ChapterReport Form Submission
ChapterName Mu Kappa
ChapterAddress Hofstra University
Department of Global Studies and Geography, 209 Roosevelt Hall 1000 Hempstead Turnpike, Hempstead NY11549
ChapterWebsite orSocial MediaAddress https://www.hofstra.edu/global-studies-geography/honor-society.html
Faculty Sponsor Kari Jensen
Faculty SponsorinitiatedPennsylvania State University,Alpha Tau Chapter, 2007.
President Julian Rocha
Vice President Natalie Correa
Secretary Kari Jensen
Treasurer Kari Jensen
Historian Director of events: Craig Dalton
Highlights ofActivities of 2023-2024AcademicYear(200-800 words):
OnApril 29, 2024, 12 students were inducted into GTU and Mu Kappa. Faculty sponsor Kari Jensen conducted the induction ceremony together with the student officers of Mu Kappa, President Julian Rocha and Natalie Correa. They are both graduating with Geography degrees this semester and intend on pursuing graduate degrees next year. Julian has been awarded a graduate scholarship to study Urban Planning at UC Berkeley and Natalie has been awarded a graduate scholarship in Geography at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Dr. Veronica Lippencott,AdjunctAssociate Professor of Global Studies and Geography at Hofstra, Director ofAfricana Studies andAssociate Director of the Center for “Race, Culture and Social Justice” gave an excellent keynote speech at the ceremony. It was interesting and motivating to learn about her personal journey into the academic discipline of Geography and what Geography has meant in her life. Mu Kappa organizes GeographyAwareness Week in November each year together with the Department of Global Studies and Geography. This year we celebrated Geography Awareness Week with a lecture by Dr. Will Payne from Rutgers University, who taught us about using data from local businesses in the context of web mapping and geographical analysis. In addition, we had an alumni event where Tempe Staples (Global Studies and Geography, double major and Mu Kappa inductee ’16), met with our students. Tempe has a Master's degree in Community Health Science from Clark University, and was the Senior Director of Research & Policy at a non-profit working with trafficked women for 4 years in Worcester. Currently, she is Research & Evaluation Coordinator at the Coalition for a Healthy Greater Worcester, as well as a Visiting Professor atAssumption University, where she teaches "Responding to Survivors of Violence in a Provider Setting" to pre-med students. Our students learned a lot from Tempe's elaborations about her study and work experiences, and about finding work/life balance. Tempe’s successful career is an example of how a BAdegree in Geography can be used as a foundation for many different career choices.
Additional Information to be Considered forChapterAwards
Chapters that wish to be considered for the Honors ChapterAward or the Presidential Honors Chapter Award should indicate that they believe that they have satisfied each of the awards criteria and provide answers to the questions listed below. TheAwards Committee will use these answers to judge whether or not the chapter has satisfied the criteria for a chapter honors award. The criteria for the awards can be found at http://gammathetaupsilon.org/chapter-awards.html
Honors ChapterAward
1) ✔ We satisfied the criteria for the induction of new members. (Increase the number of new inductees over the previous year or induct at least 5 new members for programs that only award bachelor's degrees or 8 members for programs that award masters and doctoral degrees.)
a. How many new members did you induct this year? 12
b. How many new members did you induct last year? 13
c. Does your program award only bachelor's degrees or does it award masters or doctoral degrees?
Bachelor's degrees only: ✔ Masters or doctoral degrees: N
2) N We provided leadership for two events designed to promote geography during the last academic year.
Please list the events and provide a brief description of how they promoted geography:
1. Lecture by Dr. Will Payne from Rutgers University, focused on using data from local businesses in the context of web mapping and geographical analysis. This lecture promoted Geography because it was organized as part of GeographyAwareness Week, and because it focused on location-based services, a field within GIS which interests many students. 2.An alumni event where Tempe Staples (Global Studies and Geography, double major and Mu Kappa inductee ’16), met with our students. This promoted Geography because it was organized as part of GeographyAwareness Week, and because it focused on a successful career spanning NGO work and teaching, that had a Geography BAdegree as foundation.
3) N We have submitted a minimum of two posts this academic year to the Gamma Theta Upsilon International Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/GammaThetaUpsilonInternational/. (Summaries and photos of chapter news and activities are particularly welcome, but first obtain permission of the GTU members described in the post and shown in the photo). The dates when we posted material on the GTU International Facebook posts are as follows:
June 13, 2024 (Randy Bertolas posted for me as I was not able to do so using the provided instructions.).
4) N The Faculty Sponsor is a verified member of GTU International Geographical Honor Society and was inducted into the chapter listed above.
4) ✔ We have submitted an annual report to the 2nd Vice President.
Presidential Honors ChapterAward
1) ✔ Complete the questions about the honors chapter award above.
2) N Our chapter planned and implemented at least one activity of any kind each month during the regular academic year
Please list the activities:
3) N We hosted an event to which we invited GTU members who had already graduated from college or graduate school.
4) N Provide evidence of campus/community or national leadership to promote geography by indicating that you have satisfied at least two of the following criteria. Provide a short description of your activities as indicated.
N a. We provided leadership for at least six activities to promote geography during the academic year (including the two required for Honors Chapter status). GeographyAwareness Week and other activities that raise awareness of geography to a public beyond the GTU chapter will be considered evidence of leadership in this area.
Please list the activities and briefly describe how they promoted geography:
N b. GTU members made at least three visits to K-12 schools.
Please briefly describe the visits:
N c. One or more chapter members submitted a student authored or coauthored article to the Geographical Bulletin.
Please provide the name of the author(s) or co-author(s) and the title of their article(s):
N d. One or more student chapter members presented a student authored (or co-authored) paper or poster at a regional or nationalAAG or NCGE meeting.
Please provide the names of student authors, the titles of their papers or posters, and the meeting they presented at:
N e. Our chapter participated in the GTU/AAG Visiting Geographical Scientist Program.
Invited: . - .
5) N One or more of our chapter members applied for a national GTU scholarship (Buzzard Undergraduate Scholarship, Buzzard Graduate Scholarship, Maxfield Scholarship, Richason Scholarship or Rechlin Scholarship). Please provide the name of the applicant(s) and scholarship(s) they applied for:
6) N Our chapter sponsored a new GTU chapter at a college (or community college) or university that doesn't have one or assisted an inactive chapter to reactivate. (Chapters should consult the chapter map on the GTU web site and contact their regional councilor or the GTU executive director for assistance in finding and sponsoring institutions that lack a chapter or that may be inactive.)
Please briefly describe your sponsorship or assistance: -
Sender’s name Kari Jensen
Sender’s email kari.jensen@hofstra.edu
©2024 Gamma Theta Upsilon International Honor Society