Initiated in the spring of 2012 by professor Kari Jensen, Mu Kappa is the Hofstra chapter of Gamma Theta Upsilon (GTU), which is an international honor society in geography. Gamma Theta Upsilon was founded in 1928 and became a national organization in 1931. Members of GTU have met academic requirements and share a background and interest in geography. GTU chapter activities support geography knowledge and awareness.
GTU's Goals are:
- To further professional interest in Geography by affording a common organization for those interested in the field.
- To strengthen student and professional training through academic experiences in addition to those of the classroom and laboratory.
- To advance the status of Geography as a cultural and practical discipline for study and investigation.
- To encourage student research of high quality, and to promote an outlet for publication.
- To create and administer funds for furthering graduate study and/or research in the field of Geography.
- To encourage members to apply geographic knowledge and skills in service to humankind.
For more information see: www.gammathetaupsilon.org
Why You Should Join GTU
Gamma Theta Upsilon membership is earned through superior scholarship; it is an honor, and a professional distinction.
Members receive a handsome certificate, suitable for framing.
No further membership dues are paid to the national organization after the initiation fee. Members are eligible to apply for Gamma Theta Upsilon scholarships.
Membership in an academic honor society is evidence of your dedication and competency in your career field. Some employers give hiring preference to honor society members.
For more information, please visit www.gammathetaupsilon.org/membership.
Eligibility For Membership
Regular Member: Initiates must have completed a minimum of 3 geography courses, have a GPA of at least 3.3 overall and in geography, and shall have completed at least 3 semesters or 5 quarters of college course work.
Honorary Member: A chapter may extend honorary membership to anyone whom it feels has, by exploration, research, lecturing, publishing, teaching, or any other way contributed to marked advancement in any phase of Geography. The fees for Honorary membership are paid by the local chapter.
For more information see: www.gammathetaupsilon.org/eligibility
For more information about joining our Chapter, please contact:
Dr. Kari B Jensen, Faculty Sponsor
Email
GTU members at Hofstra University
Mu Kappa Induction Ceremonies
Mu Kappa, Hofstra University’s chapter of Gamma Theta Upsilon (GTU), Inducts 19 New Members
On May 4, 2022, the Department of Global Studies and Geography inducted 19 new members into Mu Kappa, Hofstra University’s chapter of Gamma Theta Upsilon (GTU), the international geographic honor society. All the new members of GTU have met academic requirements and share a background and interest in geography. The number of Mu Kappa members now stands at 188 since the chapter’s founding in 2012.
The ceremony’s keynote speaker was Joy Arden, Landscape Curator at the Bayard Cutting Arboretum. Joy shared how she uses her experience with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in her current role and has utilized this knowledge throughout her successful career in the sustainability industry.
Mu Kappa President Kayla Stadeker (’23) and Vice President Kate Meagher (‘22) led the ceremony and welcomed the following new inductees:
Matthew Arnold
Olivia Chalfin
Marrakech Corinne Cunliffe
Gregory DeLapi
Ariyanna Hrivnak
Mercedes Jasterzenski
Alexander Mermelstein Kaish
Jarif Hassan Khan
Thomas McDonald
Erika Marie Medina-Munoz
Ciara Alexis Negron
Zachary Peña
Elena Phan
Julian Rocha
Erin Michele Rosner
Heather Gabrielle Sanders
Aidan Schreiner
Mitchell Morgan Schwartz
Sarah Qiaotang Stauffer
About Gamma Theta Upsilon
Gamma Theta Upsilon (GTU) is an international honor society in geography. The first chapter was founded in 1928 at Illinois State University and Gamma Theta Upsilon became a national organization in 1931. In 1949, Gamma Theta Upsilon became an International Geographical Honor Society. Since then, over 200 Gamma Theta Upsilon chapters have been established. Hofstra’s local chapter, Mu Kappa, was founded in the spring of 2012 by Dr. Kari Jensen. In 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020 Mu Kappa was awarded the prestigious Gamma Theta Upsilon Honors Chapter Award for recognizing the scholarship of our geography students and for planning activities that celebrate and bring awareness of geography to the Hofstra campus and community.
Mu Kappa Celebrates New Members
On 12 April, the Department of Global Studies and Geography inducted 11 new members into Mu Kappa, Hofstra University’s chapter of Gamma Theta Upsilon (GTU), the international geographic honor society. The number of Mu Kappa members now stands at 169 since the chapter’s founding in 2012. Mu Kappa has been the recipient of a GTU Honors Chapter Award over the last five consecutive years.
The ceremony’s keynote speaker was Dr. Farhana Sultana, Associate Professor in the Department of Geography and the Environment at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University and Research Director for Environmental Collaboration and Conflicts in the Program for the Advancement of Research on Conflict and Collaboration (PARCC) at the Maxwell School. She traced her academic and career trajectory, including her work at the United Nations Development Program and provided many practical career insights to the inductees.
Dr. Farhana spoke about the academic discipline of geography, which entails a diverse skillset that can be successfully applied to a wide range of topics and career paths. She congratulated Hofstra’s initiates on their accomplishments and assured them that they are entering an honors organization with strong networking opportunities.
