Alumni Career Paths

Where Can Forestry Take Me?

The field of forestry provides a world of opportunities for a rewarding career in natural resources. Here are some types of jobs and paths MSU Forestry alumni have taken.

Sierra Barfield: Forest Management Career Path

MSU alum Sierra Barfield is a forester at forest product company Weyerhaeuser. Barfield's position is at the company's Snow Peak tree farm in Lebanon, Oregon, where she is an early rotation silviculture forester. In her position, Barfield is responsible for replanting a new tree after one has been harvested and managing those newly planted trees.

Anna Boruszewski: Forest Management Career Path

Anna Boruszewski started out as a student assistant for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources in Traverse City, Michigan, the summer after she graduated from MSU. Now she is the GIS analyst for the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) and helps people in the field involved in both agriculture and forestry.

Ray Gurley: Public Policy & Education Career Path

Ray Gurley has had a range of jobs including as a firefighter, conservation district forester and timber program analyst. These experiences and the MSU Forestry progam helped Gurley develop his interests and prepared him for his current position as director of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative and Forest Policy at the Michigan Forest Products Council. In this role, Gurley advocates for Michigan's largest landowners and fiber sourcing mills and helps develop and affect change in state policy.