For the City Times

STEVENS POINT — The Wisconsin Woodland Owners Association (WWOA) announced that UW-Stevens Point sophomore, Violet Thielke, is this year’s winner of the recently established $5,000 WWOA Forestry Leader Scholarship. Thielke plans to graduate in May 2021 with a degree in forest management. 

She currently lives in Waupaca and commutes to UW-Stevens Point on days she has classes, so she is still able to help her dad on their family farm “Thielke Grass-Fed Beef” and their other business “Thielke Forestry Products.” Working with her dad is how Thielke knew she wanted to pursue a career in forestry. Her father’s passion for working in the outdoors was bestowed into her through hard work, operating machines, and realizing that forestry is more than just cutting down trees.

“I can see Violet becoming an educator someday as she seems to have a keen sense of discovery and passion for learning which in my opinion is really an important part of being an effective teacher.” said Dr. Richard Hauer, who was the 2018, Student Selection for Outstanding Teacher for the UW-Stevens Point’s College of Natural Resources.

Thielke would like to thank WWOA members and others who made the scholarship possible.

“I am unbelievably grateful that people can see my passion for forests and bettering ecosystems. Thank you for putting faith into people, such as myself, that want to make a change for future generations.” said Thielke.

WWOA’s Forestry Leader Scholarship was established in 2017 through the generosity of an anonymous benefactor and members participating in a $20,000 match challenge. The intention of this scholarship is to help carry forward WWOA’s educational mission of educating future generations on the value of sustainable forestry and to ensure private woodland owners will always have access to well-trained foresters.