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Eliza Johnson, a senior double major in Emergency Management and Mathematics, also joined the WIU GIS Center in Spring 2025 after being recommended by GIS faculty for her intellect and strong analytical skills.
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Deandre Olive, a senior GIS major, joined the WIU GIS Center in Spring 2025 and quickly made an impression on his colleagues.
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WIU GIS Students Receive ILGISA Student Awards

November 12, 2025

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MACOMB, IL - -Two Western Illinois University Geographic Information Sciences (GIS) Center students, Deandre Olive and Eliza Johnson, were recently honored with Illinois GIS Association (ILGISA) Student Awards at the 2025 ILGISA Conference for their outstanding technical skills, professionalism and contributions to the field of Geographic Information Science.

Deandre Olive, a senior GIS major, joined the WIU GIS Center in Spring 2025 and quickly made an impression on his colleagues.

"Deandre is punctual, intelligent and quick to learn, consistently demonstrating the ability to master complex tasks and deliver high-quality work," WIU GIS Center Director Chad Sperry said. "His contributions have made him someone we can rely on to approach challenges with both skill and creativity."

Olive's primary work has focused on the Center's indoor school mapping projects, which require precision, technical expertise and the use of advanced tools.
"These projects are both technically demanding and detail-oriented," Sperry said. "Deandre has shown great care and precision in this work, ensuring the production of accurate, usable data."

In addition to his technical efforts, Olive has represented WIU during school walk-throughs, demonstrating professionalism and diligence while verifying data accuracy with stakeholders.

Eliza Johnson, a senior double major in Emergency Management and Mathematics, also joined the WIU GIS Center in Spring 2025 after being recommended by GIS faculty for her intellect and strong analytical skills. She made an immediate impact by enhancing the Center's project management processes.

"Eliza, drawing on her mathematics background and Excel expertise, independently proposed and developed a new model based on the number of rooms (units) per school," Sperry said. "Her model has since become an essential tool for project management, allowing us to more accurately predict timelines and allocate resources."

Beyond her analytical work, Johnson has also taken an active role in quality control and assurance for the Center's digitization projects.

"Because the indoor mapping data will ultimately support 911 dispatch operations, accuracy is paramount," Sperry said. "Eliza's attention to detail, combined with her proactive approach and positive attitude, makes her an ideal team member for such critical work."

Sperry said both students exemplify the professionalism and technical ability that define the next generation of GIS professionals.

"Deandre's technical expertise, reliability and strong interpersonal skills set him apart as an outstanding student worker and future GIS professional," he said. "Eliza's intellect, reliability and initiative exemplify the qualities we hope to see in the next generation of GIS professionals."

Both Olive and Johnson's recognition at the ILGISA Conference highlights WIU's continued excellence in applied GIS education and the impact of its student researchers in supporting statewide mapping and data projects.

For more information on WIU's GIS program, visit wiu.edu/GIS.

Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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