Faculty

Besides Alfred Meyer several other faculty members are particularly noteable for their service to the Department and the discipline. William Kowitz, Erwin Buls, and John Strietelmeier all taught in the Department during its heyday in the 1960s. Strietelmeier, besides serving as VU's Vice President of Academic Affairs, co-authored Geography in World Society with Alfred Meyer in 1963. Ferencz Kallay, who taught in the Department for more than 35 years, was instrumental in sending VU students on to graduate work in geography. Alice Rechlin was the first woman to graduate from VU and earn a Ph. D. in geography. After returning to VU and joining the faculty she held important positions in the Association of American Geographers and Gamma Theta Upsilon. She later went on to become the Chief Cartographer for the National Geographic Society. Ron Janke has taught at VU for more than 25 years and is the recipient of the VU Alumni Association distinguished teaching award.

Faculty, 1961-1962 Back row: Assistant Professor William Kowitz, M.A.; Assistant Professor Edward Miles, Ph.D.; Mr. Elmer Hess, M.S.; Associate Professor Ferencz Kallay, Ph.D.. Front row: Professor Alfred Meyer, Ph.D., Associate Professor Erwin Buls, M.S.; Mr. John Kunstmann, M.A.