During my seven years as head from July 2014 to June 2021, we revised our entire undergraduate curriculum, built a strong core for majors and adding exciting new certificates that reflect our research clusters. We come up at the top of many searches in the new undergraduate Bulletin, thanks to the smart work of my associate heads and enthusiastic committees (that’s not sarcasm–it’s real energy) so undergrads discover geography.

I led renovations on two-thirds of our space, bade farewell to seven professors who retired, and hired faculty into 12 tenure-line positions and three teaching positions. We hired fantastic researchers and teaching professors, growing in ways that will continue our prominence as a four-field department for years to come. Our online geospatial education programs rule.

Here are recent reflections on my work as head of department that appeared in the department’s GEOGRAPH Newsletter, printed and mailed each summer: 2020  2019  2018  2017  2016  2015

If we step back, a fundamental of my organization strategy is — “you will be color coded.”

Would you like to donate to Penn State Geography? We Are Geography fund is a great choice.