After working for four summers with the CF&G plus the ADFWG it became obvious to Capt Wayne S. Salmon, 1958 Fisheries Biology, that the wages paid were not sufficient to raise a family.  He then entered into the US Navy flight program, where he became an aerial navigator.  A beautiful young lady he met on active duty brought him back to Indianapolis where he entered into the Naval Air Reserve program, and got his teaching credentials, and an MS plus 33 semester hours.  He then went into Biology/Science teaching which he thoroughly enjoyed.  Several of his Humboldt teachers greatly influenced his teaching. He retired as a Navy O-6.  He is the former commanding officer of VR-51 at NAS Glenview near Chicago. Want to go fishing? Give him a call.

In June, 2019 Ashley Birkeland, Psychology, 2005, completed her Ph.D. in Education Policy, Organizations and Leadership at the University of Washington. Her research focused on dual-credit course taking in the state of Washington.

Charles Acosta, Biological Sciences, 1985, is retiring in 2021 after spending 34 rewarding years serving high school students. His oldest daughter, Krista (HSU Alum 2012), arranged with the dean to allow him to walk across the stage at her commencement ceremony since he was unable to attend his own. While having breakfast in Eureka the following morning, his photo was captured on the front page of the Times Standard newspaper. After HSU, Charles and his daughter both served in the Peace Corps (Dominican Republic and Honduras) where they both married the love of their lives. Krista married Ekow Edzie and Charles married Leyla Turcios. “Thank you HSU, redwoods, sunsets and APD for the great memories”.

After graduation, Jeff Oliveira, Natural Resources, 2001, began working as a California Environmental Quality Act specialist for a consulting firm. He then became an environmental resource specialist with the County of San Luis Obispo managing projects with complex environmental concerns.  Eight years ago he started his own consulting firm, Oliveira Environmental Consulting LLC, providing environmental review and permitting support for private and local government clients.  Today he is working on a wide range of projects, including mine permitting, CEQA/NEPA review, permitting for local infrastructure improvement projects, permitting for affordable housing projects, construction monitoring, wildlife/botanical surveys, pest species (feral pig) removal, etc.

Robert vanCreveld, Forestry, 1978, spent a short time as a forester before becoming a photogrammetrist and aerial mapping photographer. He attended post grad studies in forest survey at the International Institute for Geo Information Science and Earth Observation in the Netherlands. Following a short stint in the Marine Corps, he was recruited as a special operations officer at the CIA. Thereafter, he moved to Oregon, working as a soils consultant.

After graduating from HSU, Benjamin Woodruff, Biological Sciences, 2017, became a California Institute of Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) Bridges 2.0 scholar through Humboldt State and began his career as a researcher at Stanford University. There, he studied regenerative medicine as it relates to inner ear biology. Fueled by an enthusiasm for science and academia, he applied for graduate school and is currently a first year PhD student at Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, Oregon.

John Swancara, Wildlife, 1982, has spent over 30 years pioneering reverse osmosis water treatment systems for homes and commercial applications. He pioneered small bottled water plants for small businesses. Currently he is the lead sales engineer for American Beer Equipment in Lincoln, Nebraska designing micro-breweries. John has authored several articles on water treatment.

After graduating from Humboldt State University, Jason Sikorski, Environmental Science & Management, 2017, stayed local and worked at Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park as a senior maintenance aid building ADA hiking trails in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park for one season. Afterward he moved back to his hometown in Orange County and was hired by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services as an Environmental Health Technician in Laguna Niguel, California.

Eileen Cashman, Environmental Resources Engineering, 1984, is starting her 21st year teaching at Humboldt State University in the ERE program. This year she started her second term as Department Chair. She continues to love her job and is grateful to engage with current and future alumni every day!

In summer 2019, Melissa Neufer, Biology, 2001, studied desert and marine landscapes through ecological and social field methods in Baja, Mexico. Melissa, a biology teacher at Roseland University Prep High School, lives in Santa Rosa, California, and is a graduate student in Miami University’s Global Field Program.