Professor Grant Saff, the Department Chairperson welcomed the speaker and inductees and thanked the Mu Kappa President, Mu Kappa President Margaret Engel ’21, Vice President Olivia Tu ’21, Historian Christopher Helig ’21 and Secretary, Jenna Reda, 21 for all their hard work in organizing the event. The induction ceremony was conducted by Margaret Engel and Olivia Tu who read the honors pledge to the inductees. The following new members were inducted:
- Sarah Abdelaziz
- Brandon Allen
- Brooklyn Francis
- Nathaniel Frydrych
- Carol Henry-McCarter
- Kiara Kemp
- Tiffany Kosek
- Thomas Parisi
- Ivana Rahaman
- Kayla Stadeker
- RJ Yovanovich
A Brief History of Gamma Theta Upsilon
Gamma Theta Upsilon (GTU) is an international honor society in geography. The first chapter was founded in 1928 at Illinois State University and Gamma Theta Upsilon became a national organization in 1931. In 1949, Gamma Theta Upsilon became an International Geographical Honor Society. Since then, over 200 Gamma Theta Upsilon chapters have been established. Our local chapter, Mu Kappa, was founded in the spring of 2012 by Dr. Kari Jensen. In 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020 Mu Kappa was awarded the prestigious Gamma Theta Upsilon Honors Chapter Award for recognizing the scholarship of our geography students and for planning activities that celebrate and bring awareness of geography to the Hofstra campus and community.
Mu Kappa Inducts Twenty New Members, April 28, 2020
On Tuesday, April 28, 2020, the Department of Global Studies and Geography inducted 20 students into Mu Kappa, Hofstra University’s chapter of Gamma Theta Upsilon (GTU), the international geographic honor society. Through a virtual ceremony held over Zoom, the number of Mu Kappa members was increased to 158. Mu Kappa was founded in 2012 and has been the recipient of GTU’s Honors Chapter Award for the last five consecutive years.
Keynote speaker, Dr. Burrell Montz, Professor of Environmental Geography and Planning at East Carolina University, Interim Executive Secretary and past President of Gamma Theta Upsilon, offered a lively recount of her journey to the world of geography. Because of her passion for studying the intricate connections between humans and their physical surroundings she left high paying jobs as an environmental consultant and environmental planner, and embarked on her doctoral studies in Geography at the University of Colorado, Boulder. She decided to study the flood that had occurred in her home town three years prior, and this became the beginning of a long career dedicated to the study of natural hazards, water resources management and environmental impact analysis. Dr. Montz has advised many graduate students on these topics and she mentioned that she has enjoyed the opportunity to travel to many countries and all over the U.S. for research, conferences and talks. She has also been involved in several climate change related projects in North and South Carolina. She spoke passionately about the unique characteristics of the academic discipline of Geography, which entail such a diverse skill set that it can be successfully applied to a huge range of topics, such as the current COVID19 situation. She congratulated our initiates on their accomplishments and ensured them that they are entering an organization with very strong networking opportunities. Dr. Montz also mentioned the fact that two Mu Kappa members received scholarships for their Masters degrees (Jaclyn Catania ’14 and Thomas Vogel ‘16) and PhD degree (Thomas Vogel ‘16) in her department after having met her at Hofstra University where she gave a talk at our induction ceremony in 2014.
Sophia Hadeed '20 (Mu Kappa President), Adriana Galarza '20 (Vice President), Margaret Engel '21 (Historian), and Ligia Clara-Arenivar '19 (Secretary) led the ceremony to welcome the following new inductees:
Humza Bashir
Alena Etha Mae Clark
Sarah Dowd
Kyla Garcia
Christopher Richard Heilig
Robert Kinnaird
Sarah Klush
Kate Meagher
Sabrina Michael-Duncan
Antoinette Montes
Bri Ann-Marie Murphy
Dante Nazzaro
Thomas Mark Anson Nielsen
Anna Sofia Pasanen
Jenna Elizabeth Reda
Angela Rienzo
Hana Rubenstein
Alyson Sann
Tyler Christopher Stock
Janet Tran
View More Screenshots From the Event
18 New Members Inducted to Hofstra's Mu Kappa Chapter of Gamma Theta Upsilon, the Geographic Honor Society – April 15, 2019
On Monday, April 15, 2019, the Department of Global Studies and Geography inducted the 2018-19 class of Mu Kappa in a ceremony held at the University Club. The 18 initiates are now members of Gamma Theta Upsilon (GTU), the international geographical honor society that was founded in 1928, and bring the total number of members in Hofstra’s chapter to 138 since its inception in 2012.
Keynote speaker, Dr. Mona Domosh, Professor of Geography at Dartmouth College, and past President of the American Association of Geographers (AAG), offered a lively recount of her journey to the world of geography. She touched on her family’s frequent moves during her childhood which included vacations to various historical sites around the U.S. and how she discovered the potential of geography as a career late in her undergraduate studies. She is now a cultural-historical geographer with expertise in: urban historical geography, cultural geography, critical development studies, feminist theory and postcolonialism.
President, Christina Paccadolmi ‘19, Secretary, Julianna Cirafesi ’19, and Historian, Lois Paquette ‘19 conducted the ceremony to welcome the following new inductees:
Michael David Allen
Nicole Boucher
Justine Ecker
Margaret Collins Engel
Tianyue Gao
Julia Gurrola
Sophia Isabella Hadeed
Aliosman Can Kazdal
Justin D. Kumamoto
Ryan W. Leighton
Lauren E. Mahoney
Abby Normandin
Aleksandra Radeva
Raymond Lalesh Ram
Sally Louise Roscoe
Nicholas Tabarus
Olivia Tu
Xiling Ye
24 New Members Inducted to Hofstra's Mu Kappa Chapter of Gamma Theta Upsilon, the Geographic Honor Society – May 2, 2018
On Wednesday, May 2, 2018, the Department of Global Studies and Geography inducted 23 students and one faculty into Mu Kappa, our geography honors society, in a ceremony held at the University Club. The 24 initiates are now members of Gamma Theta Upsilon (GTU), the international geographical honor society that was founded in 1928, and bring the total number of members in Hofstra’s chapter to 120 since its inception in 2012.
