As an undergraduate, a recommended key experience is participating in an internship related to your field of study. Gaining work experience prior to graduation not only boosts your employ-ability but also allows you to see if your current path fits what you want in the future. Zena Greenawald, a current 2019-2020 CoF Ambassador, tells us a bit about what she spent her 2019 summer doing.
“This past summer I undertook a 5-week partnered internship with the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians and the Oregon Department of Forestry. I had the pleasure of being hosted by the West Oregon District located in Philomath, Oregon. I worked with the State Forests Unit Manager and their staff.”
“My internship consisted of helping with timber sale prep and stocking surveys in young plantations. Additionally, I worked with the Philomath’s fire crew dealing with trail maintenance. I was able to gain hands on experience in the field working with the State Lands Foresters who were all graduates from OSU showing me the work opportunities with my degree. “
If you’d like to do something like Zena did, or find a job or internship of your own- be sure to check out our resources within the College of Forestry, like the Fernhopper Stateside Jobs and Opportunities page, or even find an international internship abroad! There are so many ways to expand your time at OSU, learn from hands-on experiences, and narrow down your ideal goal for the future. Get out there!
All exterior work on the building is expected to be completed by the end of December!
Landscaping is nearing completion, including in the arboretum and to the northwest between Peavy & Richardson.
A new covered bike rack with lighting and gutters has been installed on the south side of Richardson. More bike racks to come soon on the north side of the new Peavy.
The beatification of the Hatfield Courtyard has begun. The 1st-floor knuckle door to the courtyard will be closed for use (except during emergencies). You’ll see new benches installed, new plants and trees, and grass going in — that work should be completed by early January.
A new generator will replace the old towers in between Richardson and Peavy (in the arboretum, by the service access driveway), and you’ll see a lot of that old machinery come out in January and new equipment installed into February. The screening will be put in place around the equipment pad.
Outside garbage bins will be relocated in January/February. These will still be on the southside of Richardson but will move into the southeast corner of the works yard with screening and an accessible gate.
Outdoor classroom space is starting to shape up and I’ll be in touch with faculty who intend to use this space to discuss plans for seating.
Interior:
The recycled/restored glulam beams from old Peavy being used for the Atrium stairs are installed and looking beautiful! The slatted feature wall inside the first floor is also going in and is also very striking. Pictures soon of that space.
Classrooms are coming together and our Computing Group will be working with Classroom Technology Services to start getting A/V installed and networking going beginning in early January.
Lab casework is being installed and the lab group homes are ready and awaiting outfitting.
Furniture orders have been placed with three different vendors and are expected to be delivered and installed in February & March. We are working with four craftsmen/small businesses to build our custom conference room tables each featuring a select PNW wood type.
Occupancy and Move-In:
It is our intent to hold classes in Peavy starting Spring term, barring any issues with classroom technology, outfitting, and Registrar approval. The move of folks to Peavy is scheduled for the week of Spring Break.
And
finally… mark your calendars!
We are planning to hold the public opening celebration of the Peavy Forest Science Center on Tuesday, May 12. This will be an event open to everyone and will highlight important partnerships we have developed and all of the awesome features of new Peavy. We also look forward to the 1% for Art pieces that will be installed throughout the Spring and Summer.
Meet Dr. Tom DeLuca- Oregon State University’s Cheryl Ramberg Ford and Allyn C. Ford Dean of the College of Forestry and director of the Oregon Forest Research Laboratory effective June 30, 2020!
Dr. DeLuca is currently dean of the W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation at the University of Montana. A forest soil scientist and ecosystem ecologist, Dr. DeLuca’s efforts in research, teaching, and administration have been focused on sustainable land management and advancing the understanding of natural ecosystem function. He currently directs a college with over 40 faculty members, 133 graduate students, and more than 750 undergraduate students.Dr. DeLuca is responsible for the management of two external research facilities, Lubrecht Experimental Forest (a 28,000-acre forest) and Bandy Ranch (a 3,600-acre cattle ranch). Prior to his current post, he served as the director of the School of Environmental and Forest Sciences at the University of Washington.
