Student Collaborators
Meet the students who participated in the GEOG 368 Field Seminar in Spring 2021.
Dustin Shimoda
Hometown: Eau Claire, WI
Major: Environmental Geography
Topical interests: Wildlife Conservation, Sustainability, Disaster Relief, Urban Planning, Climate Change.
Graduation: May 2021. Plan to move out west to find a job as a park ranger.
On being a geographer: became a geographer because of my interest in the natural world. As I learned more about the discipline I grew to appreciate the power that people have in creating wide changes in the world; a troubling, yet inspiring notion. What I enjoy about geography is that it is a discipline that carries a wide range of focuses, providing multiple skills and methods of approaching questions and problems.
GEOG 368 case study: The social and economic contributions of farmers markets to community
GEOG 368 thoughts: In this course I had my eyes opened about just how many factors go into making a “good” and functional community. I have taken community for granted in the past but now have a better appreciation for the support, resources and infrastructures that surround me and my loved ones. I feel as though I have a better understanding of what it means to be a good community member, and will gladly take these lessons with me wherever I may go. I also have come away with a better understanding of what it means to be a geographer in the field and have gained new skills and perspectives for approaching situations.
Savanna Grunzke
Hometown: Waseca, MN
Major: Environmental Geography with minor in Economics
Topical interests: Urban planning, climate change, sustainable development
Graduation: December 2021. After graduation I plan to find an urban planning job or a use for my social media marketing experience, preferably in the Eau Claire area. After I finish my military contract with the Minnesota Army National Guard in 2023, I hope to explore regions beyond the Midwest and expand my geographic skillsets with experiences in a variety of environments and landscapes inside and outside of the United States.
On being a geographer: I love learning how and why the world operates the way it does and being able to apply my knowledge in everyday life. I love learning new things and actually experiencing them firsthand. I strive to cherish and protect the complex, natural world we’ve been blessed with. Geography fits well with the fact that I have a multitude of passionate interests because of its broad and interrelated nature. I find joy and purpose in exploring the world and treating it well for the enjoyment of generations to come.
GEOG 368 case study: Redevelopment in blighted/neglected areas
GEOG 368 thoughts: This course made me become aware of the many conceptual geographic relations that community has. I grew to become better at critically analyzing the structures that build and inhibit community and how we can influence them. I’ve become more aware of the outstanding characteristics of various neighborhoods and communities in my own life and the lives around me. This course helped me realize the importance of individuals in the group as a whole and the roles they play in founding a structure that expresses positive, inclusive, and sustainable ideals for the present and future.
Katrina Berg
Hometown: Tomahawk, WI
Majors: Environmental Geography and Public Health;
certificate in Geographic Information Systems
Topical interests: Conservation, environmental hazards, urban planning, disaster planning
Graduation: December 2021. I hope to find a career that intersects both public health and geography. If I go to graduate school I’d pursue a degree in either geomatics or spatial analysis in public health.
On being a geographer: I’ve always had a strong admiration for the world that surrounds me and I want to spend my life trying to learn and protect it and the people that live on it. I love how geography intersects with many other disciplines. I’ve always enjoyed learning a little about a lot of different things and I think geography complements that well because it is such a comprehensive discipline. I fell in love with idea of not having to be stuck in one job for the rest of my life and instead exploring a variety of different careers in which I was passionate about.
GEOG 368 case study: Senior spaces: Building Community through Built Environments
GEOG 368 thoughts: This course made me reflect on the inclusive and exclusive spaces around me. I felt privileged to live in communities that largely catered to people like me; but this course made me realize that not every community is inclusive to everyone. It will make me have an admiration for different communities I experience in the future. If I enter a career of urban planning, it will help me have a goal in mind when it comes to community amenities and operations.
Liam Brandt
Hometown: New Richmond, WI
Major: Environmental Geography
Topical interests: Geospatial Analysis, climate change, environmental geography, natural disasters
Graduation: May 2021. I hope to find a geospatial analysis job with a strong environmental focus, either working for a city, county, or with the state DNR.
