Meet Madison Dezarn

Madison Dezarn is a part of the Forestry and Environmental Resources CONNECT program, a pathway for students from high school to NC State. We sat down with her to talk about her unique experience in the College of Natural Resources.

Tell us about yourself. What should people know about you?

My name is Madison Dezarn and I am from Mocksville, North Carolina. If I could choose one character trait to describe myself I would choose perseverance. Throughout various areas of life, challenging times have come and gone, but having the perseverance to continue working hard towards my goals has led me to the place I am today. I have always been an outdoors person. My love for the woods started at a young age when my dad would take me hunting with him. Upon graduation from high school, I knew I wanted to obtain a degree that would allow me to have a career that put me outside most of the time. With my first year (sophomore) at NC State, this passion for the love of outdoors has only grown stronger. I find myself more intrigued every day to be outside learning new things. I know that NC State will prepare me to be a successful forester. 

How did you choose your major and why are you passionate about it?

My love for the outdoors helped in making the decision to major in forest management easy. Having a passion for doing what is right and conserving the beauty of the forest we have now inspired me to seek a college that would give me the best education in this area. Also, with the forestry field being male dominant I wanted to show future females who love the outdoors that they too can accomplish goals and seek careers in a male-dominated field.

What impact has being in the CONNECT program had on your life?

Being in CONNECT is something that will always have an impact on my life. When I was graduating high school I finally knew what I wanted to do but I did not know how to accomplish those goals. I found the CONNECT program and through Kimber Lunsford’s help I was able to transfer to my dream school and study something that I love. Through the CONNECT program, I made friends before I ever was a student at NC State and these are friends that I will have the rest of my life. Having friends and mentors like Kimber at NC State made the transition easier.

What has been your favorite class at NC State?

My favorite class at NC State so far has been FOR 172 Forest Systems Mapping Mensuration. This class involves outdoor labs to learn different measuring techniques and indoor labs that allow you to learn how to interpret and apply the data gathered in the field. This class introduced me to the hands-on aspects of forestry. Having all the hands-on experiences allowed me to gain the skills that I will need for the future. By taking this class I knew that my studies in forestry were right for me.

Tell us about your involvement on campus.

My involvement on campus has made my transition to NC State easier. Being involved in SAF, Society of American Foresters, has allowed me to meet other students in my major and connect with business professionals that I could be working with in the future. Also, I am a member of the Forestry Club at NC State. This club has allowed me to get to know people on another level because we meet twice a week to practice timber sports and to go to competitions. This club has also help me make connections with other forestry students across the southeast at competitions.

What are your post-college plans?

My plan is to graduate with an undergraduate degree in Forest Management. Once I have graduated from NC State I plan to work as a procurement forester for a paper mill, as I hope to have a minor in pulp and paper science technology.