Last Friday, Geography was a featured “interactive showcase” at this year’s ASC Alumni Awards ceremony. Adam Tjoelker, Jana Houser, Steven Quiring, Kendra McSweeney, and Mat Coleman were on hand to talk to ASC alumni about the Sharpe Field Library and our new experiential learning initiatives. We had crowds of people at our tables, including a visit from department alum Wes Haines, who won last year’s emerging leader award. We showcased VR technology, our drones, and the soon-to-arrive radar truck. We spoke to alumni about the value of an education in human and physical geography, and our enthusiasm for getting students out of the classroom to learn in real-world contexts. We also ran into Ellen Mosley Thompson and Lonnie Thompson! 

Geography major Owen White was the keynote student speaker for the event. Owen spoke eloquently and enthusiastically about his time at Ohio State and the value of his GIS training.  Well done, Owen!

Many thanks to Adam, Jana, Steven, and Kendra for their hard work in making this event a success for the department! It takes a village.