Keynote speaker, Dr. Luis Alvarez León, Assistant Professor, Urban-Economic Geography – Graduate School at Clark University, spoke about the importance of geography as a discipline for social analysis and change. He later gave a talk to students and faculty in the Department titled, ‘From Streetscapes to Navigable Landscapes: Crowdsourcing and Contesting the Spaces of Autonomous Driving.’
Mu Kappa secretary, Rachel Scarpino, a senior who was inducted in 2017, shared a brief history of the organization, including an explanation of the symbolism of GTU’s badge.
President, Associate Professor Dr. Kari Jensen, and Vice President, Adjunct Associate Professor Dr. Veronica Lippencott conducted the ceremony to welcome the following new inductees:
Hofstra students:
Olukemi Ifenlota Anazodo
Emilie Beck
Rachel Amanda Billard
Larissa Marie Bryant
Daria Burge
Paula Ximena Chirinos Paucar
Julianna Cirafesi
Ligia Clara
Zachary Cole Cybulski
Kimberly Dossett
Adriana Galarza
Adanya Ella Hicks
Emily Bridget Kelley
Robert Levinson
Fatimah Mozawalla
Ciera Nickel
Christina Ann Paccadolmi
Lois Paquette
Aleena Pasha
Emma Rossetti
Alishbah Saddiqui
Amanda Skeene
Lara Noelle Van Patten
Hofstra faculty:
Jase Bernhardt
17 New Members Inducted to Hofstra's Mu Kappa Chapter of Gamma Theta Upsilon, the Geographic Honor Society – April 26, 2017
On Wednesday, April 26, 2017, the Department of Global Studies and Geography inducted the 2016-17 class of Mu Kappa in a ceremony held at the University Club. The 17 initiates are now members of Gamma Theta Upsilon (GTU), the international geographical honor society that was founded in 1928, and bring the total number of members in Hofstra’s chapter, Mu Kappa, to 96 since its inception in 2012.
Keynote speaker, Dr. Marianna Pavlovskaya, a professor at Hunter College and CUNY Graduate Center, discussed ‘Geography That Matters: Place-Making Potential of Credit Unions in New York City.’ She highlighted the unique qualities of credit unions (employment, ethnic, and religious oriented) and mapped them to show the various concentrations of branches as they related to the socio-economic neighborhoods in which they were located.
President, Associate Professor Dr. Kari Jensen, and Vice President, Adjunct Associate Professor Dr. Veronica Lippencott conducted the ceremony to welcome the following new inductees:
Hofstra students:
Carol Jane Burka
Marissa Nicole Duhaney
Jasmina Dzurlic
James Eager
Kelly Gallo
Celene Guzman
Sara Elizabeth Hicks
Mannat Thakur Kamboj
Connor Mayes
Claudia Hope Modica
Lauren Morgan
CapriAnna Pappalardo
Rachel Scarpino
John Van Fossen
Hofstra faculty:
Hewan Girma
Nisha Korattyswaroopam
Ying Qiu
20 New Members Inducted to Hofstra's Mu Kappa Chapter of Gamma Theta Upsilon, the Geographic Honor Society – April 13, 2016
The Department of Global Studies and Geography inducted 20 new members to Mu Kappa, Hofstra University's chapter of the international geographical honor society Gamma Theta Upsilon (GTU) in a ceremony held at the University Club on Wednesday, April 13, 2016.
The event was attended by both new and old members of Mu Kappa, along with Global Studies and Geography faculty and staff. Inductee and special guest Dr. Craig Dalton, Assistant Professor of Global Studies and Geography, gave the keynote speech congratulating the inductees and highlighting the value of geography for providing a spatial understanding of global society
Associate Professor Kari Jensen and Adjunct Assistant Professor Veronica Lippencott serve as president and vice president, respectively, of Mu Kappa. This year's inductees are:
Bhavneet Kaur Anand
Craig Myers Dalton
Sage E. Davino
Taner Bora Gadime
Jon Lloyd Isaacs
Christine Kempski
Aika Kobayashi
Jaclyn Langella
Gibson McKay LaRoche
Malcolm Cassius McCoy
Jeremy Matthew Moskow
Alison Elizabeth Nahrevar
Clayton John Oakley-Robbins
La Rainne Pasion
Alexandra Mae Phipps
Victoria Spagnuolo
Breanna Renee Stanco
Temperance L. Staples
Carys Brianne Swan
Blaine Catherine Volpe
Eleven New Members Inducted to Hofstra's Mu Kappa Chapter of Gamma Theta Upsilon, the Geographic Honor Society – April 29, 2015
Dr. Veronica A. Lippencott, the Mu Kappa Acting President, and Dr. Grant Saff, the Mu Kappa Vice President, inducted 11 new members, in a ceremony held at Hofstra University Club along with a luncheon on Wednesday, April 29, 2015. It was attended by both new and old members of Mu Kappa, along with Global Studies and Geography faculty. Special guest, Valerie Rizzuto, Assistant Instructor of Global Studies and Geography and alumnus of the Department, gave the keynote speech. Professor Rizzuto, who will be pursuing her Ph.D. in Geography at the University of South Florida in the Fall, highlighted her passion for geography and how important the discipline is for understanding of the world. We wish her well in her upcoming endeavor. Congratulations to the new members!
