January Alumni of the Month
Alexandra C Rodriguez
Year of graduation: 2014
Major: Geographical Sciences - GIS
Minor: Spanish Language and Cultures
Current employment status:
- Employer: Geographic Services, Inc.
- Position: GIS Analyst
Did you/do you currently go to graduate school? If so:
- School: University of Maryland College Park
- Program: Geospatial Information Sciences
- Degree: Master of Professional Studies
Current Research:
I am currently trying to find new ways to further analyze the possible effects, both positive and negative, of the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) Purple Line light rail.
Why did you want to be a GEOG/GIS/ENSP major?
I love human geography. I especially fell in love with Tobler’s First Law of Geography: “Everything is related to everything else, but near things are more related than distant things.” I find it fascinating that you can find a relationship in everything that surrounds you. I chose GIS as a major because I enjoy seeking and analyzing those unnoticed relationships and giving them a “face.”
What internships or independent research did you do as a GEOG/GIS/ENSP major?
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) – Office of Coast Survey
- The National Geographic Society – Editorial and Research – Maps Division
- University of Maryland – Facilities Management – Campus GIS Technician
- University of Maryland – BSOS Summer Research Initiative – Remote Sensing Researcher
What recommendations would you make to current GEOG/GIS/ENSP majors for career and academic success while they are still undergraduates?
Find as many internship opportunities as you can! Go out there and try to get as much GEOG/GIS/ENSP experience as you can, whether it is big, small, paid, or unpaid.
What recommendations would you make to current GEOG/GIS/ENSP majors for career and academic success after graduation?
- Networking – Try to stay in contact with your peers, professors, and anybody who has had any type of influence on you and your GEOG/GIS/ENSP academic career. Also, don’t be afraid to reach out to people you don’t know. You never know when you’ll introduce yourself to the right person.
- Perseverance – No matter what just keep applying to as many internships and jobs as possible. It gets discouraging after a while but you have to be persistent and confident. Hard work always pays off!