MCC professor selected for international committee
Nicole Villa Cerveny will begin her first initiative with the National Committee for Geosciences in the spring after being the first MCC professor handpicked to join the volunteer service.
Cerveny is a geography professor at MCC and will serve as one of the eight people chosen to be a part of the U.S. National Committee for the International Union of Geosciences. She is also the first community college professor to be selected to the committee.
The U.S. National Committee for the International of Geosciences selects geography professors across America to be a part of their international and national geography affairs. The volunteer service will be composed of many parts.
Cerveny is one of five women in the eight person committee. Additionally, she is part of a brand new team in the committee and was approached after she had moderated a committee meeting.
Cerveny chose to be in the four year volunteer service to showcase community college talent.“I’m excited to represent community colleges and let other people know what a gem two-year colleges are for people. We have so much potential”, said Cerveny. Cerveny may serve to inspire the next generation of community college students who go on to study geography and sustainability.
Cerveny can be seen as one the reasons MCC has more success and students in the geography and sustainability department. Her passion to make students understand and appreciate the advancement of geography is one of the many reasons she was chosen.
Seeing students find a passion for the same program she loves is a reason she enjoys her job. “I have a huge passion for undergraduate research with my students and I look forward to what kind of opportunities will occur from this”, said Cerveny.
The volunteer service has its members becoming involved in legislative decisions for geoscience whether it be to see what direction the geoscience is going, or to communicate the value of geosciences to legislators.
Additionally, the committee members will represent the U.S. during international meetings. Cerveny and other committee members discuss progressing geography with other geoscience members throughout the world.
Cerveny will serve as a member of the committee for four years.“The terms overlap, and we have a complete number every four years. Terms are every four years and usually we select people every two years,”said Associate Director of the United States National Organization Ester Sztein.
Usually, volunteer service members would meet in Washington D.C. for meetings dealing with the geography and sustainability in the U.S. For now, her position will be remote as she sits in on meetings until the committee brings members back for face-to-face meetings.
Cerveny already began service in January. In the coming months, she will begin representing her country in geoscience affairs at both the national and international level.
Cerveny is also a first-generation college graduate. “I didn’t exactly know what I was going to study in college because I am the first in my family to attend college at all,” said Cerveny. Being a first generation graduate, she appreciates every achievement she receives.
Before Cerveny chose her passion of geography and sustainability she was an accountant. She never saw a successful person in her current career until herself. She continues to be an example of excellence within MCC.
