Alumni Spotlight: Austin Quate

Austin Quate ‘19, visited Washington’s Olympic National Park for a wilderness backpacking trip, followed by a trip to Portland for the Society of American Foresters National Convention, where he competed in the Quiz Bowl, networked with employees and vendors and attended workshops.

How did this experience impact you?

I really enjoyed meeting new people and fellow students from other schools. The trip helped me to find the career path that I wanted and I learned a lot about forest ecosystems of the Pacific Northwest and the forestry industry in the area.

What did you learn about yourself during your experience?

I learned that I know more about forestry than I thought. Our Quiz Bowl team made it to the semi-finals after beating Arkansas and UGA.

How has this opportunity or experience prepared you for your future career?

This experience helped my networking skills a lot and helped improve my knowledge of forestry in the Pacific Northwest, which will help me if I ever decide to work in that area.

Why was participating in this experience important to you?

The experience was important to me because I knew I probably wouldn’t ever have the opportunity to go to those places again for the price I paid.

What did you enjoy most about your experience?

I enjoyed getting to meet professionals from all over the country and learning from them as well as meeting NC State Forestry Alumni at the Alumni Social. I also really enjoyed the Wilderness trip and learning about the different forest communities of the Pacific Northwest.

Have you completed any other internships, undergraduate research, study abroad or other hands-on experiences? (If so, what did you do? Why was it important? Did you learn anything interesting?)

This past summer, I worked for Rayonier in Yulee, Florida. I was the Research Intern for the Forest Research and Silviculture Support team. The summer after my freshman year, I worked for Dominion Energy in Richmond Virginia as a Electric Distribution Forestry Intern. On campus, I work for the Cooperative Tree Improvement Program as an Undergraduate Research Assistant. All of these experience have enhanced my knowledge of forestry that I wouldn’t have learned in the classroom.

What other scholarships, organizations or student groups are you involved in? Do you hold any leadership positions?

CNR Student Ambassador
Forestry Club/Timbersports – CNR Council Rep
Society of American Foresters
Xi Sigma Pi