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“Please keep helping more students come to GSA—

we need your support!”

Your support makes On To the Future (OTF) a pivotal pro- Meeting, but continues to provide professional support and
gram that enables a cohort of diverse students to attend their friendship. This experience inspired Ángel to serve as a
first GSA Annual Meeting. Through the generosity of GSA mentor during the GEOPATHS-IMPACT: Professional
members, both as mentors and donors, OTF continues to engage Development Pathways to Diversifying the Geosciences
these students in ongoing career development and leadership Workforce workshop for OTF students at the 2018 GSA Annual
opportunities. As we approach the program’s seventh year, we Meeting. Ángel is particularly grateful to GSA Foundation
asked OTF alumni to reflect upon their experience with the pro- supporters: “Donor support of OTF means that more students
gram and its continued impact in their geoscience careers. from diverse cultural, academic, and financial backgrounds
can go to the national meeting and become part of the society.
For Crystal Tulley-Cordova, OTF Please keep helping more students come to GSA—we need
2014, principal hydrologist for the Navajo your support!”
Nation, “Participating in OTF allowed me
to be introduced to others like me, under- Maria Bonilla, OTF 2018, recently
represented individuals in the geosciences. accepted a position with the Texas
Attending my first GSA Annual Meeting Commission on Environmental Quality—
reaffirmed to me I have a unique perspec- a decision that was directly impacted by
tive and contribution to offer to the geosci- her OTF experience. During a speaker
ences as a Native American.” Crystal has panel on geoscience careers, Maria was
remained active in GSA, presenting inspired by an environmental geologist:
research at the joint Rocky Mountain–Cordilleran Section “I had the opportunity to gain insights on
Meeting in 2018, and deepening her commitment to mentoring the types of work in the environmental
undergraduate and graduate students across disciplines. For field, as well as how to prepare and stand
Crystal, there is no question, “OTF increases diversity in the out during my job search. I was also exposed to research that
geosciences and encourages participants to present their sparked my interest in hydrogeology. Since then, I have been
research, network with attendees, and to stay engaged with the involved with projects in understanding and managing water
scientific community.” resources.” Maria remains active in GSA and is excited to serve
as an OTF mentor in the future: “OTF creates a sense of belong-
Ángel A. García Jr., OTF 2015, visiting ing in an organization with over 22,000 members, and it is an
assistant professor at James Madison important program to support underrepresented minorities.”
University, is grateful for the comprehen-
sive support OTF provided: “Participating Crystal, Ángel, and Maria have benefitted from your
in GSA as an OTF student opened many support—will you help continue this legacy? Your generosity
opportunities. Besides the financial sup- cultivates the next generation of geoscientists and provides oppor-
port the program offers and is much appre- tunities to underrepresented communities in the geosciences.
ciated, being paired with a mentor during Make your gift today! You can give online at gsa-foundation
the Annual Meeting is really beneficial. .org/donate, or to discuss in-depth ways that you can support On
I cannot stress more how important this is.” To the Future, please contact Clifton Cullen at +1-303-357-1007 or
Ángel’s OTF mentor not only helped him navigate the Annual ccullen@geosociety.org.

www.gsa-foundation.org

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