After hearing his girlfriend rave about the geology classes she was taking at San Bernardino Valley College, Joseph Rodman decided it was time for him to enroll in a course. "I have always had a passive interest in the Earth and what really goes on in it, but seeing what she was doing really piqued my interest enough to pursue it," he said.

The Highland resident quickly found that this was the right choice. "I really like the professors, and I feel relaxed here, for the most part," he said. One standout instructor is Matthew Robles. "He makes the subject easy to understand and reinforces the idea I have about geologists – that they are down to Earth, pun intended," Rodman said. "He is easy to talk to." After graduating from SBVC, Rodman plans on earning his bachelor's degree, and is considering doing field work, possibly as a consultant. He encourages anyone thinking about studying geology at SBVC to go for it.