So our anniversary year was wonderful.  I enjoyed meeting so many alumni and getting back in touch with some of our more recent graduates.  We are lucky to have so many of you involved in the department, and I want to make sure to thank as many as I can.

So, first let me thank Stu Geiger, Steve O'Connell, Pete Chirico, Bill Major, and John McCarthy for teaching  courses in environmental geography, human geography, remote sensing, GIS, and planning.  You all add so much to the program by lending us your expertise in these areas.

I'd also like to thank John McCarthy, Carole Gallagher, Louis Dean, Ben Beavers, LeAnne Carrouth, and Sarah Hinman for their presentations in our 50th Anniversary Alumni Lecture Series.  You all helped our students see the many ways they can put their geography degree to work.

Over the past year, we've also had tremendous success in building the 50th Anniversary Endowment (over $55,000 in cash and pledges!) and adding to the Geography Alumni Scholarship fund. So, our heartfelt thanks to:  Jeff and Lisa Rountree, Amy and Robert Gronlund, Alyson Greiner and Luis Montes, Dawn and Marshall Bowen, the Geography Faculty, Pete Chirico, Ellen and Keith Littlefield, Ashley Matthews, Tracy Smith, Sue Hane, Sally Morgan, John McCarthy, Trent Richardson, Jeremy and Jennifer Duval, Richard Russo, Mark Preston, Melissa Spurzem, Melinda Pugh, Nick Rogers, Mary Ann Seeger, Martha Harrizon, Susan Malcolm, Diana Utz, Andrea Soltess, and Lisa Egan. 

Of course the Endowment Campaign has only just begun so I'd love to have many, many more people to thank next year!  Just go to:

http://www.umw.edu/gift/make_a_gift/ 

You'll find instructions for making gifts and pledges  by mail, phone, and online.  Just make sure to designate your gift to the 50th Anniversary Geography Endowment or the Geography Alumni Scholarship.

Best Wishes for a Happy Holiday Season and a healthy and happy 2010!