This kid is interested in geography/GIS, not geology according to the OP.
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I’m glad! JMU has been perfect for him. He chose it over UVA (and VT and Clemson) mostly because of the IA program, general vibe, and also cost savings. (He is a Madison Scholar.) I sort of chuckle how he now does GIS because he sure never showed a lick of interest in my career, and I used to go to his elementary school (and others) to promote GIS day.
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I know several people that tagged GIS certifications onto majors such as Sustainability, Environmental Science, Biology, Geography. In all cases it was the GIS cert that got them the job after graduation. They work for city governments, the local water company and engineering firms.
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My first degree was in geography (from a Cal State) and I worked as a cartographer and land use planner for a state agency for 25 years. When I was in school GIS was just getting started and we had to use Fortran (an ancient computer language). But in my career we used ESRI products. I loved my major and to this day love telling people that I majored in geography.
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Thanks for responding! Would you mind sharing generally what your son’s career looks like now in terms of what type of work he’s doing?
Interestingly, life experiences led him towards law enforcement. He would say that the IA program truly honed his critical thinking skills, and prepared him to communicate both effectively and succinctly. Expectations are high in the major, and it’s competitive. Covid disrupted his internships, but helped him identify his passion for serving the public.
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Thank you, and good luck to your son!
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