Student Spotlight on John Siefer

IMAGE: John Siefer
Kent State Senior John Siefer is well on his way to fulfilling his career ambitions and making the most of his education. Majoring in horticulture at the Salem campus, he is a certified arborist through the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) and a member of the Ohio chapter of ISA. 

Recognizing his dedication in the classroom and in the field, Siefer received the 2012 Ohio Chapter ISA Professional Development Scholarship. The scholarship is awarded to an ISA certified arborist who is seeking professional development in one of the ISA certification areas, and is partially based on three letters of recommendation from arboriculture/horticulture professionals. He also received the 2012 Davey Tree Foundation Arbor Grant, a $1,000 scholarship awarded to select college students from across the country. 

Siefer is a research assistant for The Davey Institute in Kent, which is the home of The Davey Tree Expert Company’s research and development and educational branches. He is responsible for arboricultural research such as field and lab experiments; treatments; collecting data; and writing reports. He also is involved with providing technical service to field operations and helping train field personnel. 

The Kent native attended the Urban Forestry Program at Kent Roosevelt High School, and received an associate’s degree in horticulture and environmental resources from The Ohio State University Agricultural Technical Institute. Siefer plans to test for the Board Master Certified Arborist ISA certification this summer, and he wants to earn a master’s degree in plant physiology. 

“Being a student at the Salem campus has been a great fit for me and my career. I like the small classes, pleasant atmosphere and there are good professors,” Siefer said. “Hopefully, I will continue working in research and development after I graduate from Kent State. I’m off to a great start.”