from teaching to craft the book, which he insisted would be a robust, accurate, and honest accounting of Clark’s past.
“Non-Clark people are more interested in the University’s early years, and Clark people tend not to know about them,” he said. “I tried to get the record reasonably straight about those years. It wasn’t a public relations piece — I attempted to call the shots as I saw them.”
William Koelsch in the stacks of Goddard Library, Clark University
Koelsch scoured the academic landscape for sources. According to the story, in the 1970s, he’d crossed the country looking for original manuscripts related to early Clark, conducted interviews with former faculty and administrators, and culled from the unpublished memoirs of former presidents Howard Jefferson and Appley.
“By the time I wrote, I was in a secure position against anyone who might want to squawk about something,” he remembered. “I can defend every sentence using the backup material.”
He earned a bachelor’s degree from Bucknell University (1955), a master’s from Clark (1959), and a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago (1966), and served several years in the U.S. Army Transportation Corps. He joined Clark as an assistant professor of geography in 1967 and later became a tenured professor known for his incisiveness, erudition, and wit.
“Bill was my first adviser when I entered Clark. He was a walking encyclopedia, but not in an intimidating manner,” recalled Jeremy Tasch, Ph.D. ’06, professor in the Department of Geography and Environmental Planning at Towson University. “My classmates and I valued his long list of chronological reference lists he shared in his class on the history of geographic thought — he introduced all of us to Clarence Glacken. Because of Bill, I went into Cambridge to find ‘Traces on the Rhodian Shore’ — we weren’t using Amazon in those days. He was kind and gracious, quietly knowledgeable, and ready to give his time.”
Clark Geography Professor Rinku Roy Chowdhury told the Worcester Telegram & Gazette that when she was pursuing her doctorate at Clark, she took a course with Professor Koelsch, who created a “welcoming and fun space in a really, really intense Ph.D. program and department,” allowing the students to “establish rapport and camaraderie, not just with the professor, but with each other.”
Koelsch, who retired in 1998, moved to San Diego, where he wrote more than 20 scholarly articles and essays, including articles about G. Stanley Hall and about the influence that Jonas Clark’s strong abolitionist beliefs had on the formation of Clark University. His book “Geography and the Classical World: Unearthing Historical Geography’s Forgotten Past” was published in 2012.
He also crafted many longhand, meticulously worded letters to friends and Clark associates over the years, often alerting them to his latest work or to approaching Clark-related milestones.
Koelsch made a memorable return to Clark in 2019 to speak at the invitation of the late Professor Robert Tobin, who had organized an exhibition titled “Queering Clark.” The retired professor recounted his personal experience as a member of the “silent generation” of gay men who came out later in life, recalling that he wrote columns for Boston’s Gay Community News under the pseudonym “A. Nolder Gay.”
In 1975, Koelsch began teaching a course at Clark on the gay liberation movement. In 1982, when the HIV/AIDS crisis was dawning, he incorporated information on the disease into the syllabus of his course Health and Disease in the American Habitat and spoke about HIV/AIDS to church groups.
In his return visit, Koelsch cited reasons for optimism about the future of gay rights in the U.S., noting with satisfaction that same-sex couples can now marry and an openly gay soldier can serve in the U.S. military. “I never expected to see either of those things in my lifetime,” he marveled.
Koelsch’s papers regarding his activism are in the ONE Archives at the USC Libraries. An oral history of his Army service is online at the Library of Congress.
He is survived by his partner of over 50 years, William Dennison.
One of the best ways to experience Denver’s dinosaurs is the Denver Trolley route (formerly called the Platte Valley Trolley route) to Lakewood Gulch, home to the site of the first Triceratops fossil ever found.
The Denver Trolley starts at Confluence Park in downtown Denver and hugs the Platte River Greenway. Credit: Denver Trolley
In 1887, American paleontologist, John Bell Hatcher discovered the mostly intact triceratops skull and horns and sent it to colleague, Othniel Charles Marsh. Marsh mistakenly thought the bones were from a bison, and they were not confirmed to be from a triceratops until the following year when another set of remarkably similar fossils was discovered in the area.