On being a geographer: Through my experience getting my associates degree from UWEC-BC, I had been inspired by my professor Steve Curran to pursue a geography major. What I love about geography the most is geospatial analysis because its not just about mapping territorial boundaries like land ownership, it can be useful for many other purposes, so I’m not always restricted in what I am mapping.
GEOG 368 case study: Community and Sense of Place
GEOG 368 thoughts: This course has helped me as a geographer with better understanding how important aspects of community are. I have a stronger understanding of structure and purpose to city layout and as a member of a community how we influence it as well as how a member is able to contribute.
Lyndsey Tyznik
Hometown: Thorp, WI
Major: Environmental Geography
Topical interests: Human and cultural geographies
Graduation: August 2021. After I graduate, I plan to take some time off and become a member of the American Conservation Corps in Utah. After completing my time in Utah, I then plan on pursuing a master's degree in public administration or political science. After receiving my master's degree, I hope to begin a government position and eventually become a politician.
On being a geographer: I became a geographer primarily because of my passion for travel. I love to experience new cultures and places, and that passion inspired me to study abroad in Poland in 2019. I had just switched my major before leaving to study overseas, and during my time abroad, I realized I made the right choice to switch to geography. What I love specifically about the discipline of geography is that it doesn't focus on just one thing. Geography is composed of many different ideas and elements, allowing for endless possibilities and areas to study.
GEOG 368 case study: The effects of green spaces on a community
GEOG 368 thoughts: This course allowed me to grow as a geographer by giving me the tools to understand how to conduct field research respectably and ethically. I had never taken a class like this one or experienced what it meant to be a field researcher. Even with Covid-19 restrictions in place, we were able to make due and create fantastic learning experiences. Ultimately this class influenced me to grow as an individual, student, and geographer.
Zachary Rau
Hometown: Centuria, WI
Major: Geography; minor in American Indian Studies
Topical interests: Everything -- Human, Geospatial Techniques, Climatology
Graduation: December 2021. I hope to work as a GIS intern or specialist at a county, tribal, or private institution, and I someday hope to continue my academic education and attain a Ph D in Geography.
On being a geographer: At the age of seven, I was inspired by picking up a 1989 Rand McNally Atlas and reading the signs and symbols. I was also dubbed the “Human GPS” by family and friends for remembering finite details of road names and speed limit signs. What I love about geography is the community that I have found in the department at UWEC. There are so many disciplines and areas of geography that are all in some way connected to each other, and I like that I can change my focus of study.
GEOG 368 case study: Religious Amenities in Eau Claire: How these third spaces promote inclusion or exclusion using social media platforms
GEOG 368 thoughts: I have grown as a geographer by viewing the concept of community as a wide and broad topic that encompasses all people. We are all part of one or multiple groups that call themselves a community. This course has influenced me to recognize that field work is highly important when studying a certain area that embodies community.
Hailee Jefferies
Hometown: New Lisbon, WI
Major: Environmental Geography
Topical interests: Conservation, land use, climate change, environmental hazards
Graduation: December 2021. After graduation, I hope to find work within the cannabis industry, where I can apply skills and information I have acquired as a geographer.
On being a geographer: I chose to become a geographer because I feel in love with all the different approaches geography has, like human and environmental geography. Geography gives me the chance to look at how humans shape humans, how humans shape nature, and how nature shapes humans, all of which I find very interesting. As a geographer, I have the chance to wake up every day, learn something new, and connect it to so many other parts of life.
GEOG 368 case study: Dog Friendliness in Communities: Neighborhood Interactions and Sense of Community
GEOG 368 thoughts: I feel like I have grown as a geographer throughout this course in the aspects of developing a better understanding of the Eau Claire community and what makes individuals feel a part of a community. I personally feel more connected to the Eau Claire community after this class because I developed a stronger sense of place from learning about the different neighborhoods and creating an understanding of where I fit in. I also look at the landscape differently by analyzing the characteristics throughout different communities and what aspects make them seem as a strong or weak community as a whole.
