Forestry & Natural Resources

FNR Celebrates 29 December 2022 Graduates

Story by Wendy Mayer
December 17, 2022

Twenty-nine Purdue Forestry and Natural Resources students joined the ranks of program and university alumni, receiving their respective degrees as part of December 2022 commencement ceremonies in Elliot Hall of Music on campus.

Nineteen undergraduate students and 10 graduate students were among the 2,957 students, including 1,679 undergraduates and 946 master’s, 326 doctor of philosophy and six professional program candidates, eligible for December commencement.

Photos of featured graduates, including more information on their post-graduation plans and favorite FNR memories are available in this Facebook gallery.

Wildlife Majors
Paul Chambon
Emily Craig
Noah Ehmen
Sonja Georgiefski-Rios
Connor O’Hara
Kendra Payton
Timothy Radtke
Chloe Westmoreland
Kaitlyn Young

Forestry Majors
Cole Flatt
Andrew O’Connor

Forestry/Wildlife Double Majors
Lauren Laux
Jonathan Waterman

Aquatic Sciences Majors
Madeline Murphy
Audree Neely
Chase Spaw
Jonah Switzer

Interdisciplinary Agriculture Majors
Savannah Barrier
Kierra Richards
Maria Surman

Graduate Degree Recipients
Francis Asare (MS)
Dhruba Burlakoti (MS)
Aziz Ebrahimi (PhD)
Camille Griffith (PhD)
Laura Jessup (PhD)
Richard Sample (PhD)
David Savage (PhD)
Tawn Speetjens (MS)
Patricia Stutz (MS)
Recep Yildiz (MS)

Featured Stories

Andrew Reyes works on target training with female giraffes Asha (left) and Jasiri (right); Andrew presents his research findings to Brookfield Zoo Chicago animal care leadership.

FNR Field Report: Andrew Reyes

Senior wildlife major Andrew Reyes spent his summer as an animal care intern at Brookfield Zoo...

A young Kristin Floress stands in a forested area with a friend in 2006; Floress stands in front of ruins in 2017; Floress holds her Distinguished Alumni plaque in April 2026.

Meet Kristin Floress: 2025 Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient

Dr. Kristin Floress, who earned her PhD from Purdue Forestry and Natural Resources in 2008, has...

Dr. Ted Cable holds a raccoon in his younger years; Cable visits the Taj Mahal in India while working at Kansas State; Cable holds his book Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage for a Better World.

Meet Lifetime Achievement Award Winner Ted Cable

Dr. Ted Cable, Purdue Forestry and Natural Resources’ 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award...

Sherri Reinsch, research associate and hellbender husbandry coordinator gently handles a hellbender in the lab. (Purdue University photo/John Underwood)

Minecraft Meets the Hellbender

The eastern hellbender salamander will never win a wildlife beauty pageant. It’s believed...

Two Purdue students compete in the Jack and Jack double buck competition at Midwest Conclave 2026

FNR Students Experience Midwest Forestry Conclave

The Purdue student chapter of the Society of American Foresters participated in the 69th Midwest...

The Ecology of Natural Disturbances class stands in front of the Smoky Mountains.

Disturbance Ecology Comes to Life on Spring Break Trip

Every other year, the FNR 53600/53601 Ecology of Natural Disturbances class takes a spring break...