The Hofstra student inductees were:
Colin Adams
Thomas Bradley
Sabrina Clarke
Douglas Forgione
Nicole Marolda
Citadel Ann Mejia
Julia Rafatpanah
Joy Elyse Rumack
Eleanore Saintis
Samantha Sohnen
Thomas Vogel
Twenty-one New Members Inducted to Hofstra's Mu Kappa Chapter of Gamma Theta Upsilon, the Geographic Honor Society – April 23, 2014
Dr. Kari Jensen, the Mu Kappa Chapter President, inducted 21 new members, in a ceremony held at Hofstra's University Club followed by a luncheon on Wednesday, April 23, 2014. It was attended by both new and old members of Mu Kappa, including special guest Dr. Burrell Montz, Chair and Geography Professor at East Carolina University. Dr. Montz gave a captivating keynote speech highlighting her own career path as a Geographer as well as her involvement with the Honor Society through the years. Congratulations to the new members!
The Hofstra student inductees were:
Elizabeth Anders
Deeba Carvan
Athraja DeSilva
Lora Dunn-Hardy
Justin Ederheimer
Seth Egert
Tarek Elkattan
Gina Gallo
James Holman
Abraham Johnson
Mishaina Joseph
Danielle Marie Maiocco
Riley Hart Metcalfe
Catherine Misczuk
Sandra Morrongiello
Robert Murphy
Brittany Scalise
Clara Schopf
Ariana Spang
Venessa Trofa
David Zhukovsky
Nine new members inducted on May 9, 2013
Eight Hofstra students and one Hofstra professor were inducted as members of Gamma Theta Upsilon on May 9, 2013. A keynote speech on different uses of geographic knowledge was given by Dr. Christopher Niedt, who holds a PhD in Geography from University of California, Berkeley. Dr. Niedt is the academic director of the National Center for Suburban Studies, as well as an assistant professor in the Sociology department. The induction ceremony was led by Mu Kappa President, Dr. Kari Jensen, and Vice President, Dr. Veronica Lippencott. It was attended by both new and old members of Mu Kappa, including alumni Rebecca Galin, who is now doing a Masters of Secondary Education at University of Connecticut. Mu Kappa member Melanie Martha was awarded a GTU award for excellence in Geography for her honors thesis titled “Tourism and the Galápagos Islands: Examining the Relationship between Ecotourism and the Local Population”, for which she conducted fieldwork on the Galápagos Islands during the summer of 2012.
The Hofstra student inductees were:
Caron Cornell Bricks
Kira Kazantsev *
Nadir Khan
Kaylee Platt
Allison Ilana Shapero *
Nathan Traiger Shapiro
Gabriella Sperduto *
Kevin Alexander Tamerler
The Hofstra professor inductee was:
Christopher Niedt
Seven new members inducted on November 14, 2012
Six Hofstra students and one Hofstra professor were inducted as members of Gamma Theta Upsilon on November 14, 2012, in the lounge of the Department of Global Studies and Geography, 209 Roosevelt. A keynote speech on the importance of Geography was given by Dr. Grant Saff. The induction ceremony was led by Mu Kappa President, Dr. Kari Jensen, and Vice President, Dr. Veronica Lippencott, assisted by Mu Kappa student member Melanie Martha.
The Hofstra student inductees were:
Jaclyn Catania
Tara Lynn Cohen
Joshua Ettinger
Jennifer Perniciaro
Charles Picone
Hannah Kate Skahill
The Hofstra professor inductee was:
Grant Saff
MU KAPPA INDUCTION CEREMONIES - 2011/12
Department of Global Studies and Geography Initiates a Hofstra Chapter and Inducts Students into International Geographic Honor Society
Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY … On Wednesday, May 2, 2012, the Global Studies and Geography Department initiated Mu Kappa, the Hofstra University chapter of Gamma Theta Upsilon, the International Geographic Honor Society. President of Mu Kappa, Dr. Kari Jensen, and Vice President, Dr. Veronica Lippencott, inducted six students and three professors into Gamma Theta Upsilon during a ceremony held at 206 Roosevelt Hall. A keynote speech on the history of the Geography department at Hofstra University was given by Dr. James Wiley.
