GHC forestry program

April 11, 2018 1:30 am
Courtesy photo From left, BAS-FRM students Theodore Elson, Chase Flemetis, James Garman, Riley Mowry, Jennilyn Franklin, Ryan Rohr and Michael Snyder, with Professor Alex Bastos.
Courtesy photo From left, BAS-FRM students Theodore Elson, Chase Flemetis, James Garman, Riley Mowry, Jennilyn Franklin, Ryan Rohr and Michael Snyder, with Professor Alex Bastos.

Seven Grays Harbor College students have been awarded a combined $26,000 in funding toward their bachelor’s degrees in the college’s Forest Resource Management program.

Every student in the two-year program will have their tuition paid, and enough funding is available to cover tuition for all students enrolled in the program for the next two years.

Through a partnership between GHC and Green River College, grant funds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the National Science Foundation assisted the colleges with startup resources for the bachelor programs last year and provided financial support for outreach specialists focusing on veterans and tribal relationships. The grants also cover student fees and tuition for the two-year bachelor’s degree programs in forestry.

The program involves natural resources management, ecology research, forest harvesting, and drone and GPS technology.

“This is an outstanding opportunity for GHC, our students and local employers, and the natural resources we have in our beautiful area,” said Lucas Rucks, dean for workforce education. “This program allows for career advancement with some wonderful local employers, both private and government, but also continued learning in areas of managing working forests, the healthy timber lifecycle, conservation science, wildland fire, and surveying. We have a great opportunity available locally for anyone that enjoys working with their hands and loves being outdoors.”

“This is such a great opportunity,” said first-year student Jennilyn Franklin. “With this extra help, I won’t have to worry so much about working next year as I complete the bachelor’s degree. I can focus on my studies and graduating!”

Students applying for the program must have earned an associate degree in Natural Resources, Forestry Technician or a related field with a 2.0 GPA before the next application deadline of June 30.

The Bachelor of Applied Science in Forestry Resource Management program is limited to 25 students per academic year.

For more information, visit www.ghc.edu or contact GHC Bachelor Completion Facilitator Katie Dailey at 360-538-4030 or katie.dailey@ghc.edu.