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Surveying Merit Badge

California University of Pennsylvania

Merit Badge University (MBU) 2025

Surveying Merit Badge Class: A Great Opportunity for Future Surveyors!

By Jeff Horneman, PLS (PA/WV/NY)

One of the most common concerns I hear from surveyors is the difficulty in
finding responsible, entry-level candidates to join their companies. After teaching
the Surveying Merit Badge at the 2025 California University Merit Badge University
(MBU), I’ve found an excellent pool of potential future surveyors!
For the past 26 years, California University of PA has hosted MBU, providing
scouts with the opportunity to earn merit badges. I’ve had the pleasure of teaching
Surveying to scouts numerous times, and this year’s experience was truly
remarkable. The college classrooms were equipped with modern technology,
and we had ample outdoor space for field exercises. With six hours allocated for
both classroom and lab time, I was able to guide 8 scouts through the fascinating
world of surveying.
This year, over 180 scouts attended MBU for a single day. The scouts were working
toward a variety of merit badges that closely align with surveying, such as: Surveying,
Drafting, Orienteering, First Aid, Wilderness Survival, Hiking, Landscape
Architecture, Public Speaking, Entrepreneurship, Law, Architecture, Engineering,
Environmental Science, Aviation (Drones), Graphic Arts, Programming,
Archaeology, Search and Rescue, Geocaching, Robotics, American Business, etc.
In total, there were 138 different badges available for scouts to explore. These
badges, combined with the scouts’ solid foundation in responsibility and positive
morals (thanks to the Boy Scouts’ motto, Be Prepared), make them ideal
candidates for surveying careers.
The scouts were particularly fascinated by the 3D LiDAR point clouds and
classifications, allowing them to interact with technology that could instantly
remove or add trees, buildings, and other features. They quickly grasped the GPS
and started locating items on the campus, from fountains to water valves and
parking lot markings. Their enthusiasm was contagious, and they worked together
as if they were seasoned professionals. The combination of historical equipment
and cutting-edge technology seemed to capture their interest, and I even had two
older scouts ask me about summer job opportunities after the session!
Unfortunately, the Surveying Merit Badge continues to rank among the least
awarded, consistently placing near the bottom of the list of 138 merit badges. In
2025, it ranked 137th. So why is this? Is it because scouts don’t understand what
surveying is? Or perhaps because professionals aren’t teaching it, or worse, non-
professionals are teaching it incorrectly? We have the opportunity to change this
by continuing to introduce scouts to the world of surveying.
If you’re looking for a way to volunteer your time, consider helping with future
Surveying Merit Badge classes! It’s a rewarding experience that helps open the eyes
of young people to the world of surveying. There’s a Youth Protection Class online
requirement and two free State Clearance applications (which only take about 10
minutes to complete). If you have access to cutting-edge technology like robotic
total stations, drones, or terrestrial scanners, or if you can share videos and
examples of your final projects, your participation would be especially appreciated.

22 EMPIRE STATE SURVEYOR / VOL. 61 • NO 3 / 2025 • MAY/JUNE