The Hofstra student inductees were:
Christopher Feneran
Rebecca Galin
William Keating
Melanie Martha
Elizabeth Jane Robson
James Yantis
The Hofstra professor inductees were:
Robert Brinkmann
Jean-Paul Rodrigue
James Wiley
Officers of Mu Kappa:
2023/2024:
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Kari Jensen
President: Julian Rocha
Vice President: Natalie Correa
Treasurer: Dr. Kari Jensen
Director of Events: Dr. Craig Dalton
Past Mu Kappa Officers
Mu Kappa Officers in the Past
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Kari Jensen
President: Kayla Stadeker
Vice President: Kate Meagher
Treasurer: Dr. Kari Jensen
Director of Events: Dr. Craig Dalton
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Kari Jensen
President: Kayla Stadeker
Vice President: Kate Meagher
Treasurer: Dr. Kari Jensen
Director of Events: Dr. Craig Dalton
Spring 2021:
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Jean-Paul Rodrigue
President: Margaret Engel
Vice President: Olivia Tu
Secretary: Jenna Reda
Historian: Christopher Heilig
Treasurer: Dr. Jean-Paul Rodrigue
Director of Events: Dr. Craig Dalton
Fall 2020:
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Kari Jensen
President: Margaret Engel
Vice President: Olivia Tu
Secretary: Jenna Reda
Historian: Christopher Heilig
Treasurer: Dr. Kari Jensen
Director of Events: Dr. Craig Dalton
Spring 2020:
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Kari Jensen
President: Sophia Hadeed
Vice President: Adriana Galarza
Secretary: Ligia Clara
Treasurer: Dr. Kari Jensen
Historian: Margaret Engel
Director of Events: Dr. Craig Dalton
Fall 2019:
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Kari Jensen
President: Ligia Clara
Vice President: Adriana Galarza
Secretary: Sophia Hadeed
Treasurer: Emma Rossetti
Historian: Margaret Engel
The Fall 2019 Executive Committee
(rear: Dr. Craig M. Dalton, Dr. Kari Jensen, front: Margaret Engel, Adriana Galarza, Ligia Clara, Alishbah Saddiqui, Sophia Hadeed, Emma Rossetti)
Spring 2019:
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Kari Jensen
President: Christina Paccadolmi
Vice President: Julianna Cirafesi
Director of Events: Dr. Craig Dalton
Secretary: Ligia Clara
Treasurer: Alishbah Saddiqui
Historian: Lois Paquette
Fall 2018:
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Kari Jensen
President: Rachel Scarpino
Vice President: Christina Paccadolmi
Director of Events: Dr. Craig Dalton
Secretary: Julianna Cirafesi
Treasurer: Alishbah Saddiqui
Historian: Lois Paquette
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Kari Jensen
President: Dr. Kari Jensen
Vice President: Dr. Veronica Lippencott
Director of Events: Dr. Craig Dalton
Secretary: Rachel Scarpino
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Kari Jensen
President: Dr. Kari Jensen
Vice President: Dr. Veronica Lippencott
Director of Events: Dr. Craig Dalton
Secretary: Sabrina Clarke
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Kari Jensen
President: Dr. Kari Jensen
Vice President: Dr. Veronica Lippencott
Secretary: Sabrina Clarke
Events Manager: Thomas Vogel
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Kari Jensen
Acting Faculty Sponsor, Spring 2015: Dr. Veronica Lippencott
President: Dr. Kari Jensen
Acting President, Spring 2015: Dr. Veronica Lippencott
Vice President: Dr. Veronica Lippencott
Acting Vice President, Spring 2015: Dr. Grant Saff
Secretary: Mishaina Joseph
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Kari Jensen
President: Dr. Kari Jensen
Vice President: Dr. Veronica Lippencott
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Kari Jensen
President: Dr. Kari Jensen
Vice President: Dr. Veronica Lippencott
| Last | First | Year | Semester |
|---|
| Adams | Colin | 2015 | Spring |
| Adeobafemi | Iman | 2024 | Spring |
| Allen | Brandon | 2021 | Spring |
| Allen | Michael Daniel | 2019 | Spring |
| Anand | Bhavneet | 2016 | Spring |
| Anazodo | Olukemi Ifenlota | 2018 | Spring |
| Anders | Elizabeth | 2014 | Spring |
| Arnold | Matthew | 2022 | Spring |
| Bashir | Humza | 2020 | Spring |
| Beck | Emilie | 2018 | Spring |
| Bernhardt | Jase* | 2018 | Spring |
| Billard | Rachel Amanda | 2018 | Spring |
| Boucher | Nicole | 2019 | Spring |
| Bradley | Thomas | 2015 | Spring |
| Bricks | Caron | 2013 | Spring |
| Brinkman | Robert * | 2012 | Spring |
| Bryant | Larissa Marie | 2018 | Spring |
| Burge | Daria | 2018 | Spring |
| Burka | Carol Jane | 2017 | Spring |
| Carvan | Deeba | 2014 | Spring |
| Catania | Jaclyn | 2012 | Fall |
| Chalfin | Olivia | 2022 | Spring |
| Chirinos Paucar | Paula Ximena | 2018 | Spring |
| Chowdhury | Juline S. | 2023 | Spring |
| Cirafesi | Julianna | 2018 | Spring |
| Clara | Ligia | 2018 | Spring |
| Clark | Alena Etha Mae | 2020 | Spring |
| Clarke | Sabrina | 2015 | Spring |
| Cohen | Tara | 2012 | Fall |
| Correa | Natalie | 2023 | Spring |
| Cunliffe | Marrakech Corinne | 2022 | Spring |
| Cybulski | Zachary Cole | 2018 | Spring |
| Dalal | Yashika | 2024 | Spring |
