The Wood Innovation for Sustainability (WINS) degree at Oregon State University is a multidisciplinary program that prepares students for careers in the wood products industry through a blend of science, engineering and business. The curriculum emphasizes core knowledge in wood science, hands-on learning and industry engagement, including internships and exposure to real-world innovation in the sector.
Two WINS graduates, Carson Purcell and Brooklyn Legg, reflected on their experiences in the program and how it shaped their careers.
Purcell graduated in 2024 and now works as an account manager for Timber Products Co. in Springfield, Oregon. He said his path to forestry began after realizing a career in the automotive industry was not the right fit.
“There was a specific morning I was working in a car shop when I realized that I wanted to pursue a different career,” Purcell said. “It was like 9 o’clock in the morning, I was covered in grease, I had just busted my knuckles, and I still had a whole day ahead of me. At that point I knew there was something else out there I could get into.”
Inspired by time spent outdoors with his father, Purcell enrolled in the WINS program with a focus on marketing and management. He said the program helped him build industry connections and gain practical insight through experiences such as attending trade shows in a wood products sales course.
“We went to a couple trade shows and that really cemented what I wanted to do,” he said. “We got to see the hustle and bustle, and I knew I wanted to be a part of it. The program connected me to the people who could help me make that happen.”
Purcell secured a position in the wood products industry shortly after graduation and credits the program for helping him get there.
“It 100% helped me land right where I needed to be,” he said.
Legg, who graduated in 2022, is a sustainable product specialist for Robinson Lumber Co. and serves as a strategy lead for the company’s internal startup, Robinson Carbon.
“One thing I really liked about WINS is how industry-focused it was and how many people I was able to meet,” Legg said. “I learned a lot about their career paths and experiences.”
She recalled a capstone experience in which her class toured wood product facilities and met directly with industry professionals.
“I couldn’t see myself in my current career without the experience I had at OSU,” she said. “I toured plywood facilities, sawmills and mass timber plants, and was able to see operations in real time. It gave me a strong foundation in wood products and manufacturing.”
Legg said her current work is especially meaningful because it focuses on innovation in the use of wood residuals.
“What I’m doing now focuses on using wood residuals to create new products through carbon sequestration,” she said. “Innovation is really important right now in the wood sector. As paper mills close, fewer facilities can use these residuals, so finding new solutions is critical.”
For both graduates, the WINS program provided essential knowledge and industry connections that helped launch their careers.
The Wood Innovation for Sustainability undergraduate major is offered on Oregon State’s Corvallis campus through the College of Forestry. A graduate-level Professional Science Master’s degree is also available online through OSU Ecampus.