group of alumni from the UMN Forestry Class of 1957. Photo by Jeffrey Thompson/CFANS.
Alumni from the University of Minnesota Forestry Class of 1957 were awarded the inaugural Constellation Award at the 19th Annual Borealis Night of Excellence last spring. The night was co-hosted by the College of Food, Agricultural, and Natural Resource Sciences’ (CFANS) Alumni Society Board, Undergraduate Student Board, Graduate Student Board, and Postdoc Board, to honor the leadership, dedication, and impact of members of the CFANS community at different stages of their careers.
The Constellation Award recognizes the transformative power of collective alumni impact. Members of the Class of ’57 were selected for their decades of leadership and service, which have left an enduring legacy in forestry, conservation, public policy, and education.
The honorees include:
- Robert Herbst, who helped expand U.S. National Parks and co-founded a clean water nonprofit serving millions.
- The late Theodore (Ted) Hullar, Ph.D., former Chancellor of the University of California and environmental leader.
- Richard (Dick) J. Manly, who bridged careers in forestry, poetry, and environmental advocacy.
- The late Floyd Rudy, a forester-turned-attorney who supported both his community and the University.
- Richard (Dick) Waring, Ph.D., a Marcus Wallenberg Prize-winning forestry
professor.
“This group of men from the class of ’57 have really left their mark on the world of forestry,” shares Amy Alch, senior development officer at CFANS.
Throughout their lives, this group has shown incredible care for and dedication to our nation’s forests. They've also provided invaluable support for the next generation of University of Minnesota-trained foresters through the Class of 1957 Undergraduate Scholarship.
Together with Susan Stafford, who was dean of the former College of Natural Resources (which became CFANS in 2006), some members of this special group have written essays about their time studying forestry at UMN. In them, they reflect upon the lessons they learned, the experiences they bonded over, and how things have changed since their time as students. We are thrilled to have recently published these essays on the Department of Forest Resources website for all to enjoy.
In memoriam of Ted Hullar, who passed away on September 28, 2025.
Learn more:
- Read the Class of '57 Essays.
- Continue down memory lane by exploring the Gopher Peavey archive, the UMN forestry yearbook published from 1928 – 1993.