Where are they now?

Elena West (Ph.D. Wildlife Ecology, ’17) Elena West was recently hired as an assistant professor in the Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology (FWCB) at the University of Minnesota (U of M). Elena specializes in ornithology and has recently been working on red-headed woodpeckers as part of the cooperative unit between the U of M and the Cedar Creek Ecosystem Reserve, in Bethel, MN. As an assistant professor, Dr. West will serve as the lead instructor of the UM department’s field courses and is focusing on reinventing them to meet the needs of today’s students.

Dayna Schneider, née Braaksma (B.S. Wildlife Ecology, ’16) is a Wildlife Biologist at Fort Hood Military Installation in Texas. Dayna traps and removes invasive wild pigs to preserve sensitive terrestrial ecosystems. She began as a Natural Resources Volunteer testing bait applications for rodent control in Army workplaces. Dayna developed outreach messages that solved and prevented future problems for the Army. Shortly thereafter, III Corps and Fort Hood Command recognized her with their prestigious III Corps and Fort Hood Volunteer Award. Through conflict resolution, critical thinking, and hard work she continues to enrich the lives of wildlife and people at the sprawling military installation. Photo and article by Scott Summers, Fort Hood Environmental Protection Specialist.

Inaugural class of forestry celebrate 50-years! 

UW-Madison’s inaugural class of Forestry (i.e., “the class of ’71”) celebrated their 50-year anniversary by holding two reunions in 2021, one virtually through Zoom at the start of summer, and one in person, at Kemp Natural Resources Station toward the end of summer. Both events were great successes. The 1971 classmates enjoyed connecting again after 25 years for some, and after 50 years for others.

Members of the class of ‘71, Ken Rauscher and Dave Liska, organized the reunions. Professor and Department Chair Eric Kruger joined the virtual reunion, and Professor Scott Bowe took part in the in-person reunion, held at Kemp Natural Resources Station. While at Kemp, the group enjoyed a hike and a picnic while they shared stories about the good old days the paths their lives have taken them since college. When reflecting on the virtual and in-person reunions of last year, Rauscher stated, “these were really great opportunities, and we all cherish them.”

To read more about the members of the class of 1971, view their Forestry Reunion Booklet (link opens PDF).

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This article was posted in Alumni and tagged class of 71, forestry, Wildlife Ecology.