11 FOCUS - FALL 2025 Growing up hiking, camping and biking in California’s Berkeley Hills and the Sierra Nevada, Tobi Mankita developed a deep connection to the outdoors early on. Initially planning to study construction management, a visit to Oregon State University — and a chance to sit in on a logging mechanics class — changed his mind. “Even though the class was challenging, the students all seemed to really enjoy it,” he recalled. “I knew OSU was the right fit for me.” Mankita recently earned his forestry degree with a focus on wildland fire and restoration — a subject close to home, given his lived experience with California’s frequent wildfire seasons. One of his favorite classes was John Punches’ prescribed fire practicum, where he learned everything from fire behavior to developing a burn plan, complete with hands-on field labs that included a live fire day in the OSU McDonald-Dunn Research Forest. Outside the classroom, Mankita spent three years with OSU’s Student Logging Training Program, gaining real-world timber harvesting experience and building lasting friendships. He also loves biking and skiing, often exploring the roads of the McDonaldDunn Research Forest on his bike. This summer, Mankita is working as a wildland firefighter for the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest. When the season wraps, he’ll return to OSU to pursue a Master of Forestry, continuing to build on the skills and passion that have guided him from California’s Berkeley Hills to Oregon’s forests. From California’s Berkeley Hills to Oregon’s forests: A pathway in forestry and fire From Corvallis trails to global conservation: A granddaughter continues her grandfather’s work Tobi Mankita Laura Jost 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.
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