For Don

Don Zeigler, a geography icon.  Voyager Coffee, Norfolk 16 June 2022

I first met Dr. Don Zeigler in 2014 when interviewing at Old Dominion University.  He and I shared an experience, both graduates of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education.  We bonded immediately - me, a newly minted Ph.D. climatologist and he, a giant in K-16 geographic education.  Don and I often met for coffee, a walk, or a trip during my 8 years in southeast Virginia.  A true mentor and friend, he introduced me to the Virginia Geographic Alliance, welcoming me into a community that has helped guide my professional career.  Our last adventure, Don and I traveled to the Eastern Shore of Virginia (ESVA) to photograph post offices and explore how the landscape changed over his career.  Forever curious, Don's stories and life-experience mesmerized me.  

Don pushed me towards applying for a Fulbright, and while in Serbia (2023), we text often, discussing his diagnosis and desire to visit the region, an outcome we both ultimately knew was unlikely but dreams inspire.  Before Instagram, Don started Geographically Yours.  This photo blog aims to chronicle my every day experiences, travels, and observations, building on Don's aspiration to tell the story of the world, one photo at a time.  Near and far.  The familiar and the unknown.  Thanks Don.