| Dalton | Craig* | 2016 | Spring |
| Davino | Sage | 2016 | Spring |
| DeLapi | Gregory | 2022 | Spring |
| Dennis | Samuel Siembos | 2023 | Spring |
| Desilva | Athraja | 2014 | Spring |
| Dossett | Kimberly | 2018 | Spring |
| Dowd | Sarah | 2020 | Spring |
| Duhaney | Marissa Nicole | 2017 | Spring |
| Dunn-Hardy | Lora | 2014 | Spring |
| Dzurlic | Jasmina | 2017 | Spring |
| Eager | James | 2017 | Spring |
| Ecker | Justine | 2019 | Spring |
| Ederheimer | Justin | 2014 | Spring |
| Egert | Seth | 2014 | Spring |
| Elkattan | Tarek | 2014 | Spring |
| Elwell | James Cameron | 2024 | Spring |
| Engel | Margaret Collins | 2019 | Spring |
| Ettinger | Joshua | 2012 | Fall |
| Feneran | Christopher | 2012 | Spring |
| Forgione | Douglas | 2015 | Spring |
| Francis | Brooklyn | 2021 | Spring |
| Frydrych | Nathaniel | 2021 | Spring |
| Gadime | Taner | 2016 | Spring |
| Galarza | Adriana | 2018 | Spring |
| Gallagher | Camryn | 2023 | Spring |
| Galin | Rebecca | 2012 | Spring |
| Gallo | Gina | 2014 | Spring |
| Gallo | Kelly | 2017 | Spring |
| Gao | Tianyue | 2019 | Spring |
| Garcia | Kyla | 2020 | Spring |
| Garcia | Leivys Maria | 2024 | Spring |
| Girma | Hewan* | 2017 | Spring |
| Greenberg | Madelyne | 2024 | Spring |
| Gurrola | Julia | 2019 | Spring |
| Gukeisen | Andreas | 2023 | Spring |
| Guzman | Celene | 2017 | Spring |
| Hadeed | Sophia Isabella | 2019 | Spring |
| Heilig | Christopher Richard | 2020 | Spring |
| Heeralall | Kerrie C. | 2024 | Spring |
| Henry-McCarter | Carol | 2021 | Spring |
| Hicks | Adanya Ella | 2018 | Spring |
| Hicks | Sara Elizabeth | 2017 | Spring |
| Holman | James | 2014 | Spring |
| Hrivnak | Ariyanna | 2022 | Spring |
| Isaacs | Jon | 2016 | Spring |
| Jasterzenski | Mercedes | 2022 | Spring |
| Jensen | Kari* | 2007 | Spring |
| Jerome | Laika | 2024 | Spring |
| Johnson | Abraham | 2014 | Spring |
| Joseph | Mishaina | 2014 | Spring |
| Kahn | Jarif Hassan | 2022 | Spring |
| Kaish | Alexander Mermelstein | 2022 | Spring |
| Kamboj | Mannat Thakur | 2017 | Spring |
| Kazantsev | Kira | 2013 | Spring |
| Kazdal | Aliosman Can | 2019 | Spring |
| Keating | William | 2012 | Spring |
| Kelley | Emily Bridget | 2018 | Spring |
| Kemp | Kiara | 2021 | Spring |
| Kempski | Christine | 2016 | Spring |
| Kerzner | Zachary | 2023 | Spring |
| Khan | Nadir | 2013 | Spring |
| Kinnaird | Robert | 2020 | Spring |
| Klush | Sarah | 2020 | Spring |
| Kobayashi | Aika | 2016 | Spring |
| Korattyswaroopam | Nisha* | 2017 | Spring |
| Kosek | Tiffany | 2021 | Spring |
| Kumamoto | Justin D. | 2019 | Spring |
| Langella | Jaclyn | 2016 | Spring |
| LaRoche | Gibson | 2016 | Spring |
| Leary | Irene | 2023 | Spring |
| Leighton | Ryan W. | 2019 | Spring |
| Levinson | Robert | 2018 | Spring |
| Lucchetto | Nicholas | 2023 | Spring |
| Mahoney | Lauren E. | 2019 | Spring |
| Maiocco | Danielle | 2014 | Spring |
| Malinowski | Olivia Catherine | 2024 | Spring |
| Marolda | Nicole | 2015 | Spring |
| Martha | Melanie | 2012 | Spring |
| Mayes | Connor | 2017 | Spring |
| McCoy | Malcolm | 2016 | Spring |
| McCormack | Genevieve M. | 2023 | Spring |
| McDonald | Thomas | 2022 | Spring |
| Meagher | Kate | 2020 | Spring |
| Medina-Munoz | Erika Marie | 2022 | Spring |
| Metcalfe | Riley | 2014 | Spring |
| Mejia | Citadel | 2015 | Spring |
| Michael-Duncan | Sabrina | 2020 | Spring |
| Misczuk | Catherine | 2014 | Spring |
| Modica | Claudia Hope | 2017 | Spring |
| Montes | Antoinette | 2020 | Spring |
| Morgan | Lauren | 2017 | Spring |
| Morrongiello | Sandra | 2014 | Spring |
| Moskow | Jeremy | 2016 | Spring |
| Mozawalla | Fatimah | 2018 | Spring |
| Mozawalla | Zainab | 2024 | Spring |
| Murphy | Bri Ann-Marie | 2020 | Spring |
| Murphy | Robert | 2014 | Spring |
| Nahrevar | Alison | 2016 | Spring |
| Nazzaro | Dante | 2020 | Spring |
| Negron | Ciara Alexis | 2022 | Spring |
| Nickel | Ciera | 2018 | Spring |
| Niedt | Christopher* | 2013 | Spring |
| Nielsen | Thomas Mark Anson | 2020 | Spring |
| Normandin | Abby | 2019 | Spring |
| Oakley-Robbins | Clayton | 2016 | Spring |
| Outar | Nuranjalie | 2024 | Spring |
| Paccadolmi | Christina Ann | 2018 | Spring |
| Pappalardo | CapriAnna | 2017 | Spring |
| Paquette | Lois | 2018 | Spring |
| Parisi | Thomas | 2021 | Spring |
| Pasanen | Anna Sofia | 2020 | Spring |
| Pasha | Aleena | 2018 | Spring |
| Pasion | La Rainne | 2016 | Spring |
| Pena | Zachary | 2022 | Spring |
| Perniciaro | Jennifer | 2012 | Fall |
| Phan | Elena | 2022 | Spring |
| Phipps | Alexandra | 2016 | Spring |
| Picone | Charles | 2012 | Fall |
| Platt | Kaylee | 2013 | Spring |
| Qiu | Ying* | 2017 | Spring |
| Quackenbush | Melanie | 2023 | Spring |
| Radeva | Aleksandra | 2019 | Spring |
| Rafatpanah | Julie | 2015 | Spring |
| Rahaman | Ivana | 2021 | Spring |
| Ram | Raymond Lalesh | 2019 | Spring |
| Reda | Jenna Elizabeth | 2020 | Spring |
| Ricciardi | James | 2023 | Spring |
| Rienzo | Angela | 2020 | Spring |
| Robson | Elizabeth | 2012 | Spring |
