Alumni Updates

Tracy Jordan French

Geography, 1983

Tracy Jordan French, 1983, Geography, is the administrator of United States Servas, a nonprofit membership organization fostering understanding of cultural diversity through a global person-to-person network promoting a more just and peaceful world. Servas hosts and travelers are located in more than 120 countries worldwide. Servas International is accredited to the United Nations and was established in 1949.

Aquila Flower

Geography, 2004

Aquila Flower, 2004, Geography, lived out of a backpack in New Zealand and South America, in a coffee shack in Hawai'i, and on a tiny sailboat in the San Juan Islands after graduating. Flower then moved to Victoria, British Columbia, where she completed a Master of Science in Geography and worked as a geospatial and statistical analyst at a climate change research institute. She fell in love with teaching and with dendrochronology research, and is pursuing a Ph.D. at the University of Oregon. Flower has accepted her “dream job” as Assistant Professor of Geography at Western Washington University in Bellingham, where she teaches Physical Geography and geographic information systems.

Leah Manos

Geography, MS in geography from University of Tennessee 1997, 1992

LEAH MANOS, 1992 Geography, is teaching geography at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, and is a faculty advisor for its Gamma Theta Upsilon (geography honor society) chapter.

Yang Yang

Geography, second BA: International Studies, 2011 (Spring)

After I graduated from Humboldt in May 2011 with two BAs in Geography and International Studies, I went to London School of Economics and Political Science to pursue a MSc in Human Geography and Urban Studies Research. After completing my course work at the LSE, since August 2012, I proceeded to the PhD program in Cultural Geography at University of Colorado at Boulder to do research in ethnic studies in China.

Conrad Leo Huygen

Geography, 1994

Lieutenant Colonel Conrad Huygen (BA Geography ’94) is an Air Force chief senior defense counsel stationed at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. He is responsible for a team of 36 judge advocates and 26 paralegals who provide trial defense services in the eastern U.S., Europe, and Southwest Asia. His wife, Julie, is also an Air Force lieutenant colonel and is currently deployed to Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan.

Joel Correia

Geography, 2004

Since graduating from the HSU Geography program I have worked in a variety of international development jobs from a non-profit in Kenya, to serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Paraguay, and also designing my own projects to increase educational opportunities for rural youth in Paraguay. The last project took me on a six month, 5,000 mile bicycle tour through South America to raise funds and awareness about the project. In May of 2012, I graduated with a Master of Arts degree in Latin American Studies from the University of Arizona. I am excited to continue my education in geography at University of Colorado at Boulder where I will pursue a PhD.

Robert E. Ruehl

Geography, History, 1987

Work at Weather Forecast Office Eureka, CA. Currently involved in the installation of many automatic weather data collection packages(DCPs)throughout northwestern California in conjunction with CA State Parks, CA Dept. of Water Resources and the CA/NV River Forecast Center.

Gary Sawyer

Geography, Cartography, 1980

I worked as a cartographer since graduation in 1980 and for the past 10 years I worked for Pinellas County Florida as Cartographic Cadastralist. I really miss school and the challenges. Humboldt was the best time of my life. I am now 65 and retired. For many years I had my own cartographic business and produced and printed my own maps. For the last 10 years I have been using ARCInfo producing data bases and interactive
maps.

Verena Kellner

Geography, 2001

With work being slow my fiance Mike and I are taking time off to sail our 38' sailboat from Mexico to Australia via the South Pacific Islands. You can follow our journey on our blog at www.pacificsailors.com

Gary Perless

Geography, 1984

Two and a half decades after my first immersion in Latin America, I've maintained my Spanish fluency through travel, friendships, and teaching. I earned my M.A. in Geography Education at U of Oregon in 1993. I teach Spanish and World Geogaphy/History at West Sound Academy, a small, private, International School (grades 6-12) in Poulsbo, WA.

I live just outside Port Townsend with my wife, Jocelyn and our children William (9) and Serena (4). I'd love to hear from any fellow Geography or Oaxaca Program graduates.