The trolley trip to Lakewood Gulch combines history and paleontology with transportation geography. The current Denver Trolley system recalls the city’s once-extensive electric rail transit system. At its peak in the early 20th century, the trolley system had over 250 miles of track connecting the city and another 40 miles connected Denver to Golden and Boulder. In 1910, the system had87,819,000 passengers.
Denver streetcar routes in 1917. Credit: Denver Urbanism
Also in 1910, there were only 3,000 automobiles in Denver. After World War II, the American economy highly encouraged modernizing everyday life. By 1928, there were 78,000 privately owned automobiles and trolley ridership declined by 59%. By 1951, all the city’s trolley lines were abandoned and replaced by a new urban bus system.
The Denver Trolley, a small section of that rail system, was later restored and reopened on July 4th, 1989, to revive some of the history and nostalgia along a route of some of Denver’s most popular attractions. The trolley runs Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from early spring to around Oct. 31. Tickets are $3 for adults and $2 for children. Other stops along the route include Confluence Park, REI’s flagship store, Elitch Gardens, and The Children Museum of Denver.
AAG Letter to Members on the Forces that Shape Police Brutality
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Careers
The State of Geography: Data and Trends in Higher Education
By Mark Revell and Mikelle Benfield
This year, AAG debuts The State of Geography report, presenting trends and indicators in post-secondary geography education in the United States. This report uses Classification of Instructional Program (CIP) codes, established by the National Center for Educational Statistics, to provide a snapshot of geography degree conferral patterns at the undergraduate and graduate levels. These data help identify trends and areas in need of additional attention, such as decreasing degree conferral in geography, racial and gender diversity across the discipline, and more.
Recent changes in geography majors and graduation rates observed in this report take place against a broader backdrop of change in higher education, where uneven or declining growth in enrollments and degrees has taken place in numerous majors since 2012, and has been aggravated more recently by COVID-19. Our findings indicate a similar slowing of the robust growth in geography majors that began in the 1990s and peaked in 2012. The overall number of geography degrees has steadily declined since then, tracking with declining degree conferrals in many other disciplines, with the greatest impact felt in the social sciences and humanities, and at the undergraduate level. The trends for post-graduate degrees are more encouraging, with steady growth until very recently, almost certainly due to the impacts of COVID-19.
Geography by Many Other Names
This report only captures trends for the six CIP codes that are currently related to geography, acknowledging that geography is also interdisciplinary and embedded in other disciplinary studies not clearly addressed by CIP codes. As new codes have been added over the years, we can see trends in disciplinary growth. In particular, GIScience and cartography degrees take up a larger proportion of current degree conferrals, particularly among master’s degrees. The proportion of GIS-related degrees is less dramatic at the bachelor’s and doctorate levels.
Master’s degrees have shown higher proportions of GIScience and cartography degrees in recent years.
Reviewing CIP categories that have been added since 1980 yields insight into directions for the discipline. Three categories that are used most often date from, respectively, 1980 (Geography), 2000 (Geography, Other), and 1990/amended 2010 (GIScience and Cartography was Cartography from 1990-2010). Three additional categories created in 2020 have yet to be widely adopted, but identify known directions for geography practice: Geospatial Intelligence, Geography and Environmental Science, and Geography and Anthropology.
While the interdisciplinary nature of geography makes it widely appealing for study, it also makes the discipline a challenge to track due to the variety of non-geography CIP codes that departments can apply to their programs. For example, GIScience programs may use a computer science CIP code; physical geography may be classified through a natural sciences CIP code. The reason behind the choice of codes by program coordinators could range from codes that are better suited to visa programs to choosing high-growth non-geography CIP codes more likely to be favored by college administrations. In fact, AAG’s Guide to Geography Programs in the Americasalready notes some CIP codes used by geography programs that were not included in this initial report, such as public health. Then, too, geography is being taught in other programs that are experiencing very high growth, such as atmospheric sciences, natural resources and conservation, and computer science and IT. These could be masking geography study, or could represent combined programs and departments.
