Like rings on a tree, the evolution of Michigan Tech's College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science is a tale of growth, with each year's record building on the accomplishments that came before it.
Rog Hoeksema '72 and his grandson Nate Koetje '25 have experienced and contributed to the milestones that tell the College's story. They are both Tech forestry alumni, bound by family ties and their love of the natural world. More than half a century separates their experiences at Tech, offering a view of how the College has grown—from sturdy roots that form the foundation of Husky forester careers, to branches of innovation reaching the cusp of forestry technology.
Forestry Department 1972: Planting Seeds
Hoeksema was born in Holland, Michigan, the son of a factory worker and a housewife. He didn't have specific career aspirations as a child, and didn't consider attending college or becoming a forester until his senior year of high school. When he made the decision, there was no doubt in his mind what degree he would pursue and where.
"I only applied to Tech, nowhere else," said Hoeksema. "I didn't want to go to a large college and I always liked wandering around forested areas and rivers. It was a natural draw."
Despite the certainty that Tech was the right place for him, Hoeksema had "a big lump in his throat" when his parents dropped him off on campus. His first semester away from home, with 18 credits of mostly general education courses to tackle, was a big challenge.
"I was on my own," he said, "but my fellow students and the forestry faculty were very welcoming."
Over the years, he grew to be a vibrant part of the canopy of what was then known as the School of Forestry and Wood Products. Hoeksema's favorite Tech memories come from time spent learning the discipline of his chosen profession and embracing the tight-knit camaraderie of his fellow forestry majors.
After graduation, Hoeksema worked in a factory for a few months before landing a job with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources as a forest technician. Over a 38-year career with the DNR, he served as an assistant area forester, forest cultivation team leader, forest planner, urban forester, and cooperative forest manager. He retired as a district forest supervisor in 2010.
"Tech gave me a firm foundation, but you need to build on that foundation," said Hoeksema. "Life is a continuous learning process on and off the job. Take as many courses as possible as you go through life, and learn how to work with and treat others well. One adage I hung on to is 'Treat everyone with respect and dignity, as someday they may be your boss.'"
For Hoeksema, his nearly 40 years as a forester were about making a difference in small, meaningful increments.
"Few people ever have the opportunity to change the world like Lincoln, Tesla, or Roosevelt," said Hoeksema. "But everyone can change the world around them. Over time, that can make a huge difference. Brighten the world around you."
CFRES 2025: The Apple Doesn't Fall Far
Hoeksema's grandson, Nate Koetje '25, grew up in Grand Haven, Michigan, and later moved to Kalamazoo with his family. His father is a preacher and his mother is an accountant at a Christian school. As a child, he considered being a farmer, a firefighter, or a park ranger. When he decided to attend Tech, he had not yet landed on which path to pursue for his career.
"I chose Tech because CFRES has a well-respected standing," said Koetje. He also loved the location next to the Keweenaw Waterway, with forested public lands just outside of town. "The scenery is very different from what I was used to growing up near larger cities," he said.
As a high school student, Koetje took an environmental science class that planted the seeds for his future career. He was captivated by habitat types, plant species, animals, and the management of natural resources. He began his career at Tech as an applied ecology and environmental studies major. Narrowing his focus over time as so many Huskies do, he chose to carry on his grandfather's legacy as a forester.
"My grandpa, being a forester, played a role in deciding to study forestry," said Koetje. "I remember as a young child visiting the Department of Natural Resources office, where my grandpa was working before he retired. Since the start of college, I have learned a lot more about forestry—and continue to!"
Like his grandpa, Koetje built fond memories along with forestry knowledge during his time in CFRES. One of his favorites was the semester Huskies spend living and studying at the Ford Center during fall camp. While there, he connected classroom instruction with field experience and built close bonds with the roughly 60 or so other students in attendance that semester. The challenges of late-night study sessions and cleaning snow off his car on cold, dark winter mornings are among the experiences that built Koetje's Husky tenacity.
Like his grandpa, his Tech memories always circle back to a sense of belonging. "I enjoyed the community feel of walking into the atrium of the CFRES building and working on projects with other students I've had many classes with," he said.
It could be that the sense of community shaped Koetje's desire to impact the world around him in his career as a forester—or maybe it just runs in the family. "I would like to continue building community and helping others out. Small tasks do not always feel like they change the world, but I hope that small tasks and serving others will be encouraging to others and impact their lives," said Koetje, echoing his grandfather's words.
Forestry at Tech: Then and Now
As they share and compare their Tech experiences, Koetje and Hoeksema are uniquely positioned to clearly trace their College's growth over the past 50 years. Hoeksema is impressed by how far innovation has brought CFRES and the forestry profession.
"When I went to Tech, technology hadn't appeared on the scene," said Hoeksema. "I learned the nuts and bolts of forestry, like scaling logs, surveying, and leveling. Now, talking with my grandson, I'm amazed at the level of technology used. Ecology and environmentalism has been integrated into forest management. The use and development of new forest products has come on the scene."
For Koetje, expansion on and around campus from his grandfather's time at Tech in the 1970s to modern day is what stands out. "The college and the town have grown," he said. "There are new buildings on campus, such as the Rozsa Center. When my grandfather went to school here, that's where the football field was located."
Aerial shots of Michigan Tech's campus from the 1970s and 2025 show how the University and city of Houghton have grown over the past 50 years.
Though Tech continues to expand the physical boundaries of campus while pushing the boundaries of innovation and technology, some things have stayed the same across generations.
"The faculty are still just as welcoming," said Koetje, "and there are many opportunities to get in the forest around the Houghton area."
Hoeksema is grateful for what remains the same.
"CFRES and its foresters still embody the love of managing public and private lands sustainably for the good of our country," said Hoeksema. "I'm proud of my grandson and grateful that he has had a similar experience as I had at Tech."
Since graduating in spring 2025, Koetje has been living with his grandparents in McBain, Michigan, while working as a seasonal forestry intern with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. He is also pursuing full-time forestry jobs in Michigan.
Michigan Technological University is an R1 public research university founded in 1885 in Houghton, and is home to nearly 7,500 students from more than 60 countries around the world. Consistently ranked among the best universities in the country for return on investment, Michigan's flagship technological university offers more than 185 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in science and technology, engineering, computing, forestry, business, health professions, humanities, mathematics, social sciences, and the arts. The rural campus is situated just miles from Lake Superior in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, offering year-round opportunities for outdoor adventure.
