Graduation to Vocation: Promoting Sustainability through Forest Management

Wilder Person is graduating with an undergraduate degree in Forest Management and a minor in Spanish. This fall, Wilder will start his Master’s of Environmental Management at the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies. In the meantime, he’ll be working for International Paper in Georgetown, South Carolina as a fiber supply associate.

Wilder was nominated to be spotlighted by multiple faculty and staff members who all expressed their pride and admiration for his work ethic and attitude.

How has the College of Natural Resources impacted you and prepared you for your future?

The College of Natural Resources has given me the technical skills to pursue a career in the forest management field. My time in CNR has also made me more disciplined and goal oriented and I feel as if I could take on all sorts of challenges due to my experience in the program.

What kind of research or other hands-on/in-the-field learning did you participate in?

The NC State summer practicum gave me a multitude of hands-on skills that are necessary for any job in the field. Also, my summer abroad in British Columbia and my semester and internship in Chile were extraordinary experiences that gave me life skills that I will carry on with me long after undergrad.

Tell us about a faculty member who influenced you.

Dr. Blank has been my academic advisor ever since I came to NC State; he has been my professor for several of my classes including my summer abroad course in British Columbia and he thoroughly helped me devise my semester and internship in Chile. He has kept me interested and motivated to study forest management throughout my time here at NC State and he has shown me the true importance of what it means to manage our natural resources. I’ll never forget the point he made in his FOR 248 class; when he said that we would not even be here in America if it were not for trees and forest management, as Columbus would not have had anything to build his ships.

What motivated you to pursue your work?

I feel as if I am a part of something much bigger than myself when providing wood and other forest products to the world while trying to be environmentally responsible.

Denzel Washington said “the most selfish thing you can do in this world is to help someone else. Why’s it selfish? Because of the gratification that comes to you. The good feeling that I get from helping others. Nothing’s better than that.” By doing my job as a forest manager I feel as if I am helping tons of others.

What advice would you give students entering your major or field?

To learn the technical skills that are necessary to work in the field, such as knowing how to operate GIS and Excel, cruise timber, identify trees and important wildlife plants, and write management plans. However, I think that beyond that all that is necessary to be successful in this field of work is a good personality, a work ethic, and a team player mentality. If you can check all of those boxes you will find yourself on a happy career path that most likely involves working outside two to three days out of the week instead of sitting at a desk for five.

Anything else?

I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here at NC State and I think that it has shaped me into who I am today. My courses have been hard and some of them have been exceedingly challenging and that is why it is a good program.