During the past 20 years, Tom has conducted research on a variety of topics across temperate, boreal, maritime, and Arctic settings. His primary research interests include the influence of disturbance on nitrogen and carbon cycling in forests, prairie and tundra ecosystems; the fire ecology of temperate and boreal forests; biological nitrogen fixation in forest ecosystems; sustainable forest management; and forest restoration. A highly cited scholar, he has published more than 100 refereed research papers, including in Science and Nature. Tom received his Ph.D. in soil biology and biochemistry from Iowa State University; his master’s degree in soils from Montana State University; and his bachelor’s degree in soil science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
What a wonderful year we have to look forward to at the College of Forestry! I’ll be sure to keep you up to date the best I can. 🙂 -Destiny Pauls, NR, CoF Ambassador
My time in the old continent was short-lived but jam-packed with knowledge and adventure. I was blessed to start my summer of 2019 in the beautiful European Alps, an utterly breathtaking experience. My short two-week journey started in the small European country of Slovenia and ended in the vineyards of Italy. Before my trip, I had never traveled outside of the United States, which made the notion of traveling over 5,800 miles terrifying. After all the nerves and panicking my journey started and it did not leave me with an ounce of regret. My point being, if you have the opportunity to travel abroad– go. Take the chance, I promise you will not regret the time you spent and the friendships that will be made. Once I overcame my angst here’s what happened:
Independence
2. Patience
3. Friendship
4. Appreciation of Home
5. Opening My Mind to New Perspectives
6. Confidence
Go abroad friends, whether for study, business, or leisure- it’ll change your world.
Just over a week away is our annual College of Forestry Career Fair. On November 14th, 2019 we will be hosting a diverse group of both private and public employers looking to fill seasonal, part-time, and full-time positions, as well as share internship opportunities! This event takes place in the CH2M Hill Alumni Center from 10am-2pm.
The College of Forestry encourages students to participate and meet face to face with leaders of their field study; whether that may be forestry, forest products, natural resources, or outdoor recreation. This is a day you do not want to miss!
Students who attend have a good chance of finding summer internships or seasonal work and finding out about permanent positions. There will be great networking opportunities for a vast amount of interests and options for all!
For example, Avid4Adventure wants to connect with RRM and TRAL students! They are holding an info session on November 13th and will be at the career fair! Lone Rock, GreenWood Resources, Hampton Lumber, and PotlatchDeltic will be interviewing on the 14th and 15th. Students should stop by their tables if they want to find out more and sign up for an interview.
There is even a job fair prep workshop on November 12th for students wanting help with resumes and networking tips. Register Here!
“According to the 2019 State of Mental Health in America Report, over 44 million American adults struggle with a mental health condition, and the rate of youth similarly affected is on the rise. While this a staggering number, there is some positive news for those prone to depression and anxiety. Recent studies have discovered that spending time in nature can be a powerful tool for improving overall well-being and managing mental health.
The great outdoors has plenty to offer in the form of fun and recreation, but its influence on your overall health and wellness is worth investing your free time and attention in. The returns come in the form of an overall healthier and happier life.” Find out 6 ways to improve your mental health by reading the story below.
Several majors in OSU’s College of Forestry (Forestry, Forest Engineering, and Forest Engineering/Civil Engineering) have a pre/pro model. The pre-professional courses span the freshman and sophomore years, and the professional courses (or “pro school”) span the junior and senior years. Anyone can declare a Pre-Forestry or Pre-Forest Engineering major. Moving to the professional program requires a special application process which is normally completed during spring of the sophomore year. Admission to the professional program is based upon:
Grades of C or higher and a minimum GPA of 2.25 or higher in all the pre-professional courses
Who Should Apply?
You should apply to the College of Forestry’s professional program if you meet ALL the following criteria:
You plan to transfer to OSU’s Corvallis campus for fall 2019
You plan to major in Forestry, Forest Engineering, or Forest Engineering-Civil Engineering
You will complete all the required pre-professional courses in your major by September 10, 2019. You can consult our Transfer Guides to determine how your courses apply to the requirements.
NOTE: students are welcome to transfer to OSU at any time. If you have not yet completed all the pre-professional courses for your major, you can still transfer to OSU as a Pre-Forestry or Pre-Forest Engineering major and complete them here. Then you can apply to the Pro-School in a future year.
Application Process
Apply for transfer admission to OSU’s Corvallis campus. Declare a major in Pre-Forestry, Pre-Forest Engineering, or Pre-Forest Engineering/Civil Engineering. If you aren’t admitted to OSU, you won’t be able to complete the application for the College of Forestry Pro-School. Transfer applications for fall 2019 are being accepted now. If you haven’t already applied, you should do so ASAP!