Minding the Undergraduate Gap
Along with geography degrees at all levels, undergraduate degrees climbed steadily from just over 3,000 in 1986 to peak at roughly 5,000 in 2012. Growth has declined since then, reaching the level last seen thirty years ago at roughly 4,000 degrees conferred. When compared with all social and physical sciences, however, The State of Geography reportfound that geography has held its own, with a similar rate of growth to the combined rates for all social and physical sciences. Notably, natural resources conservation is the top physical science degree, and growing swiftly. This is a relevant finding to the capacity of geography studies to appeal to undergraduates, since spatial skills are indispensable to natural resources conservation. Almost all the sciences have experienced a dip in degree conferrals since 2008, and most lag far behind fields such as business management, marketing, computer sciences, and engineering. Part of this is likely the fallout from the Great Recession: The share of students majoring in social science and humanities degrees dropped steadily between 2008 and 2018, while the share of majors perceived as “recession-proof” grew.
Geography’s performance relative to select other social and physical sciences.
In short, geography as a major makes a good showing within both families of science to which it has affinities. This indicates the enormous opportunity that lies in breaking geography out of silos and rethinking the breadth of its appeal to undergraduate students. In fact, Stoler et al. found in their 2020 study of student preferences that the actual word ‘geography’ rated far lower in undergraduate students’ minds than words suggestive of many geographic focus areas, such as ‘environment’ or ‘sustainability.’ The news about conventional geography degrees for undergraduates is sobering, and the discipline’s influence among college students seems far from waning.
Graduate Study Strong Despite Setbacks
While the net number of bachelor’s degrees conferred has grown by only one-third since 1986, effectively falling from historical highs to 2000-era levels, graduate studies grew by almost 100% (96% and 98%, respectively). Since 2016, however, graduate degrees have dipped sharply along with other disciplinary degrees in social or physical science compared with other disciplines, possibly a partial consequence of economic factors that are now aggravated by COVID-19.
Geography majors across all levels of study (bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate), compared with select other fields of study.
Among the comparison fields in the report, geography graduate studies outperform virtually all other social sciences we examined at the graduate level when it comes to percent growth: they are second only to economics at the master’s level, and the number one choice at the doctorate level among the social sciences we compared. Among the physical sciences we compared, geography is second only to the rapidly growing field of natural resources and conservation at the master’s degree level (the same scientific field that has also greatly grown in undergraduate degrees). Doctorates in geography are outpaced by those in three physical sciences that all have close affinity with our discipline: natural resources and conservation, geology, and atmospheric science. It is worth asking why, if geography is such an attractive post-graduate degree, it has less traction among undergraduates. Are many geographers drawn to the discipline too late to change majors for their bachelor’s degree? Does the major even exist at their college? A student cannot earn a geography degree if none is available. Bjelland (2004,) found that only 7% of undergraduate liberal arts colleges offered a geography degree. For their part, the state university systems have made program changes since 2008, including combining or eliminating programs, due to increasing budget pressure and austerity. These changes yielded many more hybrid departments that may not explicitly recognize their geographic components (this is especially true in departments of urban planning and environmental science).
Notes on the Future
The overall decline in growth in geography degrees in the U.S. in recent years, especially among undergraduates, is concerning. Yet the relative strength in advanced degrees demonstrates staying power for the discipline, even at a time when so many disciplines and degrees are also declining. This could indicate that geography, often referred to as a “discovery” major, is resonating with students once they have discovered the field. Additional promising news, although outside the scope of this first report, is the apparent growth among associate degree geography or GIS programs at community colleges. There are now 210 community colleges in the United States that grant associates’ degrees in geography and GIS, compared with an estimated 158 in 2018. Shabram and Housel have found that many community colleges are “agile and demand-driven,” responding to the growing, unmet workforce need for spatial skills, noted by Solem et. Al. (2008).
Geography is also better positioned as a STEM science in future: the Geography and Environmental Studies CIP offers an important chance to increase geography’s visibility in this popular scientific area. Similarly, the Department of Homeland Security recent added Geography and Environmental Studies to its list of STEM degree programs.
These new developments can contribute to heightened awareness of geography, as well as better understanding of its power as a major and a career choice.
Note: The State of Geography Report also covers the conferral of degrees by race, ethnicity, and gender. These dimensions are crucial to a full understanding of the momentum of the discipline, and will be covered in future articles.
Get Involved in the Next State of GeographyReport:
We look forward to further expanding on our findings in the State of Geography Report in the future, with data from a variety of sources, including NCES, AAG surveys, and AAG member expertise. We welcome questions, ideas, or suggestions about the findings at data@aag.org.
