Local geography student helps UW-W excel in contest
By Dave Fidlin
Correspondent
Virtual visitors of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater campus will have more robust visuals to enjoy, thanks to the efforts of a recent group of college graduates, including a Burlington woman.
The student participants enhanced the university’s presence on Google Maps, a popular website that gives online users an opportunity to travel and take in the various landmarks of a destination area.
Four UW-Whitewater seniors – three majoring in geography – changed this recently, following months of scrutiny and attention to detail. The students worked at the university’s Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Center in Upham Hall.
Up until recently, UW-Whitewater appeared merely as a colored polygon on Google Maps. Finite details – including buildings, pathways, parking lots and athletic fields – had not yet been depicted on the site.
“We took note of a lot of details, including roads and sidewalks, all of the buildings and other features, including the dining halls,” said Burlington resident Amanda Kretschmer, who was among the student participants. “When people zoom in, they will see a lot more.”
Early this year, Google launched an international contest in an effort to spruce up information depicted on the mapping sites. UW-Whitewater students took third prize for their contributions.
Jeff Angileri, assistant director of UW-Whitewater’s marketing and media relations department, said students from 48 universities in the U.S. and Canada accepted the challenge.
“The entire process was fun and interesting, all in the same bundle,” said Chris Berryman of Gurnee, Ill., who also participated in the venture. “It was tedious, but not as bad as I originally thought it would be.”
Berryman, who has continued working at the GIS Center in the immediate future, said Google Maps had strict requirements that he and other student participants had to follow carefully. Any edits to the map-making process ultimately were approved by Google staff.
Other student participants included Jimmy Gardner of Hartland and Audrey Salerno of Northbrook, Ill.
Staff at the university’s GIS Center provided guidance, when needed, but students ultimately took ownership of the endeavor.
“Our project incorporates a novel twist,” said Eric Compas, GIS Center director and assistant professor of geography, in a statement. “UW-Whitewater is one of the most (handicap) accessible universities in the nation, and the GIS Center is working to depict this information online.”
Salerno, who uses a wheelchair, said the project hit close to home for her because she was able to help in depicting the various ramps, as well as staircases, throughout the campus.
In a statement, Alvin Rentsch, UW-Whitewater GIS project manager, said the students’ work will be a plus as they head out into the working world.
“When they go for job interviews, they can show how they planned, implemented and deployed this project,” Rentsch said.
Kretschmer is thankful and optimistic of where her recent experience at the GIS Center will take her.
“Hopefully this will lead to something great,” she said. “It’s definitely been rewarding and was a great way to end my time on campus.”
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