Let us know a little about yourself, your current employment, and how you ‘found’ GIS. 

My GIS origin story starts further back than most. As a geology undergraduate at Whittier College, I spent time mapping earthquakes for the Southern California Earthquake Center, watching patterns emerge as points populated across a green and black computer screen. I was hooked immediately, even if I didn't fully know what to do with that yet.

Life took over in the form of a Navy spouse career, which I wouldn't trade, but which also meant more than a decade away from professional work. When my husband was nearing retirement and we could see the light at the end of the relocation tunnel, I enrolled in Penn State's Post-Baccalaureate GIS Certificate Program to test the waters. I needed a skills refresh, wanted something portable in case we moved again, and honestly, I had just missed it. The certificate turned into the MGIS, and I never looked back.

Today I serve as the GIS Administrator for the City of Evans, Colorado, a small municipality in Northern Colorado. I came in as the sole GIS person and have since built out an internship program, and now work alongside a team of interns and a part-time Public Works analyst. I couldn't do this job without them.

Outside of work, I serve on the board of Northern Colorado GIS Professionals, a local user group that hosts monthly meetups, speed networking, lightning talks, and peer support for GIS professionals and those who just love GIS in the region.

And because apparently I enjoy a challenge, I am also currently pursuing a STEM MBA, built on the foundation Penn State gave me. Free time is overrated anyway.

What did you appreciate about your experience with Penn State's online geospatial education program? 

Flexibility and portability were the biggest things for me. During my time in the program, my family completed our final military move. I sold a house solo, packed up my kids, my dad, and the dog, and relocated across the country while my husband was stationed in Japan, all while finishing coursework. The ability to take a semester off or lighten my load when life demanded it wasn't a nice-to-have, it was what made finishing possible.

What surprised me most, though, was the personal connection. My undergraduate geology department had about five students, so I was used to professors knowing my name and my situation. I assumed a program Penn State's size would feel impersonal by comparison. It didn't. My advisor and professors were accessible, responsive, and genuinely invested. That mattered more than I expected.

The program also handled my spouse's military GI Bill benefits seamlessly, which was one less thing on an already very full plate. Penn State clearly knew how to work with military families, and that made a real difference.

How have you applied your degree to your current work?

I've used something from nearly every course in some way. On any given week I might be producing cartographic products like our urban growth boundary maps, managing a project, or writing automation scripts to handle repetitive workflows. The program covered enough ground that something from almost every class has shown up in my actual work.

The MGIS also gave me a meaningful credential boost and a chance to build on skills I already had. Practically speaking, it got me current. When I left the geology field I had been working in ArcMap, which was being phased out in favor of ArcGIS Pro. Getting real hands-on experience with the new platform before I re-entered the workforce was extremely valuable.

Do you have any advice for incoming students or students considering online geospatial education programs at Penn State?

You get out of any program what you put into it, and that's especially true for online learning where you aren't showing up in person. The more I engaged with the material, discussions, my peers, the more value I walked away with. The technical GIS skills were just part of it. Some of the most lasting benefits came from the people I connected with along the way.

I've crossed paths with fellow Penn State geospatial program alumni at various points in my career (internships, Reddit...), and those relationships have been a bright spot, both professionally and personally. Don't underestimate the network you're building.

Also, it doesn't matter how old you are, if you're in school you qualify for internships. I used my time at Penn State to gain additional experience in the field, leveraging that into the position I have now.