This letter is a comment on the article that was published Sept. 4, about how the United States lacks geographical skills.

I find it to be very disappointing that we, as Americans, lack the knowledge of geography. Many people perceive geography as just maps and pointing out capitals or major cities.

This is totally false. As a geography major myself, I can tell you up front that there are more than just maps.

As I just learned in my GEOG 300 class this week, as confirmation, geography connects with other sciences. Some of these sciences include: atmospheric sciences, soil sciences, geology (in the sense of geomorphology) and population geography.

Davis Hall, which is where the geography department is located, is also the home to the geology and meteorology departments. I am working on the geographic information systems (GIS) certificate.

This uses data taken from the real world and makes them into maps via computer software. If you have ever seen a population density map or land usage map, you have seen GIS in action.

I just want people to understand that there is more the geography than has been perceived.

Timothy Godsey

Junior, geography