Stoler, J. D. Ter-Ghazaryan, I. Sheskin, A.L. Pearson, G. Schnakenberg, D. Cagalanan. (2021) What’s in a name? Undergraduate perceptions of geography, environment, and sustainability keywords and program names. Annals of the American Association of Geographers. Vol 111, Issue 2.https://doi.org/10.1080/24694452.2020.1766412
Paul Edward Phillips, 79, Hays, died Tuesday, November 22, 2022 at his home surrounded by family, after a long battle with pancreatic and liver illness.
He was born on January 25, 1943 in Peoria, Illinois to Dale and Frances (Icenogle) Phillips. In 1961, he graduated from Woodruff High School in Peoria and then earned his BS and MS degrees at Illinois State University in Normal, Illinois in 1965 and 1967. He was united in marriage to Patricia Jean Purkey at Christ Lutheran Church in Normal, Illinois on May 29, 1965. Paul earned his Ph.D. at the University of Kansas in 1978, and he taught Cultural Geography at Fort Hays State University for 50 years, retiring in 2017.
While at FHSU, he taught a multitude of geography courses, led numerous geography field trips for students and teachers, was chairperson of the Department of Geosciences, initiated the teaching of geography for students across the globe courses at FHSU via distance learning, was instrumental in developing the Kansas Geography Alliance to educate K-12 teachers in effective methods to include geography in the state’s social studies curriculum, as well as serving on many university committees throughout his tenure.
Paul was also active in his church and in the community of Hays. At Messiah Lutheran Church, he served multiple times as congregational president and on the Board of Parish Life, more recently helping in the kitchen for the Wednesday Midweek evening education program and Vacation Bible School. His community activities included holding many offices in the Hays Lions Club, on the Board of Directors for the Farmer’s Credit Union, and many years of the Hays City Planning Commission, continuing to serve as chairperson until the time of his latest illness. His longtime interest in radio found an outlet as he served on the High Plains Public Radio (HPPR) board for many years.
Survivors include Pat, his wife of fifty-seven years of the home, his daughter Keri Lynn Applequist and husband Patrick, a granddaughter Jennifer Anne Applequist and a grandson Phillip James Applequist, all of Larned, Kansas, a sister Carol Anderson and husband Charles of Tucson, Arizona, as well as nieces and nephews in Illinois and Arizona.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
Paul loved traveling and enjoyed sharing stories and pictures from his many trips across the US and around the world. He strongly feels that first hand knowledge about the world is more important today than ever, so when he realized his time on earth was nearing its end, he and Pat established the Paul and Pat Phillips Abroad Award at FHSU to support students pursuing a BS degree and wishing to spend a semester abroad. This would help with student expenses not otherwise covered by the Study Abroad Exchange Program.
Closing the Gap between Curriculum and the Professional Realities of the Geospatial Technology Industry
Credit: MapGive, U.S. Department of State
Jessica Embury and Atsushi Nara
If you ever started a new job and felt unprepared for the role, you are not alone. According to a recent survey by Cengage, nearly half of recent graduates feel underqualified for entry level jobs. Although the mismatch between curriculum and the needs of professional industry is not confined to the field of geography, it becomes especially important in the context of low student enrollment in US geography programs. Continuing participation in geography programs hinges upon student awareness of viable career prospects. Curricular materials must align with industry requirements to maintain student interest and adequately prepare students for successful integration into the workforce. Students may be more likely to pursue a geographic education if they understand their career prospects and have the ability to assess the relevance of their developing skillset.
The Encoding Geography initiative is working to raise student awareness of career prospects and develop curricular materials in alignment with industry needs. Encoding Geography is a collaborative effort between Southern California schools, community colleges, and universities (San Diego State University [SDSU], University of California Riverside, San Diego Mesa College, Sweetwater Union High School District), and supporting stakeholder organizations (the AAG, the National Center for Research in Geography Education, Texas State University, and the California Geographic Alliance). The goal of the initiative is to connect students of all backgrounds with geography and geocomputation through an inclusive curriculum spanning multiple education levels.