| Rocha | Julian | 2022 | Spring |
| Rodrigue | Jean-Paul* | 2012 | Spring |
| Roscoe | Sally-Louise | 2019 | Spring |
| Rosner | Erin Michele | 2022 | Spring |
| Rossetti | Emma | 2018 | Spring |
| Rubenstein | Hana | 2020 | Spring |
| Rumack | Joy | 2015 | Spring |
| Saddiqui | Alishbah | 2018 | Spring |
| Saff | Grant* | 2012 | Fall |
| Saintis | Eleanore | 2015 | Spring |
| Sanders | Heather Gabrielle | 2022 | Spring |
| Sann | Alyson | 2020 | Spring |
| Santiago | Ashley G. | 2023 | Spring |
| Scalise | Brittany | 2014 | Spring |
| Scarpino | Rachel | 2017 | Spring |
| Schopf | Clara | 2014 | Spring |
| Schreiner | Aidan | 2022 | Spring |
| Schwartz | Mitchell Morgan | 2022 | Spring |
| Shapero | Allison | 2013 | Spring |
| Shapiro | Nathan | 2013 | Spring |
| Skahill | Hannah | 2012 | Fall |
| Skeene | Amanda | 2018 | Spring |
| Sohnen | Samantha | 2015 | Spring |
| Spagnuolo | Victoria | 2016 | Spring |
| Spang | Ariana | 2014 | Spring |
| Sperduto | Gabriella | 2013 | Spring |
| Stadeker | Kayla | 2021 | Spring |
| Stanco | Breanna | 2016 | Spring |
| Staples | Temperance | 2016 | Spring |
| Starczewski | Molly K. | 2024 | Spring |
| Stauffer | Sarah Qiaotang | 2022 | Spring |
| Stock | Tyler Christopher | 2020 | Spring |
| Swan | Carys | 2016 | Spring |
| Tabarus | Nicholas | 2019 | Spring |
| Tamerler | Kevin | 2013 | Spring |
| Tocci | Lauren | 2024 | Spring |
| Tran | Janet | 2020 | Spring |
| Trofa | Venessa | 2014 | Spring |
| Tu | Olivia | 2019 | Spring |
| Van Fossen | John | 2017 | Spring |
| Van Patten | Lara Noelle | 2018 | Spring |
| Varnum | Grace | 2023 | Spring |
| Vogel | Thomas | 2016 | Spring |
| Vogel | Blaine | 2016 | Spring |
| Wiley | James* | 2012 | Spring |
| Yantis | James | 2012 | Spring |
| Ye | Xiling | 2019 | Spring |
| Yovanovich | RJ | 2021 | Spring |
| Zhukovsky | David | 2014 | Spring |
Mu Kappa News
Congratulations to the student and faculty members of Mu Kappa – the Hofstra University chapter of Gamma Theta Upsilon, the international geographic honor society – for earning the Honors Chapter Award for 2018/2019! This is the fifth consecutive year that Mu Kappa earned this award. Only five of GTU’s 130+ active chapters achieved the status of Honors Chapter in 2018/19.
The Honors Chapter award is given for spreading awareness of Geography through recognizing outstanding student scholarship and conducting campus service. This last year Mu Kappa members have helped organize diversity dinners (in cooperation with the student club Get Global), applied for funding from the Cultural Center for the keynote speaker at the yearly induction ceremony (Dr. Mona Domosh from Dartmouth College), sold fair trade organic chocolate, collected and shipped used textbooks to the organization “Books for Africa”, represented the Department of Global Studies and Geography at the Honors College Accepted Students Expo, and presented posters and papers at the American Association of Geographers (AAG) Middle States conference in NJ. Student members have played an g role in running the honors chapter this year and were in charge of organizing and conducting the induction ceremony in April. Mu Kappa’s diversity dinners and guest talks have contributed to expanding students’ worldviews and their acknowledgement and enhancement of diversity on Hofstra’s campus.
The Mu Kappa chapter was initiated at Hofstra University in the spring of 2012 by professor Kari Jensen. Since then, 138 Hofstra students and faculty have been inducted into the chapter.
Congratulations to the student and faculty members of Mu Kappa – the Hofstra University chapter of Gamma Theta Upsilon, the international geographic honor society – for earning the Honors Chapter Award for 2017/2018! This is the fourth consecutive year that Mu Kappa earned this award. Only 8 of GTU’s 130+ active chapters achieved the status of Honors Chapter in 2017/18.
This year, Mu Kappa was also the winner of Gamma Theta Upsilon's annual Initiation Ceremony Photo Contest, receiving a 36" inflatable beach ball globe, courtesy of the Geographic Educators of Nebraska.
The Mu Kappa chapter was initiated at Hofstra University in the spring of 2012 by professor Kari Jensen. Since then, 120 Hofstra students and faculty have been inducted into the chapter. Together with Get Global’s diversity dinners, Mu Kappa’s ceremonies and events have contributed to expanding student worldviews and increasing the recognition and enhancement of diversity on our campus. Mu Kappa’s recent award represents just one of many ways that our Geography program has received increasing recognition from the broader geographic community the last few years. Several of our students have presented papers and posters at both the regional and national annual meetings of the American Association of Geographers, including students representing our region at the World Geobowl competition held in conjunction with the National Annual Meeting (with an international attendance of around 10,000 people).
