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Ranger School Class of 2026
ESF’s Ranger School to Celebrate its Graduates
WANAKENA, N.Y. – May 14, 2026 – The SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) will hold commencement for Associate of Applied Science graduates of the ESF Ranger School in Wanakena, N.Y., at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 16, at the Clifton-Fine Central School in Star Lake.
Degrees will be awarded to 17 students in the forest technology program, 19 in the environmental and natural resources conservation program, and 17 in the land surveying technology program.
“Congratulations to the Ranger School graduates on reaching this important milestone and their commitment to rigorous, hands-on learning,” said ESF President Joanie Mahoney. “These graduates exemplify the dedication and skill needed to steward natural resources and lead in their professions.”
Program scholars honored during the ceremony were for Forest Technology, Aeron Jauquet of Romulus, New York; Environmental & Natural Resources Conservation, Matthew Sieber-Ford of Queensbury, New York; and Land Survey Technology, Amy Krohl of Liverpool, New York.
Honors were also presented to Maple Leaf awardees, President's and Dean's lists recipients, and inductees into the Forest Technology Honors Society.
Guest speakers include Joanie Mahoney, ESF president; Dr. Lindi Quackenbush, provost and vice president of research; Dr. Christopher Nowak, chair, Department of Sustainable Resources Management; Katherine McCarthy, Executive Officer for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs, and Thomas Martin, representing the Ranger School Alumni Association.
Ranger School students pursue associate degrees in Environmental and Natural Resources Conservation, Forest Technology, or Land Surveying Technology. While there, they engage in hands-on learning in the 2,800-acre forest that is part of ESF’s campus in the Adirondacks.
The Ranger School curricula demand hard work and high-quality academic achievement. Classes are scheduled from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. In addition to daily classes and laboratory/field exercises, several field trips are made during the year, and students often attend a multi-day professional meeting.
About the Ranger School
The Ranger School in Wanakena, New York, offers students a unique educational experience in a spectacular natural setting. The Ranger School confers the associate in applied science degree (A.A.S.) in three areas of study: forest technology, land surveying technology, and environmental and natural resources conservation. The Ranger School's one-plus-one plan allows students to complete their first year at the college of their choice, then spend their second year at The Ranger School.