Once you are admitted to OSU and have an OSU ID number, you need to complete the College of Forestry’s Pro-School application. The preferred deadline to apply for fall 2019 Pro-School admission is April 15, 2019 (11:59 pm Pacific).
FAQ’s
What are the required pre-professional courses for my major?
What if I won’t have all the required pre-professional courses complete by September 10, 2019?
Students are only admitted to Pro-School if they have completed ALL the required pre-professional courses satisfactorily. If you are missing courses, you may need to apply to Pro-School for a future year. We encourage students to work with their academic advisor (and to contact us at forestry.proschool@oregonstate.edu ) to determine the best timeline for Pro-School application.
Can I apply to the professional program for a later term (e.g. winter, spring, summer)?
Students can only enter Pro-School in the fall term. We do not admit students to Pro-School for winter/spring/summer terms. This is due to the sequential nature of the Pro-School coursework and the need to begin those sequences in the fall. Entry to the Pre-Forestry and Pre-Engineering majors is unrestricted, and students can begin the pre-professional courses in any term.
As we all have heard by now, the government did it’s (almost yearly thing…) shutdown. Thankfully at this time a temporary conclusion was met between officials and it is up and running again, but for how long? It was the country’s longest shutdown and thousands of federal workers were effected. After seeing so many headlines in regards to vandalism, unemployment, debt; I came across a new perspective. Did you know…?
Wes Siler from Outside Magazine has some information in regards to it that maybe you haven’t heard about just yet.
“The most surprising emotion I’ve encountered while reporting on the partial government shutdown? Fear. Everyone from park rangers to administrators to government lawyers to guides who operate independent businesses on federal land are all too scared to publicly go on the record about how the shutdown is impacting them. And let me tell you, that is anything but normal. “
As I sit warmly with the sun basking through the window, I am grateful that the sun shines and the skies are a glorious blue. It’s chilly outside, students are bundled up in jackets, gloves, and hats. I’ve noticed fresh buds are forming on the bushes on the Corvallis campus along Jefferson Way. Oh Spring… Then it hits me. It’s barely mid-January! Where has Winter gone? Did it arrive? Did I miss it?!
The climate has shifted out of what we have thought was our “normal”. It’s not getting as cold, not getting as wet. Not here in the valley or up to the mountains. Winter is beginning to escape us and our plants are confused, just as much as the people. The closer you get to the mountain passes, you anticipate the fresh snow around the corner, or maybe the next one, and are saddened to see the remnants of storm from over a week ago barely holding on in the shade of the trees. Where did it all go? –Written by: Destiny Pauls
The Herald and News published a brief article about Oregon’s snowpack showing that is below normal again and data shows that the state is reaching historically normal levels less often. “It’s pretty clear that the idea of what’s normal is shifting, and that we’ve just become accustomed to these bad or below average years,” said Kathie Dello, a climate scientist with Oregon State University. If you’d like to know more or read the article itself, click HERE.
Need a few helpful hints to get you back in the saddle at OSU? Here are some ways you can prepare for Winter term and beyond!
Check in with the Fernhopper Upcoming Events page and the Student Resources & Engagement Events & Activities page and then save the dates on your calendar!
Make appointments to meet with your academic advisor if needed.
Do you need a job or internship? Student Resources & Engagement updates the CoF Online Employment page regularly!
Follow Student Resources & Engagement on Twitter for updates and reminders!
Make sure you read the monthly Student Resources & Engagement email with all of the upcoming events and activities that will help you engage and connect with College of Forestry opportunities!
Don’t forget Student Resources & Engagement is located in 133 Snell Hall. Stop by if you have questions!
Right now is the prime time to be applying for jobs in many different government agencies! What is holding you back? If you are already in the application process, do you feel as if you are adequately prepared? Thinking about applying down the road? Why not get ahead of the game.
Whether you are a freshman, senior, or graduate student- attending workshops, career fairs, and basically taking in as much information and assistance as you can will ultimately help you learn, network, or even get hired (now or someday). Check out a few tips to improve your odds: 9 Federal Job Search Tips That’ll Help You Land that Government Job (The Muse)
Networking is very important in getting your foot in the door. So if you can volunteer, get an internship, or take on a part-time job with a local agency, that’s a great first step! Once you’ve demonstrated your ability to succeed in a government position, you are much more marketable.
Come to one of the career fairs or events at the college with OSU staff and government employers and introduce yourself. Bring your resume and get to know the person and/or agency, then follow up after the fair.
Register in Handshake for any of the following workshops. They are all coming up very soon!
