Enhance your College of Forestry Experience in the Oregon State University Honors College
Meet Troy Hall, Honors College associate dean and professor of human dimensions of natural resources in the OSU College of Forestry
The associate dean of the Honors College has a broad portfolio of responsibilities, including curricular development, assessment and operational oversight. Having completed a senior thesis herself as an undergraduate, Dr. Hall understands the value of close mentoring and independent creative activities, which are hallmarks of the Honors College.
At Oregon State, the Honors College offers a chance to take your College of Forestry journey even further. Including engaging classes, the opportunity to develop an original project and a prestigious degree, the Honors College helps you build skills, connections and confidence.
Here’s a few ways it can benefit you:
- Take honors courses on unique topics with deeper collaboration.
- Build your network through faculty mentorship and honors community events.
- Complete an honors thesis that showcases your original work and strengthens project development and communication skills.
- Graduate with an Honors Baccalaureate Degree — Oregon State University’s highest undergraduate distinction.
The deadline to apply to the Honors College is Feb 1, but you can apply today! Visit your Beaver Basecamp portal and fill out the Honors College application form. You can also learn more about what the Honors College offers and send questions to [email protected].
The honors thesis is an opportunity to develop an original project in an area you are passionate about.
Recent thesis topics completed by College of Forestry Honors College graduates:
-
Danica Ruud — Honors College and College of Forestry, Class of 2019, thesis topic: The Effects of Wildfire on Soil Hydraulic Properties in an Appalachian Hardwood Forest
-
Jensen Davis — Honors College and College of Forestry, Class of 2023, thesis topic: The COVID‑19 Pandemic’s Effect on Outdoor Recreation
-
Claire Rogan — Honors College and College of Forestry, Class of 2012, thesis topic: Mixed‑Conifer Stands of the Deschutes National Forest: A Brief History
-
Lucia Hadella — Honors College and College of Forestry, Class of 2016, thesis topic: Perspectives on a Community Forest: A Practice in Nature Writing
-
Daniel Bacher — Honors College and College of Forestry, Class of 2023, thesis topic: Regulation of the Pantoea agglomerans Type III Secretion System by Plant‑Exuded Sugars
-
Sara Rumbaugh — Honors College and College of Forestry, Class of 2023, thesis topic: A Systematic Literature Review of Food Desert Interventions
-
Leah Venkatesan — Honors College and College of Forestry, Class of 2022, thesis topic: The Art of Reclamation: An Exploration in Trash as a Resource for Art
-
Amelia Schantz — Honors College and College of Forestry, Class of 2024, thesis topic: Endangerment and Conservation in the Anthropocene
-
Allison Thompson — Honors College and College of Forestry, Class of 2023, thesis topic: Interactive Visualization of Douglas‑fir Forest Growth Using 3‑PG
-
Grace Boisen — Honors College and College of Forestry, Class of 2023, thesis topic: The Microclimate of Downed Wood in Mixed Conifer Forests of Western Oregon
-
Charles Hyatt — Honors College and College of Forestry, Class of 2023, thesis topic: A Preliminary Assessment of Post‑Fire Dissolved Organic Carbon Concentrations in the McKenzie River Basin, Oregon
-
Svea Bruslind — Honors College and College of Forestry, Class of 2024, thesis topic: Bee’s‑Eye View: Using Multispectral Photography to Simulate Bees’ View of Flowers in Natural Settings
The thesis can include analytic research, innovation development, a business plan and more. Whatever your goals, the thesis will put you in a position to take them to the next level.
Student Advice
For students just starting out in the HC, Kaitlyn encourages exploring everything the Honors College has to offer.
“Take as many honors courses as you can! They help you build direct connections with professors and classmates. I also think it’s important to remain open, try new things and attend a wide range of events. There are things that cater to everyone.”
Kaitlyn Scanlon, Natural Resources, Geographic Information Science
