Featuring Dr. Randy Bertolas, a professor of geography at Wayne State.
Since he’s a first-generation college graduate himself, Dr. Randy Bertolas knows the importance of helping first-generation college students navigate their college experience. Bertolas, a professor of geography at Wayne State, is this week’s subject of a special segment of the Faculty Spotlight Series, which honors First-Generation College Celebration Day on Friday, Nov. 7, at Wayne State.
“I have a lot of empathy for our first-generation college students because I was one myself,” said Bertolas, a native of Virginia, Minn. “I try to help them avoid some of the pitfalls that they – or any college student – can encounter during their college careers. Helping them navigate their way through four years is a priority of mine.”
As a geographer, Bertolas has navigated his own way across the globe, and he has mementos and souvenirs displayed in his office from everywhere he’s been. He says studying geography is important for everyone.
“Students need to study people, places, cultures, and landscapes besides those that are familiar to them daily,” said Bertolas, who began teaching at Wayne State in 1995. “It’s their world, too, and a small one in many ways … and you’re not getting another one.”
“Geography is exploration, and it sets the table for that day when you can go exploring on your own,” continued Bertolas. “Geography is about searching for clues and finding patterns, setting you up for playing on the biggest gaming platform of all: Earth’s surface. Geography helps you understand ‘the other’ and how they live, their traditions, and their points of view. Endless wars have been fought because neither side could empathize with the other. Geography is flexibility; the field covers a broad series of topics and technologies.”
Bertolas added that geography lends itself to a wide variety of careers, which are currently being enjoyed by numerous Wayne State graduates.
“Wayne State geography majors have gone on to work at state governments, federal agencies, private companies, and public entities,” said Bertolas. “We have former students now employed at the Nebraska Department of Roads, the Siouxland Interstate Metropolitan Planning Council, and the city planning office in Arlington, Tex. One of our former grads is leading her best life working for the National Park Service in West Yellowstone, Mont.”
When he’s not busy teaching, Bertolas can be found coordinating the Festival of Trees during the holiday season, the Geography Bowl (being held Nov. 6), and Social Sciences Day (being held Nov. 13).
Bertolas is chair of the Department of History, Politics, and Geography. He 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), for which he also served as international president in 2011-12.
Bertolas’ numerous awards and honors include the Wayne State Student Senate’s Professor of the Year Award (2005, 2009, 2024), the State Nebraska Bank and Trust Teaching Excellence Award (2018), the Nebraska State College System Teaching Excellence Award (2018), Pi Gamma Mu Hall of Fame Induction (2017), and the Pi Gamma Mu Award of Excellence (2008).
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).
Bertolas' teaching interests include world regional, political, and human geography as well as regional study of Russia, Nebraska, the United States, and Canada. His research interests include geography education, natural disasters, and tourism.
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.
Fun Fact: “There is never a single moment of the day when I don’t have music playing inside my head.”