To support Encoding Geography’s goal, researchers at SDSU conducted a survey of 140 professionals working in the geospatial technology industry. Participants answered questions about their demographics, education, current employment, and use of spatial and computational knowledge and skills at work. To supplement the survey’s findings, the research team interviewed geospatial technology professionals and compiled detailed descriptions about career preparation and trajectories, and the knowledge and skills needed during recent work projects.
Of the 140 survey respondents, 60% identified as male, 37% identified as female, and 3% declined to answer. 76% of the respondents described themselves as White, 8% described themselves as Asian, and 8% either did not identify with any of the options or declined to answer. The remaining 8% of respondents described themselves as American Indian or Alaska Native, Filipino, a combination of choices, or with a self-description. 14% of the respondents are of Hispanic or Latino origin, 83% are not, and 3% declined to answer. Regarding academic degree attainment, 44% have master’s degrees, 37% have bachelor’s degrees, 18% have doctoral degrees, and 1% have an associate’s degree or vocational certificate. During their degree programs, 61% of the respondents studied geography (e.g., human geography, geographic information science, geospatial science) as a major, minor, or special emphasis.
Survey respondents listed a variety of reasons why they chose to study geography, but many expressed passion for the subject matter, related methods and tools, career prospects, and the geographic community. Interviewed professionals reiterated many of these reasons for choosing a geospatial career. Hsiao-Chen Shih, a data scientist, recognized that “geographic information represents real-world big datasets that can be used to solve real-world problems.” Chaz Olloqui, a GIS specialist, “chose to pursue an education in GIS because [he] was interested in making a positive change in our natural environment.”
Figure 1. When asked why they chose to study geography over other options, professionals working in the geospatial technology industry expressed passion for geography itself, geographic methods and applications as well as potential job opportunities and connection to the geographic community.
When asked to identify the tools that support geographic/spatial thinking at work, survey respondents pointed to geographic information systems (e.g., Esri software, QGIS), python programming, data processing software (e.g., Excel, SQL), statistical and spatial analysis techniques, and domain knowledge.
Keaton Shennan, a GIS web developer, stressed the importance of programming and database management skills:
It’s helpful to know a framework and have something that you’ve built, have examples of work that you’ve done, and [be able to] explain what’s happening behind the scenes – that’s pretty critical to getting a job in the field.
In contrast, Carmen Leedham, a senior GIS analyst, focused on the value of a flexible mindset and collaborative teamwork:
Be flexible because a lot of things aren’t going to work and you need a plan B, C, D, and so on. It’s very helpful to know people within your line of work so you can ask questions and be nudged along in the direction you need.
Figure 2. Geospatial technology professionals identified geographic information systems, python programming, data processing software, statistical and spatial analysis techniques, and domain knowledge as essential tools for work.
During the interview series, most of the professionals expressed satisfaction from their work in the geospatial technology industry and felt that they contributed to the greater good. Carmen said, “I like working for an organization that is helping people and making sure that things are working as they should be. It makes me feel good — like harm reduction is occurring.” In a similar vein, Hsiao-Chen stated, “[My] knowledge of remote sensing, GIS, and geocomputation perfectly helps me achieve the goal of moving the world toward a decarbonizing future.” Statements like this demonstrate the applicability of geography to real-world issues and may inspire students to pursue geographic education.
These early findings clarify career prospects and highlight focus areas for the development of curricular materials. More detailed findings from SDSU’s survey and interview series will be available in an upcoming peer-reviewed journal.
This work is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 2031380. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
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President's Column
Geography and Geographers in a Changing World
Credit: Karsten Wurth for Unsplash
October and November are AAG Regional Meetings months, and I was preparing to go to my first as AAG President. As is customary, I asked what members would like to hear about, and was offered a number of different but related topics including “anything related to the future of geography and the role of the AAG.” The latter was especially important because a large proportion of the members attending the regional meetings are students — graduate and undergraduate. Instead of choosing a single topic, I integrated the two, and before I knew it, I had committed myself to speaking on Geography and Geographers in a Changing World.
Now, anyone looking at that title would instantly realize that this is not a 40-minute oral presentation; rather, it is the topic of a multi-authored manuscript (for example, this one) suitable for publication in a medium much like the Annals, or an edited book suitable for use in a “History of Modern Geography” class. In fact, a day or so after the presentation I casually googled the topic and found several related titles, including Gilbert White’s Geographers in a Perilously Changing World.
