NW Missouri Times

Northwest Missouri State University’s Geotechnical Services team recently collaborated with LaMar Cemetery in Nodaway County to survey and map a newly acquired section of the cemetery. The project, which began in 2023, provided students with hands-on experience in geographic information science and surveying.

The initiative was led by Dr. Brett Chloupek, professor of geography and director of Geotechnical Services at Northwest. The work took place in two phases. First, students and faculty physically surveyed the cemetery addition, marking burial plots and using drones to capture aerial images. In the second phase, they created an updated digital map of the entire cemetery, making it easier to update as changes occur.

“Older records, uneven terrain and existing headstones can make mapping cemeteries a challenge to work with, but we adapted our methods and figured it out,” Chloupek said.

Hannah Poole, a senior from Troy, Missouri, was among the students involved. She worked with GPS and surveying equipment, took measurements, and helped organize the cemetery plots. Poole noted that the experience clarified how her classroom learning translates to real-world settings. “The most impactful part of the experience was seeing how the whole process works,” Poole said. “Working with landowners and seeing the surveying side was really interesting. And in classes, we learn about elevation and topography for mapping, so seeing that in action in an area with uneven terrain was really helpful.”

Kyra Kamp, a Geotechnical Services coordinator and 2024 graduate with degrees in geography and geology, also contributed by recording GPS coordinates for the cemetery layout. She noted that the challenging terrain made satellite connections difficult, highlighting the importance of accurate data collection. “It’s nice to have the knowledge to use the data on the computers, but working in the field changed my perspective on the importance of understanding how that data was collected,” Kamp said. “That’s why field experience is valuable, both for me and for other geotech students, to take the opportunity to go to those field projects or get an internship.”

Kamp added that fieldwork gave her new insights into her future career options. “Just having the opportunity to learn something new out in the field was pretty impactful for me,” she said. “It also gave me something to think about – whether to be comfortable in the office or to take the opportunity to go out in the field and collect my own data.”

Chloupek emphasized the value of such community projects for students. “I like it whenever we can do community-related projects that show our University is providing something useful and meaningful to the community,” he said.

These types of projects help Northwest Missouri State University students develop practical skills needed for their future careers by extending learning beyond the classroom.