Dr. Bill Strong: Championing Geography in Education and Beyond

In this installment of the GeoInspirations series, Dr. Joseph Kerski highlights individuals whose dedication has strengthened the geospatial profession and elevated the importance of geography. This feature honors Dr. Bill Strong, whose decades-long commitment to teaching, mentoring and advocacy has shaped generations of students and advanced geography education across multiple levels.

A Career Built on Teaching and Student Success

Dr. Strong devoted 42 years to the University of North Alabama (UNA), carrying an extraordinary teaching load of five courses per semester for much of his career. The scale of that commitment is remarkable, and its impact is measurable: thousands of students passed through his classrooms, many securing employment before or immediately after graduation. Some alumni have gone on to establish successful companies of their own.

The professional community he cultivated remains active. Now in its eleventh year, the UNA Geography Alumni Conference brings former students back to campus to present their work in both public and private sectors. Notably, this initiative originated with alumni themselves and remains the only departmental alumni branch at UNA that sustains an annual conference.

From Anthropology to a Lifelong Passion for Geography

Dr. Strong’s academic journey began in anthropology. As an undergraduate, he was captivated by field stories and archaeological exploration, particularly in Mesoamerica. A formative expedition through the Yucatán, Belize and Guatemala—traveling 7,000 miles in 17 days in a 1957 Chevrolet—immersed him in ancient sites and landscapes. Yet it was a geography graduate student on that journey who shifted his perspective. Through commentary on physical and cultural landscapes, that mentor reframed the scenery around him, opening what Dr. Strong describes as his “geographic eye.”

Although he completed his undergraduate degree in anthropology, geography became his enduring intellectual passion.

Mentorship and the Art of Teaching

A central influence in Dr. Strong’s development was Dr. Robert K. Holz, chair of his Ph.D. committee. Dr. Holz was known for his engaging lectures on cartography, map interpretation and Africa, and for his early engagement with remote sensing in the 1960s. His scholarly rigor, professionalism and care for students left a lasting impression.

When Dr. Strong began teaching full time, his first lecture fell short of expectations. Reflecting on his mentor’s approach, he practiced lecturing repeatedly at home until he found his rhythm. From that point forward, his teaching style was deeply shaped by Dr. Holz’s example. His students, in turn, benefited from that lineage of scholarship and mentorship.

Building a Geospatial Legacy at UNA

During his 29 years as department chair, Dr. Strong guided numerous initiatives that strengthened geography at UNA. The department adopted an early focus on geospatial technologies, supported by partnerships with organizations such as the Tennessee Valley Authority, ERDAS and Esri. Enrollment in the major increased significantly, and graduates consistently secured employment. A graduate program in Geospatial Science flourished, and outreach efforts to K–12 educators expanded.

For nearly three decades, Dr. Strong also served as a coordinator for the Alabama Geographic Alliance, reinforcing connections between higher education and public schools.

National Geographic Society and National Standards

From 1991 to 1993, Dr. Strong served as geographer-in-residence at the National Geographic Society (NGS), taking a two-year leave from UNA. This period coincided with the expansion of state geographic alliances aimed at strengthening K–12 geography education nationwide.

At NGS, he conducted teacher workshops, led three summer Instructional Leadership Institutes, traveled internationally through Project Marco Polo and participated in the development of the National Geography Standards. The resulting publication, Geography for Life, established rigorous, globally respected benchmarks that reshaped both his understanding of the discipline and his approach to undergraduate teaching.

Protecting and Promoting the Discipline

Throughout his career, Dr. Strong remained mindful of geography’s vulnerability within educational systems. At times, institutions considered merging geography into broader social studies curricula or eliminating courses entirely. Recognizing that professional survival required advocacy, he worked diligently to demonstrate the practical and intellectual value of geographic education.

He authored opinion pieces explaining the importance of geography, engaged local media and emphasized the growing relevance of remote sensing and GIS. His efforts underscored that geography equips students with marketable skills and provides essential insights into community and global systems.

Working with the Alabama State Department of Education, he advocated for maintaining a dedicated seventh-grade geography course, emphasizing geography in third grade and integrating geographic perspectives across history curricula. Leveraging his National Geographic experience, he helped ensure geography maintained a meaningful presence in state standards. Early funding from both the Alabama State Department of Education and NGS supported these outreach efforts.

The Continuing Need for Advocacy

Despite decades of promotion, Dr. Strong observes that many people still misunderstand what geographers do and underestimate the discipline’s value. He stresses the need for ongoing public education about geography’s contributions—to workforce readiness, civic understanding and informed global citizenship.

Advice for the Next Generation

Dr. Strong encourages emerging geographers to approach the discipline with curiosity and enthusiasm. He emphasizes maintaining a spirit of exploration, engaging with communities at local and state levels, building professional networks and nurturing student growth. Above all, he urges geographers to step beyond their offices and experience the world firsthand.

Through sustained teaching excellence, institutional leadership and unwavering advocacy, Dr. Bill Strong exemplifies how one educator can influence both individual lives and the broader trajectory of a discipline.