Many people around the world owe their knowledge of geography, in part, to Jerry Mitchell. 

For decades, the University of South Carolina geography professor has led and supported efforts to unearth and share the best ways for teaching students about maps, migration, natural resources, energy, weather, climate and more. More than 40,000 teachers in South Carolina received support through his programs, and his international collaborations have reached even more. 

Mitchell recently was named a 2026 American Association of Geographers Fellow, a lifetime honor that recognizes his accomplishments and embeds him in the AAG’s work to advance geography as a profession. 

“Geography education matters because although it seems that we are just standing in one place, we are really standing in the middle of a web of connections," Mitchell says. "Learning geography helps us understand how people, places, and environments are deeply connected across the world. It builds global awareness, empathy, and the critical thinking needed to solve today’s most pressing challenges.”

Mitchell earned his Ph.D. in geography from USC in 1998, returning to South Carolina in 2004 after teaching at Bloomsburg University. He became chair of the Department of Geography in 2020. 

For two decades he coordinated the South Carolina Geographic Alliance, which supported K-12 educators with professional development in teaching geography, making it one of the most successful and innovative alliances in the U.S. He also has served as editor of the Journal of Geography and president of the National Council for Geographic Education. In 2025, he joined the steering committee of the International Geographical Union’s Commission on Geography Education. 

Mitchell has earned numerous awards for his service, including the AAG’s Gilbert H. Grosvenor Honors in Geographic Education and the South Carolina Governor’s Award for Excellence in Scientific Awareness. 

Later this year Mitchell will conclude his service as department chair and take a sabbatical to develop study abroad programming in Chile. His book International Perspectives on Geography Education will be released by Edward Elgar Publishing later in 2026. The book explores successful geography education efforts by his collaborators in a dozen countries across six continents.