GISDE Student Awarded Grant

First year GISDE graduate student Monica Noon has received the competitive Career Development Grant awarded by the American Association for University Women.

MonicaNoonResize“I really wanted to apply for this grant because of the requirements,” said Noon. “It was specifically targeted at women who are going back to the University to further their education and careers. I feel that my aspirations strongly align with the mission of AAUW that promotes equality for women in higher education.”

Noon spent three and a half years in the Peace Corps working in rural Zambia before coming to Clark to work towards her master’s degree.

“I was creating maps while I was living in a national park and did not have access to GIS technology. But I could see potential real world applications in the work that I hope to do in the future,” Noon explained.

When it was time to apply for graduate school, Noon said it was the multidisciplinary nature of IDCE that drew her to the program in GISDE.

“I had an environmental background during my undergraduate studies and worked in international development through the Peace Corps. Those elements are so strong at Clark and there is the added strength of the GIS program,” said Noon.

Noon hopes to use her new skills to eventually return to Zambia. “My friends and I have a five-year plan,” Noon said. “We eventually would like to start a consultancy firm that empowers local organization in developing countries to use GIS technology.”

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