I received my Ph.D. in geography in August 1977, and my first and only career job started later that month at UMKC. I was quite happy to begin my 40-year career at the University as geography had been my passion since early childhood. Teaching students was a wonderful way to stay up to date in my field and to enjoy observing the intellectual growth and curiosity of young adults. The research ambitions of UMKC, moreover, required me to expand my horizons beyond my wildest dreams as a kid. I had the good fortune to be a Visiting Professor at the Universidad Veracruzana for a year, be a Fulbright Senior Researcher in Spain, and to carry out research projects, all supported financially by UMKC, in Guatemala, Jamaica, Spain, and Mexico. I hope that in the future UMKC students will continue to study and learn with human professors, not AI substitutes. I also hope that the broader community continues to support the chance to pursue a liberal education at UMKC that goes beyond mere career preparation.