As part of Hofstra’s Geography Awareness week this year, the Cultural Center and the Department of Global Studies and Geography hosted a lecture given by Rutgers’ Dr. Robin Leichenko about her research on climate change. Titled “Climate Change and Globalization in Coastal Regions: Opportunities and Challenges for Building Resilience”, her lecture highlighted the fact that humans are causing a large portion of climate change through the release of fossil fuels, and that this is causing not only high temperatures, but also rising sea levels and stronger storms. Dr. Leichenko focused specifically on the example of Hurricane Sandy, and its effects on the particularly vulnerable coastline of New Jersey, where both the ocean and nearby rivers caused major flooding several miles inland. She expressed the importance of changing present policies in order to promote greater sustainability and to provide the coast with greater resilience in the event of future storms. Many of the students who attended asked meaningful questions ranging from who would benefit from a carbon tax to strategies of convincing current administrations about the global importance of combatting climate change. Thank you to everyone who was able to attend the lecture, and special thanks to Dr. Leichenko for coming to speak to us!
Visit our Flickr page for additional photos from the event.
Congratulations to the student and faculty members of Mu Kappa – the Hofstra University chapter of Gamma Theta Upsilon, the international geographic honor society – for earning the Honors Chapter Award for 2016/2017! This is the third consecutive year that Mu Kappa earned this award. Dr. Michael Longan, President of Gamma Theta Upsilon, wrote the following in his letter to Mu Kappa: “As you know the criteria for Honors Chapter include campus service and a commitment to recognize outstanding student scholarship in geography. Just 3 of GTU’s 130+ active chapters achieved the status of Honors Chapter in 2016/17.” The Mu Kappa chapter was initiated at Hofstra University in the spring of 2012 by professor Kari Jensen. Since then, 96 Hofstra students and faculty have been inducted into the chapter. Together with Get Global’s diversity dinners, Mu Kappa’s ceremonies and events have contributed to expanding student worldviews and increasing the recognition and enhancement of diversity on our campus. Mu Kappa’s recent award represents just one of many ways that our Geography program has received increasing recognition from the broader geographic community the last few years. Several of our students have presented papers and posters at both the regional and national annual meetings of the American Association of Geographers, including students representing our region at the World Geobowl competition held in conjunction with the National Annual Meeting (with an international attendance of around 10,000 people).
Congratulations to the student and faculty members of Mu Kappa – the Hofstra University chapter of Gamma Theta Upsilon, the international geographic honor society – for earning the Honors Chapter Award for 2016! This is the second consecutive year that Mu Kappa earned this award. Dr. Susy S. Ziegler, Second Vice President and Awards Committee Chair of Gamma Theta Upsilon, wrote the following in her letter to Mu Kappa: “Your chapter is commended not only for recognizing the superior scholarship of your geography students, but also for planning activities that celebrate and spread the word about geography to your campus and community. Congratulations!”
The Mu Kappa chapter was initiated at Hofstra University in the spring of 2012 by professor Kari Jensen. Since then, 72 Hofstra students and faculty have been inducted into the chapter. Together with Get Global’s diversity dinners, Mu Kappa’s ceremonies and events have contributed to expanding student worldviews and increasing the recognition and enhancement of diversity on our campus. Mu Kappa’s recent award represents just one of many ways that our Geography program has received increasing recognition from the broader geographic community the last few years. Several of our students have presented papers and posters at both the regional and national annual meetings of the American Association of Geographers, including students representing our region at the World Geobowl competition held in conjunction with the National Annual Meeting (with an international attendance of around 10,000 people). One of our faculty members, Dr. Grant Saff, served on the National Executive Council, and was Treasurer of the American Association of Geographers, and was also the Vice-President of the Middle States Association.
The award citation reads: “On behalf of the Gamma Theta Upsilon Awards Committee I write today to congratulate the Mu Kappa chapter at Hofstra University for earning the Honors Chapter Award for 2015! Your chapter is commended not only for recognizing the superior scholarship of your geography students, but also for planning activities that celebrate and spread the word about geography to your campus and community. Your chapter's service to geography is remarkable. Congratulations! You have earned the right to display an Honors Chapter Badge for 2015 on your GTU website or Facebook page. I have attached an e-badge to this message. A certificate recognizing your Honors Chapter Award will arrive via U.S. mail. With best wishes for another productive year, Dr. Susy S. Ziegler, Second Vice President and Awards Committee Chair, Gamma Theta Upsilon International Geographical Honor Society.”
The Mu Kappa chapter was initiated at Hofstra University in the spring of 2012 by professor Kari Jensen. Since then, 52 Hofstra students have been inducted into the chapter. Together with Get Global’s diversity dinners, Mu Kappa’s ceremonies and events have contributed to expanding student worldviews and increasing the recognition and enhancement of diversity on our campus. Mu Kappa’s recent award represents just one of many ways that our Geography program has received increasing recognition from the broader geographic community the last few years. Several of our students have presented papers and posters at both the regional and national annual meetings of the Association of American Geographers, and for the first time we have had students representing the region at the World Geobowl competition held in conjunction with the National Annual Meeting (with an international attendance of around 10,000 people). One of our faculty members, Dr. Grant Saff, served on the National Executive Council, and was Treasurer of the Association of American Geographers, and was also the Vice-President of the Middle States Association.
Mu Kappa’s President, Dr. Kari Jensen would like to extend special thanks to Dr. Veronica Lippencott, who served as acting President of Mu Kappa in the spring of 2015 while Dr. Jensen was on research leave in Bangladesh, and to Dr. Enid Lotstein for taking the lead in organizing events for the Geography Awareness week in the fall of 2014.
Annual Reports
