CBI Receives $10,000 from Gulf Coast Growth Ventures to Support Point of Beginning Initiative

The Conrad Blucher Institute for Surveying and Science (CBI) at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi (TAMU-CC) has received $10,000 from Gulf Coast Growth Ventures (GCGV) to support CBI’s Point of Beginning (PoB), an educational initiative focused on strengthening Texas’ geospatial engineering and land surveying talent pipelines.

The funds will help support three of the initiative’s programs that provide access to hands-on activities, emerging technologies, and exploration of career pathways vital to the state’s infrastructure, emergency response, and resource management efforts.

“As Texas continues to grow, so does the need for skilled professionals in land surveying and the geospatial fields,” said Seneca Holland, a Geospatial Research Scientist at CBI and Undergraduate Program Coordinator for the Geospatial Science program at TAMU-CC. “Support from organizations like Gulf Coast Growth Ventures allows us to expand access to hands-on learning experiences that prepare our future workforce for these high-demand, high-paying professions.”

The three programs benefitting from GCGV’s support include:

  • Geospatial Engineering and Land Surveying (GELS) Camp: GELS Camp is a week-long, immersive summer program for middle and early high school students. Students explore geospatial technologies through engaging, hands-on activities that build spatial thinking and problem-solving skills. Field exercises include pacing, chaining, coastal surveying, and photogrammetry, complemented by immersive experiences such as lab visits and a cartography-themed escape room.

  • Geospatial Engineering and Land Surveying (GELS) Summer Institute for Educators: GELS Summer Institute is a week-long professional development program for high school STEM and Career & Technical Education (CTE) instructors. Participants receive hands-on training with geospatial engineering and land surveying tools, explore curriculum integration strategies, and learn how to establish geospatial CTE pathways in their schools. Offered in partnership with educational and industry experts, the institute empowers instructors to bring advanced GIS, surveying, and spatial-technology education to their classrooms.

  • Geospatial Engineering and Land Surveying (GELS) Day: GELS Day brings high school students from across the Coastal Bend to the TAMU-CC campus for hands-on exploration of geospatial careers. Students receive information on field-related academic programs, scholarships, and career opportunities and participate in interactive activities such as GPS mapping, surveying with total stations, photo interpretation challenges, and geospatial applications.

“ExxonMobil and Gulf Coast Growth Ventures greatly value the work Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and the Conrad Blucher Institute are doing to grow talent in STEM-related initiatives,” said Paul Fritsch, President and Site Manager of GCGV. “We’re proud to support programs that give students and educators hands-on experience with emerging technologies and skills that are shaping the future of geospatial engineering and land surveying in Texas.”

You can learn more about the Point of Beginning and ways to support or participate in the initiative by visiting conradblucherinstitute.org/pob or contacting Seneca Holland at 361.825.6261.