Graduate and undergraduate students in our discipline are trying to put their geographical education and their hopes for jobs into context as they prepare to leave university. They are entering a world that is more interconnected than ever — the speed with which information and misinformation are spread via social media is one example of that connectedness. Another is the reliance on mapping technologies for nearly everything, from finding the fastest route home through traffic to understanding public health trends. Our students face a world in which the economy is unstable, the global political state is tenuous, the climate is changing, and environmental degradation is a perennial problem. And, if that wasn’t bad enough, we have just experienced three years of a pandemic that has fundamentally changed the way we live and work.
Our students are so concerned about these issues that they are wondering how their geographic education is going to help them find jobs as well as answers to these pressing problems. Indeed, they are demanding a truly synthetic geography education that gives them a broad toolkit to tackle the world into which they will graduate. To meet their questions, it is worth reminding ourselves of who we are as geographers, from where we’ve come and to think about where we might be going. And how we fit into today’s world. It helps to take stock of what has happened in context, as we move to the next phase.
Changes in Geography and the AAG
“Change is a constant” is an overused phrase, but it is good to be reminded. Geography has been changing along with the world, very recently as well as over the last few decades. The discipline was once the static study of place concerned with how things are arranged on earth’s surface, with the map being the geographer’s tool. Geography’s quantitative revolution and the technological development of computers in the mid-20th century facilitated the development of geographic information systems (GIS), initially the tool of geographers but now used almost universally where spatial data analysis is needed. GIS, as well as new ways of thinking about things geographical, for example critical (human) geography and critical physical geography, means that geographers can ask different, arguably better, questions, potentially increasing the richness of their answers.
There has also been significant change in the leadership of the AAG, from one where men were far overrepresented, to one where women are more visible and active as leaders. The Association was founded in 1904. Seventeen years later, it elected its first female President. It took another 63 years before the second female president was elected (1984). Now, in the 21st century, a female president has become commonplace, so much so that I am the third female president in the last three years and next year there will be a fourth.
Other evidence of change within the AAG is apparent in the 2023 Annual Meeting theme: Toward More Just Geographies. This theme was chosen “in recognition of the urgency, centrality, and interdependence of equity, inclusion, diversity, and justice within our discipline and in the world” and reflects a core shift within the institution, matching changes that are occurring worldwide. This is not a singular action, but part of a fundamental change in the ways in which we operate. The AAG is now implementing a Council-approved 3-Year JEDI (justice, equity, inclusion and diversity) strategic framework.
The Outlook for Geography (as the Landscape Changes)
The point that I am making is that even with all of the changes that are occurring around us and within our organization, the core geographic ideas will not change. Geography, as in what we do, will change. A perfect example is how GIS has allowed us to ask new questions and to frame pre-existing questions differently, while still focusing on the richness of space moving from the static study of places on maps to the more revealing and arguably more interesting concepts such as the processes underlying the formation and interconnectedness of these places. A present-day working definition of geography is now closer to something like this: Geography examines human (e.g., social, cultural, economic, political) and physical (eg climatological, geomorphological, biogeographical) phenomena within the context of space, that is to say, how their location and their connections to others over space contribute to their characteristics and impacts and to the definition of the others.
The tools of geography are being used by other disciplines, and not just GIS. What I mean is that the interdisciplinary approach to understanding is becoming (or has become) commonplace. The contemporary movement in the social sciences, where I note many geography departments are housed, is towards addressing questions of global interconnection; migration, urbanization; environmental sustainability; climate change and its impacts, among others. There is a movement toward the use of more synthetic approaches to answer these questions. The synthetic approach is embedded in geography as is evident in the working definition that I outlined above and practiced in approaches like critical physical geography (and including critical remote sensing, qualitative GIS).
Finally, the demographic makeup of geographers is changing (or becoming more evident)
I am especially delighted that we see more geographers, representing many more identities: cultural, gender, ability/disability, and ethnic identities bringing with them a greater diversity of experience and knowledge. This expanding diversity means that different points of view are being introduced and incorporated into the body of geography. This can only make for a healthier discipline. There has never been a better time to be a geographer.
