NRES Outstanding Student of the Year Awards - 2023

Each year the Natural Resources Management and Environmental Sciences Department recognizes an Outstanding Student of the Year within each program. Students are nominated and selected by NRES faculty and are recognized for their exemplary contributions to the department.

Environmental Earth and Soil Sciences

Sarah Ramirez (Environmental Earth and Soil Sciences, ’23), traces her interest in natural resources back to high school, when she took an FFA Soil Chemistry class and an AP Environmental Science class. Through these classes, she learned she enjoyed work that allowed her to travel and be outside. This appreciation for career possibilities in natural resources continued to develop throughout her time at Cal Poly and has grown into a passion for sustainable agriculture, soil research and restoration.

As a Cal Poly student, Ramirez embraced opportunities to get involved beyond the classroom and build community. She was a member of the Latinos in Agriculture club, served as a student assistant for the University Academic Programs and Planning department and worked as a teaching assistant in SS 221: Soil Health and Plant Nutrition.

She also worked with Charlotte Decock, associate professor of soil science, conducting research on algae as a biofuel. This experience prepared her for a summer agronomy internship with a corporate farm in Eastern Washington, where she was able to conduct her own research on soils and fertilizer.

Ramirez described her involvement in the Environmental Sciences Club (ESC) has been one of the highlights of her time at Cal Poly. She participated as a member, club secretary, and served as co-president her senior year. She is proud of the growth the club experienced and said it has been rewarding to see the involvement in club meetings and events increase substantially.

Her involvement in the club, her engagement as an NRES Student Advisory Committee member, her efforts as a teaching assistant and her willingness to volunteer her time in supporting the department and other students are some of the qualities described in her nomination. 

In her free time, Ramirez enjoys playing tennis, cooking with her family and exploring new hiking trails.

She aims to become a certified crop advisor so she can advise growers on soil conservation practices. With the goal of working for an organization like the Natural Resources Conservation Service, she hopes to promote awareness and foster a network for farmers to practice soil conservation.

Ramirez advises current students “to find clubs and build community around campus to build connections with fellow students. These friendships really contribute to college memories that you’ll remember for a long time.”

Environmental Management and Protection

Skyler McKinnon’s (Environmental Management and Protection, ’23), interest in environmental science started in an AP Environmental Science class in her junior year of high school. McKinnon, a resident of Los Gatos, California, knew she wanted to pursue a career in science, and she liked how environmental science was a little mix of everything, including biology, chemistry and physics.

She took a botany class and fell in love with plants. She decided to incorporate as much plant science into her degree as possible, which led to an increased interest in restoration ecology and biology and ultimately inspired her to pursue a minor in biology.

McKinnon’s love for botany motivated her to get more involved in research so she could expand her understanding of plant science and build upon her research and field experience. In the summer of 2021, she participated in Cal Poly’s Frost Summer Undergraduate Research Program, assisting a graduate student studying the community assembly of wildflowers that grow on clay soils in the Carrizo Plain National Monument.

She gained valuable experience working as a teaching assistant for many professors in both NRES and biology departments. Her stint as a teaching assistant for an Environmental Impact Analysis and Management class propelled McKinnon into a lab instructor position for NR 416: Environmental Impact Analysis in spring 2023. In this role, McKinnon taught students about national environmental policy and California environmental policy acts and how these acts are applied to environmental and natural resource management problems and projects, as well as how to prepare environmental assessment proposals and documents.

"Skyler regularly leads teams of her peers in group projects, producing superior products,” said an award nominator. “Her mastery of concepts across disciplines has allowed her to be an instructional student assistant in dendrology, field botany and environmental impact analysis. She is an exceptional student who is respected by her peers and trusted by her professors.”

McKinnon could often be found studying at her favorite campus study spots or any local coffee shop, but during her free time, she enjoys being outdoors, hiking, cooking and baking with her friends.

Her close work with professors helped McKinnon network with professionals in industry. During the summer of 2022, she interned as a botanist at Terra Verde Environmental Consulting, and that internship led her to a full-time position with SWCA Environmental Consultants as an assistant staff biologist.

McKinnon suggests that students get to know their professors, who are great connections for networking and getting in touch with industry professionals. “There’s a lot of opportunity in this program to make it what you want,” she said, emphasizing the importance of “exploring all the classes Cal Poly has to offer.”

Forest and Fire Sciences

Mary Cizin (Forestry and Natural Resources, ’23) is a first-generation college student from Susanville, a rural town in Northern California. Little did she know that joining an FFA forestry team her senior year of high school would lead her to pursue a career in the forestry industry.

During her time at Cal Poly, Cizin maintained a full schedule. In addition to keeping up with her coursework and working a part-time job, she embraced numerous opportunities to engage in programs such as the Rangeland Management Club; Packing Enterprise, which teaches how to pack a load onto a horse or mule; FFA State Finals forestry contest; and the Logging Team.

Halfway through her sophomore year, Cizin joined the Logging Team and found an “inclusive and supportive” community that “encourages people to try new things.” She embraced the Logging Team wholeheartedly, serving as treasurer, arranging many of the travel logistics for members to attend the national collegiate competition in Oregon and competing in various events.

Her nomination for this award included the leadership qualities and work ethic she displayed through her participation in the Logging Team, her role as co-chair of the FFA State Finals Forestry Contests and her work in the department office.

Outside of her many Cal Poly-related activities, Cizin enjoys spending time cooking, running, fishing, gardening and working outdoors.

Months before graduation, she accepted a full-time position with FWS Forestry and began one week after Spring Commencement. Her plan is to gain the additional knowledge and experience needed to become a registered professional forester. Her long-term goal is to write timber harvest plans for a private timber company.

Cizin’s advice to current Cal Poly students is to “join things. If you like something, let yourself ‘like to learn,’ and ‘nerd out’ on the classes you enjoy. Don’t stress over the hard classes.” She encourages students to value the time out of the classroom where you can get “boots on the ground” experience.

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Read more stories in the Summer 2023 Newsletter