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LEAD ARTICLES

• The Students of Today at Penn State's School of Forest Resources
• Centennial Tailgate
• Centennial Celebration Photo Collage
• Key Issues and Case Studies are Focus of Conservation Leadership School
• The Arboretum at Penn State

The Students of Today at Penn State’s School of Forest Resources

Today’s “typical” School of Forest Resources’ (SFR) student is more difficult to describe than he or she may have been twenty years ago. We have a much more assorted student population than we had in the past. We also have a more “assorted” undergraduate program today with three majors and eight options that prepare students for various natural resources professions.

Dr. Strauss' Forest Economics class in the Forest Resources Building, spring 2006.

A recent study by the university, the 2006 Penn State Teen Campaign, describes today’s “millennial students” as: “racially and ethnically diverse, extremely independent, optimistic, and heavily influenced by peers and parents.” The millennial students are further portrayed as “adaptable, efficient, tolerant, confident, impatient, skeptical, blunt, and image-driven.” Do these descriptors apply to our SFR students? Yes, some of them, but all told, a forest resources student is a “horse of a different color.”

We are finding more and more diversity in our student populations; this is a trend across the university. The ratio of females to males continues to increase, which is an important change in a field that was gender exclusive until the late 1960s. Forest resource majors remain dominated by white males, but we see a modest rise in numbers from underrepresented groups. Along with this more diverse pool of students we also find increased tolerance and adaptability to change.

Dr. Lord instructs students on the use of global positioning systems (GPS) in the Forest Measurements class, spring 2007.

Most undergraduate students strive for independence, yet they greatly value the support of their family and their peers. Millennial parents are often extremely involved in their students’ college and choice of major. Students look forward to the freedom of college (perhaps freedom from their parents) and the opportunity to try new things. Many students independently take on the added financial responsibilities of higher education. We see numerous students who work while in school. It is also extremely common for students to take out loans to pay for their education, the price of which is increasing. Tuition costs also affect college decisions as well as choice of major. Some parents will discourage majors in forest resources because they fear that their son or daughter will not make “enough”’ money. This may be due to a lack of awareness of all the opportunities available to a student studying natural resources.

Technology is a huge part of many students’ education and personal life, which may contribute to the characteristics of “impatience” and being “image-driven.” Students are accustomed to the rapid reply of instant messenger, e-chatting, and text messaging. This is a generation that thinks that e-mail is slow and the library is inefficient. They have personal Web pages and networks that visually connect them to their friends, family, and interests. They expect information to be easily accessible.

SFR students are included in this technological progression. Though many dislike the idea of a desk job, students realize that the future of natural resources revolves around data collection and analysis methods that require computer-savvy employees. In fact, more and more SFR students are picking up a minor in Geographic Information Systems as part of their bachelor’s degree.

Despite all the millennial characteristics outlined above, one can say that students with an interest in studying forest resources do not quite fit the mold of the standard undergraduate at Penn State. There is something very unique about the camaraderie of our student body. This group has a common passion for the great outdoors and a strong appreciation for the natural resources that sustain society. SFR students are far more concerned about the personal fulfillment of their chosen career, than their financial gain. Our students simply choose to love what they do!

One cannot venture to profile all SFR students into a single typecast, but there are a few trends that separate them from the rest. The “typical” SFR student’s attire most likely includes a bit more Gore-tex® and camouflage than is seen across the rest of campus. Our students have a taste for venison, an ear for bluegrass, and do not mind getting their hands dirty. They are generally a more introverted group, but we know that is just on the surface. It’s the quietest ones who will shock you the most!

Winners of the annual cardboard canoe race, fall 2006.

SFR students are also extremely active outside of academics. There are eight different student groups within our School: American Water Resources Association, Forest Products Society, School of Forest Resources Graduate Student Organization, Society of American Foresters, Tau Phi Delta Fraternity, The Wildlife Society, Xi Sigma Pi Honor Society, and Woodsmen Team. This extracurricular portion of their collegiate experience often exposes students to the world of forest resources that lies beyond their coursework. Through these organizations students find increased opportunities to travel and network. Students who assume leadership roles as officers in these student clubs are often the most successful in the job search.

