Decision to Attend IUP Paid Off in Opportunities and Career Skills
"My decision to attend IUP has paid off greatly. I have been given various opportunities such as helping with recruitment of new students, leading a student organization, and working in the Dean's Office of Humanities and Social Sciences. IUP has provided me with all the necessary skills I will need to be successful in the future, and I am thankful for the time I have spent here."
Victoria Stone, Geography alum
What's Happening for Geography, Geology, Environmental, and Planning
Geography and regional planning majors can join Gamma Theta Upsilon (GTU), the IUP Planning Student Organization, and engage with other activities on campus.
Gamma Theta Upsilon, Gamma Omega Alpha Chapter
Gamma Theta Upsilon membership is earned through superior scholarship in the field of geography; it is an honor and a professional distinction. The IUP GTU chapter, in conjunction with the Department of Geography, Geology, Environmental, and Planning, sponsors speakers, campus activities, field trips, and social events. Members also have the opportunity to participate in volunteer activities. GTU provides a network where you can become better acquainted with other geography students and can meet and talk with geography faculty members. As a GTU member, you can improve your expertise by exploring aspects of geography not normally dealt with in the classroom.
Planning Student Organization
The Planning Student Organization (PSO) at IUP is officially registered with the American Planning Association and provides opportunities for extracurricular activities and professional networking for planning students.
PSO students at IUP have worked at the American Planning Association-Pennsylvania Chapter annual meeting for the last several years, building professional relationships which serve them well upon graduation. They also have participated in the IUP/Indiana Borough/White Township multi-municipal University District Plan, working in conjunction with county, borough, and township planning staff, consultants, and university administrators.
The Planning Student Organization also serves as a mechanism for our planning students to receive information regarding the profession directly from the American Planning Association.
IUP IMAPS (Institute for Mine Mapping Archival Procedures and Safety)
The Institute for Mine Mapping Archival Procedures and Safety at IUP is a professional laboratory for Geography and Regional Planning students located at the university, where they can learn hands-on skills in geographic information systems, database management, remote sensing, cartography, global positioning systems, computer programming, and metadata development in the context of the energy industries.
IMAPS performs contract work for the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, the Pennsylvania Marcellus Shale Coalition, Range Resources, and CNX Energy. Students from our geography, geology, environmental, and planning programs are employed on these projects, obtaining work experience, references, and material for their resumes while taking classes.
IMAPS is a unique and invaluable opportunity for students to begin obtaining work experience and job skills while continuing to pursue their undergraduate degrees.