Greetings from UWM Geography! The fall semester is well underway, and I’m pleased be writing this first Letter from the Chair since stepping into the position in August. Please join me in thanking Professor Ryan Holifield for his service and leadership in this role for the past four years. During those uncertain years following the pandemic, Dr. Holifield’s efforts strengthened our community, refined our course policies and procedures, and sustained our vibrant and diverse programs of research and teaching. I look forward to continuing this work and to representing UWM Geography as chair. I’d also like to express my gratitude to Geography faculty and staff for their collective wisdom and support as I learn this new role.
Fall 2025 has ushered in new changes across campus. UWM recently welcomed a new chancellor, Dr. Thomas Gibson, who has served in this role since July. The University continues to navigate a challenging higher education landscape, particularly as the loss of federal research grants compounds already difficult budgetary circumstances. However, in very exciting news, this year’s UWM freshman class is the largest cohort we’ve seen in a decade, and undergraduate enrollments are up nearly four percent. Across campus, there is concerted focus on student success and retention and in Geography we’ve been implementing changes with these goals in mind. We are committed to providing an enriching and inspiring educational experience for our students. In the past year, we’ve made changes to our undergraduate and minor curriculum to reduce barriers for graduation and to enhance student experiences. We look forward to building on these efforts in the coming year and are hosting several events to foster community and connection in the department.
One of the exciting events that is just around the corner is the annual meeting of the West Lakes Regional Division of the American Association of Geographers, which will take place October 23-25 here at UW-Milwaukee. We thank the leadership of Professors Hyejin Yoon and Woonsup Choi who have been coordinating the event together with graduate students and faculty members in Geography. Professor Julie Cidell (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign) will deliver the conference keynote and our Mayer Lecture on Friday, October 24 at the American Geographic Society Library. Her presentation is entitled “The Changing Landscapes of Logistics in the Milwaukee-Chicago Corridor.” Students and faculty from UWM will be sharing their work, alongside geographers presenting from across the region. We look forward to hosting the event and welcoming geographers to UWM and to the Department of Geography.
Another event that is coming up quickly is GIS Day at UWM, which will take place on November 1 in the American Geographic Society Library. Workshops at the event range from a focus on Python for GIS with Arc Pro, to humanitarian mapping, to georeferencing with Allmaps. The event will also include lunch with professionals in the field and a social hour at the Gasthaus Pub.
UWM’s Gamma Theta Upsilon (GTU) chapter held a pizza party in September and will be looking to register new members in the upcoming year, building on its recognition as one of four Honors Chapters in 2024. Graduate students and faculty are planning their participation at the annual meeting of the Association of American Geographers which will take place next spring in San Francisco. We have many things to look forward in this academic year.
These aren’t particularly easy times for higher education, but UWM Geography has always persevered and operated with an incredible resilience. We will continue to negotiate these uncertainties while supporting and serving our student, staff, faculty, and alumni community. There are also many exciting opportunities ahead and I know that we are up for the challenge. On one final note to our alumni readers: Please keep us updated about where your Geography degree has taken you!
Yours Sincerely,
Anne Bonds