Where are they now?

Here are some quick snapshots of CSUF Geography's many successful alumni.

Kate Carone
Sales Representative for Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI)

How did your CSUF Geography degree help you get to where you are today?
CSUF Geography taught me the skills I need and use everyday at ESRI. I could not have asked for better or more passionate professors to prepare me to use my degree in the workplace.

Melissa Miller
GIS Intern at Langan Engineering and Environmental Services

How did your CSUF Geography degree help you get to where you are today?
It got me this awesome internship! I get to work on projects all over the US utilizing my skills in GIS and CAD. I feel that the position as a Graduate Assistant gave me the experience I needed to be considered by a global engineering firm for employment.

Sean Noonan
Associate Environmental Planner, Parsons Transportation Group

How did your CSUF Geography degree help you get to where you are today?
First off, my coursework helped me to identify my passion for urban and environmental planning. Without stumbling into Ray Young's urban planning classes-or taking urban-environmental classes with James Miller and Wayne Engstrom-I may never have found this niche (environmental planning) that I'm so passionate for. Second, the department's emphasis on interdisciplinary knowledge and practical skills-especially GIS-really helped distinguish me from other candidates in a competitive field. In environmental planning, you have to know enough to be dangerous in a number of fields-biological, cultural, land use, demographics, water resources, etc. CSUF Geography has provided me with that diverse skill set, which has contributed to my success so far in my professional career.

Veronica Roach
City of Santa Ana: Community Center Aid (most of my time is spent developing programs and curriculum for the Santiago Creek Wildlife and Watershed Center and for the new teaching garden program). Part-time Geography Instructor.

How did your CSUF Geography degree help you get to where you are today?
In order to apply for my initial internship with the City of Santa Ana I needed to be enrolled in a Master's program. For my interview I showed my current supervisor and manager a poster I was going to present at the AAG conference the next morning in Los Angeles. They were impressed with my poster and research and asked if I wanted the job later that day. My internship has now ended, but thankfully my employers decided to keep me around to help develop the City's new garden program!