Dr. Daniel B. Good, Professor Emeritus of Geography, who is retiring on May 31, 2003. After service in the U.S. Navy with a Naval Air Patrol Squadron, the native Pennsylvanian, earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from Emory and Henry College in 1965. Dr. Good matriculated at the University of Tennessee where he earned the Master of Science degree in 1967, and the PhD in 1973, both in geography.
Dr. Good was Georgia Southern's first full-time geographer when he arrived on campus in 1969 as a member of the Department of History. After a campus-wide reorganization, Dr. Good joined the geology faculty in 1980 to create the Department of Geology and Geography. Over the last 22 years he has nurtured the geography program, helping it grow from a few service courses to a full-fledged Bachelor of Science major in 1997. Dr. Good has taught more than 20 different courses, ranging from the basics such as World Regional Geography and Introduction to Human Geography, to courses in his original specialty (economic geography), to new fields he largely taught himself, most notably weather and climate.
Dr. Good's expertise in the climate of south Georgia and his experience in watching the weather here for over 30 years has made him Statesboro's and Georgia Southern's unofficial weather man. No local weather story is complete without consulting Dr. Good. In September 1989, Georgia Southern had to make one of the most important weather related decisions in its history, whether or not to play its first televised football game while Hurricane Hugo bore down on the southeastern US. The University's senior administration called on Dr. Good for his advice, and they listened to what he said. The "Hugo Bowl" was played as the storm tracked along the east coast, eventually making landfall near Charleston. Although the rainfall was intense, the hurricane force winds were far away from Paulson Stadium. The Georgia Southern Eagles earned a victory and the University had its first national media exposure. Dr. Good has answered many weather questions over the years, all backed with data from the Georgia Southern University Weather Station which he has operated since it was established. Dr. Good's expertise and reputation were instrumental in bringing a National Weather Service station to Statesboro in 2000, literally putting the city on the weather map for the first time.
Historical and economic geography have been the central themes in Dr. Good's scholarship. During his career, Dr. Good contributed more than 30 publications and uncounted oral presentations on topics that included place name history in south Georgia, the State's climate, computer applications to geographic education, and the ecology, economics, and politics of Caribbean nations.
Dr. Good traveled throughout the world and brought what he learned to thousands of Georgia Southern students. On three occasions (1977, 1982, 1992) he was awarded Fullbright-Hays Fellowships to support research and teaching.
Dr. Good's memberships include the Association of American Geographers, the Georgia Academy of Science, the National Council for Geographic Education, the Association for Third World Studies, and the Bulloch County Historical Society, where he has served on the Board of Directors since 1990. Other leadership roles include the Board of Medical Mission, Inc., Directorship of the Georgia Place Name Survey, Chairmanship of the Rotary International Students Committee, the Steering Committee of the Georgia Geographic Alliance. Since 1966, Dr. Good has been a member of Gamma Theta Upsilon, the National Professional Geographic Fraternity.
Dr. Good has been honored repeatedly by his profession, this University, and the people of Georgia. Among his numerous awards and honors in recognition of his teaching excellence are the University Award for Excellence in Instruction (1985), the College of Arts and Sciences Ruffin Cup (1993), and the College of Science and Technology Excellence in Teaching Award (2001). He was named as one of Georgia Southern's Top Ten Professors six times. At the national level, Dr. Good's extraordinary skills have brought recognition through the National Council for Geographic Education Distinguished Teaching Award (1995) and the Outstanding Teacher Recognition by the Association of American Geographers (2001).
Service to the University and his fellow man has been an important part of Dr. Good's life. His service to Georgia Southern University includes more than 60 committees, boards, councils, task forces, and programs which was recognized by the University Award for Excellence in Service (1990). Dr. Good's commitment to education lead him to establish an endowed scholarship fund for geography majors at Georgia Southern with the first award given on Honors Day 2003. Dr. Good's service to the broader community earned The Dean Day Smith Award for Service to Mankind in 1992.
Dr. Good's extraordinary energy and a lifetime's devotion to
the people of southern Georgia and Georgia Southern University
are commended by the title Professor Emeritus of Geography.
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