Alumni

My experience at HSU opened so many doors for me; it enabled me to think spatially, and apply my knowledge to many different fields of study. Providing a wide breadth of introductory topics and also diving into the nitty gritty of web mapping, spatial modeling, Python coding, and advanced Cartographic design, Cal Poly Humboldt will be the springboard for the rest of your career. The professors at Cal Poly Humboldt are highly skilled in their fields while also being friendly and supportive of your ambitions. Cal Poly Humboldt has laid the foundation, the rest is up to you!

My degree in Wildlife Biology and GSP minor paved the way for me to pursue a career in conservation. The knowledge from courses and workshops at HSU were vital for my involvement in studies focused on avian population dynamics and habitat use. I have had the opportunity to work on research projects in California, Indiana, Illinois and in the Galápagos Islands.

My acceptance to New Mexico State University as a Biology Ph.D. student, will permit me to continue to use tools, such as GIS, to map the movements and habitat use of urban fauna. My research will investigate how urban development impacts native and introduced species, like parrots. I am forever grateful for the professors and the university for shaping me into the biologist I am today.

My experiences at HSU fueled my passion for GIS and helped me take my first steps into my career. The Geospatial program helped me build the fundamental skills and professional experience I needed to be a GIS analyst and cartographer. The GSP program is full of small classes and dedicated teachers willing to go out of their way to help and they pushed me towards internships I had while in school that ultimately led me to getting hired in my field. I also was encouraged and given the tools to build a personal portfolio website of my work – as someone who has now had to hire new employees, I know there’s nothing quite like the joy of being able to look at someone’s online portfolio. This doesn’t mean I relied on my experience and website alone to get myself hired I also polished my resume and dedicated time to practice my interview skills at HSU’s Career Center. The faculty and programs at HSU helped make me the professional I am today and I’m so proud to say that I am a Humboldt Geospatial alumni. 

HSU has given me the foundation that I have built my career on. The professors provide a rich tapestry of knowledge, tools, and perspective that I apply to my career every day. They encouraged us to critically analyze our role in society and how we can apply our skills to make lasting positive change in the world. In addition, they emphasized resilience and how to solve problems independently, and connected me with a network of colleagues that encourage and uplift each other. This combination of skills and community have given me the confidence to tackle problems that seem beyond the scope of what I thought I could accomplish. 

Humboldt State was the best college experience I could have asked for.  The tight knit community and small classroom size allows you to engage with teachers and students on a much more personal level.  Since graduating I felt I was more than ready to go and get myself a job.  I could have never imagined the amount of opportunities and knowledge I gained from faculty and fellow students at HSU.  Having concentrated in Geospatial Science, I was immersed in a wide variety of GIS applications within the realm of natural resources.

When I started at HSU I was unsure of the career path I wanted to take. The Geospatial program developed my strengths and provided experience while the faculty gave me career opportunities I thought were unattainable. Through this joint effort I was able to get a job as a Geospatial Analyst doing what I love the most, programming and making maps!

While studying at HSU, I was introduced to a variety of complex spatial analysis tools, spatial modeling methods, programming skills, and cartographic design principles. I learned how to make maps without using color, design spatial models that made logical sense, and conduct analysis that gave me answers to complicated questions. HSU’s geospatial curriculum broadly covers multiple spatial disciplines, while allowing students to dive deeper into topics that interest them most. Though I knew I wanted to study environmental science, I was not quite sure that that looked like in the real world as a career. But when I started studying geospatial science, I knew it was the field for me. I loved the practicality of the tools, and the applicability to any discipline with a spatial component (which is pretty much everything). It allowed me to continue pursuing a career in the environmental field, while still having a useful skill set under my belt. I currently work as a GIS Analyst for an engineering and environmental consulting firm, where I work on projects all both locally and statewide. The skill set I learned at HSU provided me with a broad familiarity with geospatial theory and analysis, which I was then able to hone as I began working in the GIS field every day. The value of the geospatial program is it gets students involved in high level geospatial science, which I’am very grateful for today.

I grew up in Alaska, lived in the Virgin Islands, Maine, California, and Florida. There is only one place I miss, and it’s Humboldt County. Some of the best hole in the wall food you can ask for, strangest people you’ve ever met, and the most beautiful place you’ve ever been. It’s the only academic institution I’ve been to that has faculty that are passionate about teaching and research. My first date with my significant other was exploring rattlesnake dens. Now we are pursuing our PhDs in Alberta and Maine and eager for the chance to end up back in a place like Humboldt, if not the place itself.

Choosing the Geospatial Science program at HSU is one of the best decisions I have ever made. I started at HSU not knowing exactly what I wanted to do but quickly became interested in GIS after learning about it in a general education geography course. Every geospatial class I took fueled my interest more and introduced me to the many inspirational professors and classmates I am now proud to call my colleagues. The foundational skills I learned at HSU have been invaluable and led to me finding a job as a GIS Developer at a large environmental consulting firm shortly after graduation where I now use what I learned daily to create tools and software used by hundreds of people all over the country.