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Message From the Chair
March 2026
Spring is undeniably in the air — a season of renewal, hope and future potential. In that spirit, I would like to highlight one of our most exciting and rapidly growing initiatives: the GEOG High School Hub.
It has been four years since we hosted our first high school banquet, inviting teachers to nominate outstanding students from fields connected to geographical sciences. These students joined us for a celebration of their achievements and an introduction to what modern geography is all about. The idea was sparked by Professor George Hurtt, who has led this effort ever since.
That initial seed quickly sprouted into a robust high school summer internship: a virtual, six-week paid program where students are paired with volunteer faculty to gain hands-on research experience. The combination of paid positions and volunteer mentorship keeps the program intentionally small — up to 12 students each year. With nearly 300 applicants annually, selecting each cohort has become both a challenge and a privilege.
This program is sustained almost entirely through fundraising, and I would like to extend my deepest thanks to all who have supported it. On behalf of our department, our students and the broader geography community — THANK YOU.
The internship was only the first leaf. This summer, we are expanding further by offering three Terp Young Scholars courses, welcoming high school students from Maryland and around the world into our introductory classes. These courses are already filling quickly, giving us an exciting opportunity to share what we do as geographers with an even broader audience.
This success is no accident. Over the past year, our advising team — Robyn Gausman-Burnett, Byron Marroquin and Keith Yearwood — along with our outreach coordinator, Renata Johnson, launched the “Request a Geographer” campaign. Geographers have been requested frequently and enthusiastically! Thanks to all faculty and graduate students who have volunteered their time, visiting high schools across the region and introducing geographical sciences to new audiences. Every visit has planted another seed.
I can’t wait to see how it blooms.
Thank you, thank you, thank you — and Happy Spring, everyone!
Tatiana Loboda
GEOG Chair and Professor