Ansley Whitley, a second-year MFR in Forest Business student, has volunteered at numerous Center for Forest Business and Georgia Forestry Association networking and conference events her first three semesters in the program. This past summer she interned with Weyerhaeuser in Georgetown, GA and currently supports Dr. Yanshu Li with taxation research.
Ansley states: “I’m from Buena Vista, GA, where I grew up playing sports and spent my free time hunting and fishing. I attended Virginia Tech on a softball scholarship in 2019. However, when COVID sent us home, I started spending more time outdoors. That’s when I Googled the top wildlife programs in the country and discovered Warnell. As a Georgia fan, this seemed like the perfect opportunity for me. After earning my bachelor’s degree in wildlife sciences, I had some forestry friends who encouraged me to apply to the MFR Forest Business program. Originally, I didn’t have much interest in the business aspect, but I realized that if I wanted to have my own wildlife consulting firm one day, understanding this area could only help me.
After applying and being accepted into the MFR program, I was initially worried about taking Financial Management and Financial Accounting in my first semester at the Terry School of Business. However, these classes sparked a deep interest in forest finance and valuation. What I thought I would dread became my greatest passion. My knowledge of the forestry industry expanded significantly as I began reading books, attending conferences, networking, and engaging in conversations with faculty.
I have developed a keen interest in forest finance, valuation, portfolio management, and economics. I look forward to working for a REIT, TIMO, or consulting firm in one of these areas. I’m incredibly grateful that the Center for Forest Business does an outstanding job of connecting students with the industry, allowing us to network and explore career paths.”
