Coming to HSU to study Forestry has been a longer process for me than most students. I am a transfer student who returned to college after a personal tragedy. I chose HSU specifically because of the outstanding Forestry program and because they are one of the few schools to offer a degree with a Wildland Fire Management concentration. 

Going to University has always been a dream that seemed just out of reach. I didn’t know how I would possibly afford it on my own without going into serious debt. 

Scholarships like the Jerry Partain scholarship have helped ease my financial burden, and helped me keep my student loans to a manageable amount. More than that, they have allowed me to spend my spare time volunteering as a tutor to help other students succeed as well. 

I am a senior this year; I look forward to completing my education and re-entering the workforce with the opportunity to do a job I love. Bad days will come regardless of your job, your status or your pay grade; so I have made sure to pick a career that will balance out those bad days.