Show-Me State Times

A group of 14 college students recently visited New York City to gain insights into geospatial careers. This visit was part of the HBCU Immersion in GEOINT program, organized by Harris-Stowe State University in collaboration with the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. The program offers students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities a four-week experience in geospatial intelligence (GEOINT). After spending time at Harris-Stowe in St. Louis during the summer, the students reconvened for three days this fall to enhance their understanding of geospatial science and explore career opportunities.

"St. Louis’ geospatial community made this trip happen," stated Andy Dearing, Lead of GeoFutures, an initiative aimed at establishing St. Louis as a global geospatial hub. Support for the trip came from GeoFutures partners including GEO261, C-Edge Technologies, Reinventing Geospatial (RGI), Scale AI, The Globe Building, and The Post Building. "Because of their support, students from all over the country gained access to some of the top mentors, organizations, and experiences in GEOINT today."

The immersion program was founded by Dr. Freddie E. Wills Jr., Vice President for STEM Initiatives and Research Partnerships at Harris-Stowe State University. Launched in 2022 with eight students, it has expanded to include 20 participants over three years with backing from GeoFutures and other investors.

"The students participating in the program go back to their institutions and spread the word," Wills mentioned during an interview with theSTL.com. "Harris-Stowe has definitely advanced this work by opening doors to other HBCUs."

In New York City, students engaged in an interactive day led by Dr. Demetrice “Dee” Jordan from Harvard Medical School's Department of Global Health and Social Medicine. This event provided mentorship from leaders across STEM fields who offered guidance on pursuing careers in geospatial sciences.

"The Interactive Day of Engagement in New York City was a valuable experience for the scholars," said Wills. "This opportunity allowed them to understand that they had the potential to be students at an Ivy or other prestigious institutions such as NYU."

Students also attended the American Geographical Society’s Geography 2050 symposium at Columbia University Climate School, which focused on how cooperation and conflict affect climate change.

"Scale was excited to support this trip," commented AJ Segal from Scale AI's St. Louis AI Center. "We look forward to continuing to work with the entire community to position St. Louis as the Defense Tech hub for the United States."

GeoFutures partners supporting this initiative included Scale AI, GEO261, C-Edge Technologies, Reinventing Geospatial (RGI), The Globe Building, and The Post Building.