Davis College
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John Brooks, professor of Forest Resources Management in the WVU Davis College’s Division of Forestry and Natural Resources, has received the 2008-09 Outstanding Advisor Award from the Davis College Student Council. Nominations for the award are sought from the student body each spring, with voting among the nominees conducted online.

Brooks was nominated by Katherine Akers, a Forest Resources Management student from Lewisburg, WV. In her nomination, Akers credited Brooks with accessibility and dedication to student success.

“He has a lot of contacts in the forestry job market, and he sends emails with job postings (sometimes several emails each week) to the natural resources students,” Akers wrote. “For anyone who needs help finding summer employment or even a permanent position, these emails are awesome. The fact that he takes the time to do this is really outstanding.”

She’s also benefitted from Brooks’ skills as an instructor:

“I took Forest Mensuration with Dr. Brooks. It is a class that mixes math and science, so naturally, it’s pretty difficult,” Akers wrote. “Dr. Brooks expects a lot from his mensuration students. The class is very demanding, but very informative. It is the foundation for many other forestry concepts. If you put time into the class, it can be one of the most beneficial forestry classes at WVU. I found the class very interesting. We spent a lot of time outside of the classroom, which is something I enjoy? Dr. Brooks was always willing to help me with assignments outside of class if I was having problems.”

“Dr. Brooks is really someone I would consider an expert in his field. Other professors routinely ask his advice,” Akers concluded. “Also, he has had experience outside of academia, allowing him to see things from a practical, ‘real world’ point of view when he is teaching. He has been a really great advisor, and I plan to stay in touch with him after I graduate.”

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