Timeline

Gilbert M. Grosvenor initiates the Geography Education Program at the National Geographic Society to "return geography to its rightful place in America's school curriculum". Eight state Geographic Alliances were formed.

The NGS-supported Texas Alliance for Geographic Education (TAGE) is located at Texas State in the Department of Geography. TAGE was one of the largest and most influential among the State Alliances. Over three decades of support has amounted to $2.7 million from the State of Texas and private funds, while the NGS Education Foundation has provided match and geography education funds of $3.6 million. 

The National Geographic SocietyDevelopment Office facilitated a relationship between Texas State and the Sid W. Richardson Foundation, a partnership that has yielded over $1,500,000 in support for geographic education at Texas State over 30+ years.

Gilbert M. Grosvenor, NGS Chairman, writes a pivotal letter in support of the Texas State application to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board for a Ph.D. program in geographic education. The degree was approved and continues to be an unique degree program across the nation.

The Texas State Center for Geographic Education is named for Gilbert M. Grosvenor, President and Chairman of the NGS Board of Trustees, in honor of his vision and vast contributions to geographic education.

Dr. Richard G. Boehm, Director of the Gilbert M. Grosvenor Center for Geographic Education, is selected by a national search as the Jesse H. Jones Distinguished Chair in Geographic Education.

Grosvenor Center faculty create an online Ph.D. program in geographic education that is approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board in Fall 2020. The program has over 20 students enrolled and is the only degree program like it in the U.S.