About
We’re preparing the next generation of leaders
The roots of our college go back to 1925, when the first forestry professor was hired at Virginia Tech. Since that time, we’ve continued to teach students core skills and maintain the land-grant tradition of community outreach, while also pursuing projects at the cutting edge of conservation and sustainability.
Because we believe that we have a responsibility to sustainably manage our natural resources, we’re ensuring that CNRE graduates have the skills employers need and are ready to take on the world’s toughest challenges. We’re preparing the leaders who will make the world a better place through a focus on real-world experience, professional skills, and career-building opportunities like:
- Hands-on field and lab experiences
- Internships
- Undergraduate research projects
- Career fairs and networking events
A community of scholars who care
Our faculty are experts in their fields, but they’re also approachable and passionate about wanting to make an impact on our students. That’s our culture — we care about the work, the people, and our community.
Forestry professor Mike Aust is like many CNRE faculty — he has just the right mix of dedicated and demanding. He takes his undergraduate students into the field rain or shine, and wherever there’s a flow of multi-colored hardhats and neon safety vests, he’s often in the lead. He’s also advised and mentored more than 40 graduate students and has been recognized as a dedicated and approachable teacher who challenges students in an active-learning environment.