“I feel confident from what I’ve learned from the various Geography courses I’ve taken to speak confidently in my internship interviews.”
Originally planning on pursuing an environmental track with his Geography major, Amad, a junior from St. Paul, MN, has developed a passion for Geographic Information Systems, or GIS, throughout his time at Gustavus. He has recently moved towards a focus in GIS within the Geography Department.
Amad views the personal experiences that professors bring to the classroom as something that is unique and valuable to the department. In particular, he appreciated the opportunity to gain insight into experiences of migrants after learning about Professor Tiffany Grobelski’s work interviewing asylum seekers, and doing a class project that was based on this.
He also enjoys the community atmosphere that he has found within the Geography Department, especially Geography Cafe, which is held each Friday as a chance for students to gather and talk with peers and faculty.
Through the department, Amad has had the opportunity to engage with material that is relevant to real world experiences. He has gained meaningful practice through projects such as writing impact reports on Line 3 and creating peace budgets.
He says that his Geography courses “address present day issues and possible solutions that have given me practical knowledge and skills that I believe will be helpful for pursuing a career after graduation.” He feels that the department has prepared him for the Geography internships that he is currently applying for.
Amad has really appreciated the faculty within the department as a valuable aspect of his learning in the field. He specifically identifies professors Tiffany Grobelski, Joaquin Villanueva, and Jeff La Frenierre as his favorites, saying that they have helped him figure out what he might want to do in the future with a Geography degree. Additionally, he says these professors are “respectful to their students, always willing to help, and approachable.” Amad feels grateful towards these faculty and towards the department as a whole for fostering a passion for Geography in him. He has recently become a member of Gamma Theta Upsilon, which is an international honor society in Geography.