Aidan Mills
Hometown: Eau Claire, WI
Majors: Geography & Business Administration
Topical interests: Physical geography, Human geography, GIS
Graduation: May 2021. I am planning on moving out west and hoping to use my geographic skillset to make a difference in whatever position I may acquire.
On being a geographer: I never expected to become a geographer; I stumbled into the discipline by happenstance. Geography sparked something within me that my other studies had not. It compliments my passion for the outdoors and intertwines with my interests, one of which being, forming meaningful connections with people. I appreciate how multifaceted geography is and how it is relevant in so many diverse areas of life. I enjoy the challenge of thinking deeply to understand complex concepts and geography has provided ample opportunity for deep thought.
GEOG 368 case study: Running, Sense of Place an Community -- a Case Study
GEOG 368 thoughts: This course has forced us all to tackle difficult topics and complex ideas to better understand geographic concepts in the context of community. I think that I have grown as a writer, thinker, and geographer through this course. In being a geographer, I believe it is valuable to utilize the diverse knowledge base we have to form genuine connections with people. Individual connections are the basis of community and this course has reaffirmed the importance of building and maintaining community. This course has and will continue to influence how I view community and the geographic concepts tied to it.
Nathan Walker
Hometown: Germantown, WI
Majors: Geography and Economics
Topical interests: Urban Planning, GIS, Social Justice, Tourism
Graduation: May 2022. I plan to attend graduate school for urban planning or GIScience.
On being a geographer: I became a geographer in the hopes of someday being able to improve my surroundings and the lives of those who carry out their everyday existence in those surroundings. Geography offers a unique perspective on analyzing my surroundings, and how to improve it. This is a view I find extremely valuable, and capable of accounting for a variety of contexts and analyses. Space is integrated into nearly every aspect of our lives, and I love being able to study something so widely applicable and useful.
GEOG 368 case study: Exclusionary Landscapes of Eau Claire
GEOG 368 thoughts: In my classes, it can be easy to lose sight of individuals that make a whole community, focusing only on the general descriptive data and information of a place. I was neglecting to consider the personal lives, values, and activities of those who chose to live here, not looking further than vague generalities. This course took an in depth look at the communities present in this city, communities that, by extension, can be found in similar forms across the country. My understanding of the role of community in shaping the landscape and affecting the lives of the individual has expanded as a result of this research and will always be a consideration of mine going forward.
Lauren Becker
Hometown: Blanchardville, Wisconsin
Major: Environmental geography and American Indian Studies
Topical interests: Agricultural policy, best management practices, traditional ecological knowledge, rural geographies, water protection, education policy, energy policy, legal geographies
Graduation: May 2021. After some work experience in the public sector, serving the state I love, I hope to pursue a public policy-centered graduate degree.
On being a geographer: I became a geographer because I am captivated by the movement and actions of people within the ecumene, not on a migratory scale, but on an everyday scale – contextualized by history. I left my rural, agricultural community with the intent to unearth what was causing us to decline. I left my community with the intent to gather the most diverse and flexible skillset and information base possible; tools to address our confounding struggles. Within geography, I have found those skills and a limitless opportunity to apply them. I choose to be a geographer every day because the discipline is expansive and multifaceted.
GEOG 368 case study: The role of third spaces in intergenerational local history education
GEOG 368 thoughts: I am astonished, every time I’m reminded that what I enjoy doing is science. Strategically analyzing the concept of community with the intent to cultivate and foster social infrastructure through physical infrastructure and deliberate action is science. I am motivated as an academic, as a professional, and as a human being to foster community. This course has equipped me with the language and tools necessary to strengthen my connection to not only the Chippewa Valley and my peers, but to the neighbors to which I belong. This course has reminded me that I am a geographer through and through, validating my academic pursuits.
Mel Rausch
Hometown: Eagan, MN
Major: Geography; minor in Spanish;
certificates in Geospatial-Mapping &Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Topical interests: Cartography & mapping, culture, sustainability
Graduation: May 2021. hope to teach English abroad in Japan on the JET Program. I applied in November, had a virtual interview in March, and now I am currently waiting to hear back from them!
