Muskegon Community College student Stephanie Carr of North Muskegon, MI, was recently selected to represent the East Lakes Division of the American Association of Geographers in the annual World GeoBowl on April 7 during the annual American Association of Geographers (AAG) meeting in Denver, CO.
Held annually since 1993, the World GeoBowl is an international quiz bowl tournament with competitors representing more than 90 countries. The first place and runner-up teams, as well as the highest scoring individuals, win prizes.
The East Lakes Division, which has won GeoBowl championships in 2014, 1999 and 1998, is a regional subdivision of the American Association of Geographers. It represents 19 universities with geography departments, as well as individuals that are housed in other universities, in Ohio and the lower peninsula of Michigan.
“This is an academic achievement to behold,” noted MCC Geography Faculty Member Diana Casey. “It is rare that a community college student secures a position on a World GeoBowl Regional Team. Muskegon Community College and MCC Geography are incredibly proud.”
A 2015 graduate of North Muskegon High School, Carr was one of just six from nearly 100 student participants to earn a place on the East Lakes Division Team at the 2020 GeoBowl. She competed for the spot at the 2019 ELDAAG Conference at Saginaw Valley State University in October.
Those chosen excelled on the East Lakes Quiz and reflect academic institutional diversity. Each GeoBowl team must include at least one male, one female, one graduate student and one undergraduate student. The team must also include students from two or more academic institutions located within its respective region. The students, who must be full-time students at the time of the event, will receive scholarship support from both the ELDAAG and AAG to attend the World GeoBowl.
The members of the 2020 East Lakes Quiz Team are:
Kevin McKeehan, Michigan State University
Mitchell R. Guza, Saginaw Valley State University
Stephanie Carr, Muskegon Community College
Graeme McCormick Timmeney,Lydia Serwaah Yeboah and Robert Carl Homan – Western Michigan University
In addition to her GeoBowl participation at the AAG Conference, Carr will conduct a poster presentation of her current research focused upon the Asian Longhorn Beetle. Under Casey’s leadership, Carr is organizing a student chapter at MCC of Gamma Theta Upsilon, the international geographical honor society, and will serve as the chapter president.
After earning an Associate in Science and Arts degree from Muskegon Community College in May, Carr plans to transfer to Western Michigan University to pursue a bachelor’s degree in geography.