Please note: The ideas expressed in the AAG President’s column are not necessarily the views of the AAG as a whole. This column is traditionally a space in which the president may talk about their views or focus during their tenure as president of AAG, or spotlight their areas of professional work. Please feel free to email the president directly at raphael [at] geog [dot] ucla [dot] edu to enable a constructive discussion.
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Careers
Program Profile: Lakeland Community College’s Geography and Geospatial Technology Program
Geography students receive instruction on UAS operation during a class lab. Credit: Bobby Oliver
“Keeping up with technological change in the industry is key to our program,” explains Bobby Oliver, M.A., GISP professor and department chair for the Geography and Geospatial Technology program at Lakeland Community College (LCC) in Kirtland, Ohio. “We’re constantly updating and revising our curriculum to meet all of the changing needs, to ensure our students have access to the most current and advanced geospatial technologies out there.”
At LCC, keeping pace with the geospatial industry is essential to ensure the success of the hundreds of students who enroll in the Geography and Geospatial Technology program. Not only do Oliver and the LCC faculty accomplish this goal, but they do it well. In 2020, the program was recognized with the AAG Award for Associates Program Excellence. We asked Oliver what it was that made them stand out from the rest and her response was threefold: service-learning opportunities, a community engagement focus, and a highly connected professional network.
Students at Lakeland Community College participate in an introductory geography class. Credit: Bobby Oliver
Community-oriented learning as a pathway to excellence
Since the program’s inception in 2011, LCC geography students have completed service-learning projects with the Greater Cleveland Food Bank, the City of Euclid’s Shore Cultural Center, and many other Cleveland-area nonprofit organizations. In response, these projects have often translated into internship opportunities for students.
We do a lot of community and college-wide engagement and make it a goal to create service-learning projects for students. We require our students to go out and be part of professional organizations within the community.
—Bobby Oliver
The involvement of LCC students within the local Cleveland community facilitates a symbiotic relationship centered around the value of a geographic education. For Oliver, this is a key component to the program. It enables students to apply their growing knowledge and skills in the real world while also building connections and bringing awareness to organizations that may not have previously understood the value of geography.
Finding success through championing the students and championing the program
Program faculty have also taken a proactive, integrative approach to teaching students about how the skills they’re learning in the classroom translate to professional careers, something geography students often aren’t aware of. Internships with local employers, job shadowing, alumni engagement, and professional meetings are well engrained elements of the program. “We have what’s called a career service checklist our students go through within each one of the courses in their program,” explains Oliver. “All of these things have helped build their job search skills for when they hit the job market.”
Developing and maintaining relationships with local professionals working in geography, GIS, and other related professions has been critical to the program’s success. Many of these professionals are on the program’s advisory board, which has strong and diverse representation from the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. This has the added benefit of ensuring that students learn on the latest software platforms used by industry professionals.
GIS project by Lakeland Community College Geography student Caroline Petersen on Flow Map Analysis of Cambodian Refugee Migration, 1971-1995
How increased visibility is essential to program viability
As with many geography programs, maintaining strong enrollments is the foremost challenge the program faces, and the COVID-19 pandemic has only added to the difficulty of recruiting and retaining students. However, Oliver and other program leaders have developed innovative solutions to attracting students, by exploring opportunities with other departments on campus, leveraging a dual enrollment program with area high schools, and making ongoing efforts to increase the program’s visibility on campus and in the community.
For our program to be successful, we have to make sure that people see what we’re doing, and how it impacts our community. Making sure the campus is aware that we’re here and [that] what we do is very essential—especially when it comes to [LCC’s] enrollments and long-term viability.
—Bobby Oliver
Video of LCC alumni Caroline Peterson sharing her experience in the LCC GIS program and how she uses those skills in her career.
An annual GIS Day event, Women in GIS luncheons, presentations to the Math Club and Model U.N., and collaborative projects with other departments across campus have all helped to highlight the program’s value. “We’re really trying to get the students to see how our community and region use GIS, and how geographic and geospatial skills are used in real jobs,” says Oliver. “These are the things that I feel really put us ahead, for a two-year program.”
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To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional
Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
