Happy October! The air is crisp, the leaves are changing colors (in some places), and we're just over halfway through the semester! We have another student spotlight to share with you this month. Madeline Crawford is a second-year Master's student in our Geography program and serves as a TA for our Earth Science labs. Madi's major professor is Dr. Oppong who she previously worked with as an undergraduate in the geography program. She is also working with Dr. Tiwari who is a professor at Georgia State University.

Madi did not seek out geography as a major originally, but later transferred out of biochemistry when she saw how many different career outlets and research interests the department offered. After working in a pharmacy specializing in mental health prescriptions for four years, Madi learned a lot about the gaps and underlying issues in our healthcare infrastructure. Dr. Oppong's medical geography class provided "the bridge that connected many of [her] multi-disciplinary interests." Our geography program was able to combine her interests in science, health, and politics into one format that piqued her interest.

Madi enjoyed her time as an undergrad at UNT and has continued to enjoy her time now as a graduate student. One of her favorite places on campus is the Environmental Science building which she has admitted to rarely leaving unless she needs something. Because of this, it has allowed her to build relationships with the professors in Geography and learn more about their teaching and research styles. This has given her a more diverse and holistic perspective of the field. According to Madi, "[she has] always seen the department like a kind of puzzle, where each member is crucial and unique."

After finishing her master's in Geography, Madi intends to pursue a master's in public health, using her background in geography to help fill gaps in the public health system through the use of tools like GIS analysis and spatial statistics and reasoning. Once she finishes school, Madi would like to work with a private/public group that addresses health issues at the population level, such as the CDC or WHO, or even a local group targeting communicable diseases, air pollution, or drinking water supply.

Something interesting about Madi is that she holds dual citizenship to the US and the UK, and is the first person on her mother's side of the family to be born in America. She has close relatives in England, South Africa, and Australia. Madi considers herself fortunate and grateful that she can travel to visit her family across the world. Another fun fact about Madi is that she grew up fostering dogs. She lived with up to six dogs at a time!

When it comes to hidden gems in Denton, Madi knows a couple of great spots. The first is Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studios, a long-standing music venue that hosts music shows, community markets, and other types of performances. Madi really enjoys the sense of community she gets when she visits Rubber Gloves. The second is Ravelin Bakery, located just off Denton's Square. Our department also knows and loves Ravelin, and we agree with Madi when she said, "Ravelin is a staple of the Denton community."