Kimmel receives teaching award from NCGE

SAN MARCOS, TEXAS — James Kimmel, professor of geography at Southwest Texas State University, was recently named a recipient of the National Council for Geographic Education (NCGE) Distinguished Teaching Achievement Award for 2000. The DTA Awards recognize outstanding contributions to geographic education.

Kimmel, associate professor and director and founding board member of the Center for Nature and Heritage Tourism, has taught at SWT since 1991. Under his direction, the center strives to conduct research about nature and heritage tourism, provide technical assistance to rural areas of Texas and conducts an undergraduate minor that prepares students for professional work as program planners, developers and managers.

The Texas Historical Commission has also contracted Kimmel to plan a heritage tourism program for the State of Texas. Kimmel has presented at more than 15 conferences, talks and lectures. He has published several book chapters related to Texas Nature Tourism as well as several journal articles and reports.

NCGE President James Peterson, also of SWT, will present plaques to recipients at the awards banquet during the NCGE annual meeting Aug. 2-5, 2000 in Chicago. NCGE was chartered in 1915 to promote geographic education at all levels of instruction.