Isparta University of Applied Sciences Faculty of Forestry held a magnificent and emotionally charged ceremony to bid farewell to the graduating class of the 2025–2026 academic year. The graduation program, held in the faculty garden, was attended by a large and enthusiastic crowd.
The ceremony was attended by Isparta Deputy Mayor Mr. Uğur Büyükçulcu; Vice Rectors Prof. Dr. Ramazan Özçelik and Prof. Dr. Ayhan Gösterit; Dean of the Faculty of Forestry Prof. Dr. Hasan Alkan; department heads along with academic and administrative staff; Dean of the Faculty of Technology Prof. Dr. Cengiz Özel; Dean of the Eğirdir Faculty of Aquatic Sciences Prof. Dr. Şengül Bilgin; Director of the Graduate Education Institute Prof. Dr. Abdullah Sütçü; Isparta Regional Forest Director Mr. Ali Özdemir; Antalya Regional Forest Director Mr. Kemal Kayıran; Denizli Regional Forest Director Mr. Ahmet Köle; Nature Conservation and National Parks 6th Regional Director Mr. Hakan Mumcuoğlu; Deputy Regional Directors of the Isparta Regional Forest Directorate Mr. Hasan Aslan, Mr. Ahmet Keser, and Mr. Mustafa Çelik; Second President of the Chamber of Forest Engineers Mr. Ahmet Kara; Board Member Mr. İsmail Kışlak; Second President of the Chamber of Forest Engineers Western Mediterranean Branch Ms. Sibel Korkmaz; Provincial Representative Ms. Yeliz Çatal and chamber representatives; Director of the Western Mediterranean Forestry Research Institute Ms. Neşe Cılız; branch directors; forest enterprise directors; numerous colleagues from various units; President of the Western Mediterranean Branch of the Turkish Foresters Association Mr. Mustafa Necati Baş and board members; representatives from numerous private sector companies active in the forestry sector, including Yüceer Kereste, ORMA, and ÜNSE Engineering; the families of graduating students; press representatives; and friends of the Faculty of Forestry family.
The ceremony began with a moment of silence and the singing of the National Anthem, followed by the reading of a message from General Directorate of Forestry Director Mr. Bekir Karacabey, and continued with speeches from department heads and distinguished guests. Head of the Department of Forest Industry Engineering Prof. Dr. Halil Turgut Şahin, Head of the Department of Forest Engineering Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Oğuz Çoban, Dean of the Faculty of Forestry Prof. Dr. Hasan Alkan, President of the Western Mediterranean Branch of the Turkish Foresters Association Mr. M. Necati Baş, Second President of the Chamber of Forest Engineers Mr. Ahmet Kara, and Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Ramazan Özçelik each addressed the graduates and wished them success in their professional lives.
Personalized graduation certificates were presented to the class of 2025–2026 by members of the official delegation, while certificates of achievement for students who successfully completed TÜBİTAK 2209-A projects were presented by Assistant Dean Prof. Dr. Nilüfer Yazıcı.
The Prof. Dr. Uçkun Geray Achievement Awards, presented annually by the Turkish Foresters Association to top-ranking students, once again found their recipients this year. In the Department of Forest Engineering, first place went to Hasan Kaya, second to Elif Damla Dal, and third to Semih Can Temir. In the Department of Forest Industry Engineering, first place went to Mehmet Akan, second to Berat Can Conkuş, and third to Ömer Çiftçi. The awards were presented by the President of the Western Mediterranean Branch of the Turkish Foresters Association.
As in previous years, the Chamber of Forest Engineers added meaningful support to the graduation celebration by presenting gifts to the top three students in both the Forest Engineering and Forest Industry Engineering departments. The gifts for the high-achieving students, who are a source of pride for our faculty, were presented by Chamber of Forest Engineers Second President Mr. Ahmet Kara, General Treasurer Mr. İsmail Kışlak, Western Mediterranean Branch Second President Ms. Sibel Korkmaz, Provincial Representative Ms. Yeliz Çatal, and the regional directors in attendance.
Awards prepared by the faculty for top-ranking students were presented by Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Ramazan Özçelik. As the young engineers received their gifts to resounding applause, the ceremony venue was filled with both pride and great excitement.
Faculty valedictorian Hasan Kaya nailed his name to the graduation log and delivered an emotional speech on behalf of the 28th graduating class. During the ceremony, a painting and a commemorative plaque prepared for General Directorate of Forestry Director Mr. Bekir Karacabey were presented to Isparta Regional Forest Director Mr. Ali Özdemir by student representatives.
Plaques of appreciation were presented to the Isparta Regional Forest Directorate, the Nature Conservation and National Parks 6th Regional Directorate, the Chamber of Forest Engineers, the Turkish Foresters Association, and Yüceer Kereste for their contributions to the Vocational Training in the Workplace Program and the graduation ceremony.
Led by Assistant Dean Prof. Dr. Yasin Karatepe, the students took their graduation oath and joyfully crowned their years of hard work by tossing their caps into the air. At the conclusion of the ceremony, attendees were treated to kabune and halva — iconic flavors of Isparta — sponsored by Yüceer Kereste.
As the Faculty of Forestry family proudly bid farewell to its graduates — described as "the light of their eyes" — they wished the young engineers every success in their professional lives. The 28th graduating class took their first steps into a new chapter of life, equipped with knowledge and ready to serve both nature and their country.
