Blinn College professor recognized for superior geography instruction

Texas State University awards Geography Professor Rhonda Reagan its prestigious Booth Award

June 5, 2017

A Blinn College professor’s commitment to building relationships inside and outside the classroom has captured the attention of her peers at Texas State University.

Rhonda Reagan, a geography professor at the Blinn-Bryan Campus, recently was honored with the Mary Beth Booth Award for Outstanding Service by an Extramural Educator by Texas State University’s Department of Geography. Presented annually during the Texas State Geography Alumni Reunion and Student Celebration, the award honors faculty from outside institutions who exhibit outstanding service and scholarship of teaching and learning in the geography field.

Reagan, a veteran of 31 years in the classroom, was nominated by Dr. Richard Earl, a professor in Texas State’s Department of Geography.

“Dr. Earl and I have maintained a working relationship for many years, and I am honored that he nominated me for this prestigious award,” Reagan said. “The Blinn Geography Department will continue to closely interact with Texas State so our students can enjoy the incredible research and curriculum opportunities Texas State offers.”

The Mary Beth Booth Award is named in honor of a geography professor at Austin Community College who developed the school’s Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Program – a venture Reagan also has undertaken at Blinn. Through an articulation agreement with Texas State, Reagan has played an instrumental role in bringing an introductory GIS course to Blinn for the Fall 2017 semester. Students will have the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of industry standard GIS software, as well as interact with geographic data and maps.

Reagan is a co-advisor for the Blinn Geographic Society, an organization that allow students to supplement their coursework with additional hands-on experience, and assists students in preparing and presenting research posters at Texas State’s annual Geography Student Research Symposium.

“Rhonda is dedicated to ensuring her students’ success both inside and outside the classroom,” said Brandon Franke, Dean of the Division of Social Sciences. “Her work with the Blinn Geographic Society has made it a leading club on campus, and the contacts she has made through that process have raised the bar for our Geography Program to where universities actively seek our students. This is a well-deserved award.”

Registration currently is available for Blinn’s Summer II and Fall semesters. For enrollment information and to learn about financial aid opportunities, visit:www.blinn.edu.