Karl Lillquist (BA Geology, 1985)

After graduating from CWU in 1985, I earned a MS in Geography at Portland State University and a PhD in Geography at the University of Utah. Following a 2 year faculty stint at Drake University where mountains are as rare as a crumb-free Bob Bentley-beard, I landed back at CWU in the Geography Department. I teach introductory physical geography, geomorphology, soils, arid lands, mountains, airphoto interpretation, and introduction to graduate research. I'm a lucky guy being married to a geographer/Ellensburg mayor with whom I have two great sons to explore the West with - plus I get to teach several field-based courses in this wonderful setting. It is sad though that the military switched to MRE's as I had hoped to teach my students working on the Yakima Training Center to "live off the land" as Jack Powell taught me.

I chose to double-major in Geology at CWU to enhance my field skills and broaden my understanding of Earth. Bob Bentley and Jack Powell were instrumental in doing that. I try (but don't always succeed) in bringing some of Doc's passion and Jack's compassion into my teaching. While I didn't have field time with Don Ringe and Jim Hinthorne, their solid geological knowledge and teaching techniques have very much influenced the way I teach.