The Department of Geography celebrated the grand opening of its new student reading room with a ribbon cutting ceremony on January 13, 2026.
“It was exhilarating to see the process come together with contributions from so many individuals,” said Anne Chin, Ph.D., Chairperson of the Department of Geography.
The reading room is a long anticipated outcome of collaboration between geography graduate students, faculty, and staff. The idea for the room was born in October 2024 when members of the Graduate Researchers of Geography came to Dr. Chin with a list of requests and concerns regarding the current learning environment. Among these requests was a plan to renovate an existing room, often underutilized by students.
Dr. Chin met with Tim Chapin, Ph.D., Dean of the College of Social Sciences and Public Policy to discuss these requests and concerns, and the plan for the reading room was set in motion.
In the following months, Dr. Chin and students in the Department—Renée Darbonne, Dani ONeill, MD Abdul Fattah, Joss Kim, Craig Anderson, and Ariana Katsaras— collaborated on potential designs for the reading room.
Ziqi Li, Ph.D., who chairs the Departmental Outreach and Marketing Committee, worked with FSU Facilities to remove a closet to enlarge the room. Once renovation was complete, students selected the carpeting, and staff joined in to debate and select wall colors and the fabric and designs of the chairs.
“I was so impressed with the group and enjoyed working with them through 2024-2025,” said Dr. Chin. “Because of their dedication to making FSU Geography a better place for fellow students, we have a wonderful new space that will help us develop a shared sense of belonging, and that will encourage collaboration and community-building. Countless students will benefit from it for generations to come.”
Of the students who worked with Dr. Chin to create the reading room, only MD Abdul Fattah could attend the ribbon cutting ceremony. Dr. Chin said the moment was “bittersweet, as I wish the entire group could be present.”
She also thanked many members of the College for attending the ceremony and supporting Geography throughout the year. They included Dean Tim Chapin, Associate Dean Jeff Brown, Chief of Staff Tonja Guilford, Assistant Director of Student and Alumni Engagement Elizabeth Jones, Katherine Cline Asher and Ryan Sonntag from the Development Team, and Joseph Martinez from the Communications Team.
To learn more about the Department of Geography, click here.
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