SFR students reflect fondly upon their education at Penn State. Many highlight the School’s supportive faculty and the opportunity for hands on learning. Others may mention football games and tailgates, bluegrass night at Zeno’s, and good times at Tau Phi Delta. Still others emphasize their treks to places like Anchorage, Alaska; Redwood National Park; or Freiburg, Germany.

Visit the School of Forest Resources’ Web site (http://www.sfr.cas.psu.edu) for more information about our programs. Prospective students should contact Jamie Murphy, instructor/coordinator for undergraduate programs at 814-863-0362 or jam563@psu.edu.

--Jamie Murphy, instructor/coordinator, School of Forest Resources

Centennial Tailgate

We plan to continue our Centennial Celebration with a football tailgate in the Forest Resources Building for the October 6 home game against Iowa. We hope to be able to televise the game in the building. As this newsletter goes to press, the game time has not yet been set, and final tailgate arrangements have not been made. As details become available, they will be posted on our School of Forest Resources Alumni Group Web site. If you want to be sure to be kept up-to-date on these plans, please contact Ellen Manno at exr2@psu.edu or 814-863-5831 to express your interest, or answer the related question on the Response Form. Thank you.

Centennial Celebration Photo Collage

The Class of '57 arrived a few days early to celebrate their 50th anniversary.

Friday's activities included the centennial tree planting and time with friends.

	A Centennial Silent Auction ran Friday evening through early Saturday afternoon. Alumni and friends contributed nearly 90 items including painintgs, prints, handcrafted items, autographed Penn State memorabilia, and much more. The auction generated $5500 to support student groups affiliated with the School of Forest Resources. In addition, several alumni and friends purchased prints from alumnus Dan Christ '72 to donate for display in the new Forest Resources Building.

Saturday's Fun Fair was . . . fun!

	Saturday evening at the Nittany Lion Inn included a reception, class photos, and a banquet with Outstanding Alumni Awards, which 375 people attended. The earliest graduate present was Joseph Ibberson '47. John Hall '51 traveled the furthest to attend, coming all the way from Girdwood, Alaska. Additional class photos, taken by photographer Gene Miller, are available for viewing and purchase at http://genemillerphoto.smugmug.com/.

Sunday's brunch offered a final opportunity for fellowship. Tom Yorke commented that the celebration was a weekend of smiles, and Chuck Strauss opined that "it will be remembered for many years as one of the greatest gatherings of alumni and friends ever enjoyed by our School."

Key Issues and Case Studies are Focus of Conservation Leadership School

Extension forester Dave Jackson talks to CLS students about forest regeneration.

Each year the School of Forest Resources gives youth, ages 15-18, a unique opportunity to explore current key issues at its Conservation Leadership School (CLS). The CLS curriculum focuses on four new key issues annually, along with the development of leadership skills. Instructors from the School of Forest Resources and from across Pennsylvania’s conservation community teach the key issues.and the Pennsylvania Rural Leadership Program (RULE) in the College of Agricultural Sciences provides the leadership sessions. New for the 2007 CLS was a high- and low- element rope course that provided team building and individual challenges for the students. The rope course is operated by the Centre County Youth Service Bureau.

CLS students gain hands-on experience that helps them determine if a career path in natural resources is in their future. Participants include equal numbers of males and females.

More than 70 youth attended this year’s CLS program held in Stone Valley Experimental Forest near Penn State University Park. The key issues included forest regeneration, poor silvicultural practices, land use, the challenges of elk management, and the critical role of riparian zones in maintaining water quality.

According to Mike Powell, CLS Director, “our 2007 participants came from all types of backgrounds, both urban and rural. I think they each went away with a heightened awareness and understanding of the key issues and how they can make a difference concerning these and other challenges in conservation.”

The faculty and others involved with teaching this year’s key issues sessions included Bryan Swistock, extension water resources specialist; Sanford Smith, extension forest resources specialist; Nicole Brown, professor of wood chemistry; Jamie Murphy, instructor in forest resources; David Jackson, extension forester; Lee Stover, senior research assistant in Wood Products; Ken Rowe, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation; Mark Gritzer, Pennsylvania Game Commission; and Racheal Bliley, environmental interpretive technician, Pennsylvania State Parks.

