GIS Day helps students explore careers

More than 150 University of North Georgia (UNG) students will get a chance to explore the different career opportunities that can come from pursuing a degree in environmental spatial analysis during Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Day.  

The event is set to take place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 20 in the Arts and Technology Building Lobby at UNG's Gainesville Campus.

"The event is important to student success because it helps students learn about job opportunities and training here at UNG," Dr. Amber Ignatius, associate professor of geography and geospatial science, said. "I hope participants are excited to learn more about our GIS classes, minor and certificate programs with IESA, and I look forward to hearing from speakers and seeing the student poster competition." 

The event is organized by the Geospatial Alliance Club, a UNG student organization, and is open to all students, faculty and staff.  

A student poster competition and guest speakers will be part of the day's events.

Ashley Annis, a junior from Loganville, Georgia, pursuing a degree in environmental spatial analysis, serves as president of the Geospatial Alliance Club. She is looking forward to GIS Day and appreciates the club more generally, as well.

"Joining the club has opened up so many opportunities to learn about careers. It's also allowed me to get to know my peers outside of the classroom," Annis said. "I like to surround myself with people smarter than me because I can always learn from them. It amazes me the creativity all of the members have."

UNG senior Alec Reeb serves as vice president of the club. Reeb is pursuing a degree in environmental spatial analysis with a minor in Earth science and has attended the event for the past three years. He shared that he is most looking forward to meeting professionals in the field. 

"My favorite part of every GIS Day is getting to network with professionals in both the public research and private sectors of the field. It is really interesting to see the many career paths that learning GIS can open to you," the Buford, Georgia, resident said.

Reeb, who is expected to graduate in the spring, said the GIS Day events he's attended in the past have been extremely impactful and have provided "a better understanding of GIS outside of academia, and how applicable it is across different disciplines regardless of a student's major." He would go on to share that his experiences have motivated him to seek a graduate degree in geomorphology after graduating from UNG.