Published Friday, May 31st, 2024
Dr. Randy Bertolas has received the WSC Student Senate’s Dr. Patricia Arneson Professor of the Year Award for the third time.
Dr. Randy Bertolas, professor of geography and chair of the History, Politics, and Geography Department at Wayne State College, has received the Wayne State Student Senate’s Dr. Patricia Arneson Professor of the Year Award for the 2023-24 academic year.
Bertolas also received the award in 2005 and 2009.
Bertolas serves as faculty advisor for Pi Gamma Mu, (the social sciences honor society), Phi Kappa Phi (multidisciplinary honor society), and Gamma Theta Upsilon (the geography honor society). He also served as its international president in 2011-12.
Bertolas is a member of the American Association of Geographers (AAG), the National Council for Geographic Education (NCGE), the Nebraska State Council for the Social Studies (NSCSS), and the Geographic Educators of Nebraska (GEON).
In 2018, Bertolas received the State Nebraska Bank & Trust Teaching Excellence Award and the Nebraska State College System Teaching Excellence Award. He also received the Distinguished Mentor Award and Geographic Excellence in Media Award from the NCGE in 2018.
Bertolas earned his bachelor of arts degree in Geography from the University of Minnesota-Duluth, his master of arts degree in Geography from the University of Vermont, and his Ph.D. in Geography from State University of New York at Buffalo.