For Laura Jost, graduating from the OSU College of Forestry was more than an academic achievement — it was the continuation of a deep, personal legacy.
Though Jost grew up in Idaho, she has long considered Corvallis a second home. She spent every summer exploring the city’s extensive trail systems, forests and rivers while visiting her grandfather Joe Zaerr, an Oregon State University alumnus and former professor in the College of Forestry.
“I grew up spending time outdoors — hiking, backpacking, skiing, whitewater rafting — and I wanted to be able to conserve those resources for future generations,” Jost said. “My grandfather encouraged and inspired my love of nature.” That encouragement, combined with her love for Corvallis, led her to pursue a Bachelor of Science in natural resources at Oregon State with an option in human dimensions and a minor in economics.
Eventually, she hopes to pursue a master’s degree in a natural resource-related field.
Jost credits the college’s hands-on approach and relevant coursework for much of her growth. Through the college’s Mentored Employment Program, she co-authored a peer-reviewed journal article. And a standout course on research methods in social science deepened her interest in how people interact with natural systems.
That interest in human-wildlife coexistence research is now taking her to Belize, where she will contribute to a long-term ecological monitoring project with Virginia Tech, studying how human impacts — including deforestation and habitat loss — are influencing big cat populations such as jaguars, ocelots and pumas.
“I am so grateful for Oregon State and the College of Forestry for these last four years and beyond,” she said.