GSS Spotlight!

CALEB KILLIAN

What is your education and professional background?

I got my high school degree from Cochrane-Fountain City school district, and I have 2 semesters of college done (working on my third now).

What led you to GIS? More specifically, how did you get to Saint Mary's University of Minnesota (SMUMN) in Winona? 

One of the main reasons I decided to come study here was because I get free tuition since my mother works here. The campus is also beautiful, and I enjoy the size of the community (it's bigger than my high school but still small enough to be relaxing). I was recommended to apply at the GSS offices by my mother, and I followed through with it because the work seemed interesting to me.

Explain briefly a project at GSS you've done that contributed to your overall knowledge and educational experience.

Everything that I do at GSS adds to my overall knowledge. The biggest thing is that I've been taught how to use ArcMap, which is useful for many different things such as surveying populations of areas to decide where to start your business. I can also distinguish bodies of water I see in real life by their attributes, and I have a somewhat extensive knowledge on the types of weeds that will eventually take over and rule humanity.

How do you see GIS fitting into your future? 

Although I'm not 100% sure on my major yet, knowing how to use tools such as ArcMap could help me with finding target markets as a marketing major.

Where can we find you outside of GSS?

You can find me roaming around campus with buddies, or doing something outside. Whether it's longboarding, cliff jumping, hiking, or skiing, I always have something to do outdoors. You can also find my artistic endeavors online at https://soundcloud.com/compence , where I upload the music I write and produce.