On being a geographer: became a geographer because I knew there was more to geography than just memorizing states and capitals. I wanted to learn more about the processes in our world and how they vary place to place. I love that geography can be applied to almost any other area of study, because geography deals with everything on our planet, such as people, space, and place. I also have a specific interest in reading, understanding, and creating maps, so this was the perfect major for that!
GEOG 368 case study: How neighborhood and housing design influences community
GEOG 368 thoughts: This course made me realize that geographic elements impact community more than I thought previously. I now know that successful community depends on more things than just the people who participate. For example, cultural landscapes both impact community and are affected by community. Something as simple as building a porch on the front of a house can encourage community building. A community thrives most when it is an inclusive place for diverse people of all demographics. After taking this course, I can analyze the geographic elements present and advocate for changes that would benefit the community as a whole.
Stephanie Pasowicz
Hometown: Pulaski, WI
Major: Environmental Geography, certificate in Geospatial-GIS
Topical interests: Geospatial, biogeography, physical geography, conservation planning
Graduation: December 2021. I am hoping to find an occupation with a governmental environmental or conservation planning agency like the DNR, the EPA, or the National or State Park Service.
On being a geographer: When I started at UWEC, I knew I had a love for science and an interest in animals and plants and conserving these areas for such creatures. After falling out with biology and chemistry, I found the Geography and Anthropology Department through a friend and as I learned more, I realized that geography has many all the topics I was interested in and even dove deeper into this than the other fields ever did. I also learned about GIS and how I could use mapping and infographics to help people understand issues or significant knowledge about an environmental area, which could be the place they call home. I am passionate about restoring habitats and areas that have been affected by climate change and really enjoy the tools that are available for analyzing data and displaying results to help improve understanding and taking action.
GEOG 368 case study: Accessible Developments for Disabilities in City Planning and Communities
GEOG 368 thoughts: Before this class, I mainly focused my studies on the biogeographical and physical components of geography because I feel a strong connection with animals and plants and hope to work closely with that one day. Through this class, I have been able to take on new topics like human geography and community and develop more of an interest in human-related components that aid in forming environments. I have always been aware of the impact humans have on Earth and all involved, but instead of looking at the negatives, we are able to focus on the positive changes and impacts people make especially in a community.
Maddy Rauscher
Hometown: Pulaski, WI
Major: Environmental Geography
Topical interests: Physical environment and human-environment relations
Graduation: May 2021. After graduation, I will move to Door County, Wisconsin to work for the summer. For the short-term after graduation, I will be traveling in search of new experiences, and I hope to one day find a career in conservation.
On being a geographer: My boundless interest in the world around me has led me to become a geographer. Through this discipline, I get to explore and making connections between dynamic scales of systems, whether they be natural or human-centered. Geography fulfills my interests of this world, and that is what I love most about it.
GEOG 368 case study: Artistic landscapes and community
GEOG 368 thoughts: Throughout this field seminar course, my curiosity for community and geography has bloomed. I grew up in a rural community in Pulaski, Wisconsin and I came to Eau Claire with a singular understanding of what a community looks like. Living in Eau Claire has greatly changed my perspective on community, and this research allowed me to explore and intertwine the concepts of community and geography through the focus of artistic landscapes.
Ricky Smilowski
Hometown: Lockport, IL
Major: Environmental Geography
Topical interests: Remote sensing, computer mapping, climate change, deforestation
Graduation: May 2021. I’m hoping to find a job and start a career. I’m just ready to move on to the next stage of my life.
On being a geographer: I became a geographer after I switched from a business major. Geography was a better fit for me as it was much more interesting and fulfilling. The thing I like most about geography is how it spans so many other disciplines. I get bored quickly if I focus on a single thing or topic so having a subject that requires different knowledge bases keeps me interested.
GEOG 368 case study: : Public Services and Institutions – An examination of rehabilitation center locations
GEOG 368 thoughts: This class has helped me become a better researcher. Being able to delineate between good or relevant information and information that may not be as important is a very useful skill. This course has influenced me by making me care more about my community and those around me. I am more interested in what is going on in my community and what changes, additions, or activities would make it better then it was before.