One way the key issues are tied together at CLS is with case studies. Each participant works in a small group to tackle a unique case study that involves families or organizations that own or are interested in forest resources. The case studies involve differing perspectives, legal dilemmas, and the key issues of the year. For example, one case study this year was about a group of cousins who would soon inherit a 355-acre forest tract from their grandfather. The challenges before them were to determine how to repair stream bank damage done during past harvests, to generate income to pay the property taxes, and to bring the forest under better management.

At the end of the week, each group presents a plan of action for their case, often using creative approaches such as puppet shows, town meetings, family reunions, court cases, or news broadcasts. The case studies are written by Sanford Smith, faculty adviser to CLS. Smith relates, “I try to make the case studies as authentic as possible. In fact, each is a composite story of real people and their circumstances.” The case studies, according to Smith, challenge participants “to apply what they’ve learned in practical ways, which is not always easy.”

The key issues of next year’s CLS program have yet to be determined. Come 2008, an informal survey will be done with faculty and staff to determine which issues are breaking and worthy of attention. “No doubt,” says Powell, “high on the list will be invasive forest pests, such as the emerald ash borer and gypsy moth, but the others remain to be seen.” After the issues are determined and expert instructors secured, the case studies will be designed to challenge a new crop of CLS participants once again!

Left, three CLS students work on their forest management role play. Right, a CLS student presents the introduction to his case study to the rest of the CLS audience. All CLS participants are divided into groups of seven to work on case studies and prepare presentations for the other groups.

The Arboretum at Penn State

“Many of us within the School of Forest Resources have long been anticipating the start of construction on the Arboretum,” says Kim Steiner, director of The Arboretum at Penn State. “That day has now arrived, thanks to the extraordinary generosity of Charles H. Smith.”

The announcement that Mr. Smith, a 1948 Penn State alumnus, has donated $10 million to the Arboretum was made by President Graham B. Spanier at the Board of Trustees’ meeting on May 18, 2007. This lead gift, together with a $3.2 million contribution from the University, will fund construction of Phase I of the H. O. Smith Botanic Gardens, named in honor of Mr. Smith’s father. Within the gardens, three walkways will be named to honor several members of the donor's family.

Located in the 58-acre parcel formerly known as the Mitchell Tract, the H. O. Smith Botanic Gardens will serve as a gateway to the 370-acre Arboretum and the University Park campus. As the site of the Arboretum’s educational facilities, they will also be the most frequently visited part of the Arboretum.

Phase I of development of the H. O. Smith Botanic Gardens is being designed by M•T•R Landscape Architects, LLC, who also did the master plan for this portion of the Arboretum. Scheduled for completion in spring 2009, this phase will contain several key attractions for visitors. An overlook pavilion, a 1 ¼ acre-event lawn, and a terrace with a water element will create spaces in which to hold private gatherings such as receptions and weddings, and public events such as festivals, plant sales, garden shows, and art displays. Because of their location, these facilities will also offer vantage points from which to view the developing gardens around them. Initial plantings in the rose and fragrance garden and demonstration gardens will provide horticultural enjoyment and learning opportunities for University students, alumni, and visitors.

Now that the Arboretum, which depends primarily on private donations, has received its first major commitment, the University will be “launching an aggressive campaign to raise the remainder of the funds needed to complete and maintain the Arboretum,” according to Senior Vice President for Development Rodney P. Kirsch.

Clearly, the upcoming months will be a time of unprecedented activity as the design process gets underway and construction begins. According to Steiner, the significance of creating the first gardens in the Arboretum resonates on several levels: “Every land grant university in the Big Ten has a botanic garden or arboretum – except, until now, Penn State. It has been a long wait since the first plans for an arboretum to support the forestry department were announced in 1914. But when our plans are fully realized, which I know they will be, we will have one of the best university arboreta in the country.”

Regular updates about the construction will be available on the Arboretum’s Web site (www.arboretum.psu.edu). By the time that the Dickinson School of Law's new facility directly to the east is completed, the Arboretum hopes to have the first flowers and shrubs ready to bloom.

Penn State | College of Agricultural Sciences | School of Forest Resources