Be Good. Be Orange.

What it means to Be Orange

To me, being a part of Oregon State University means being a part of a community, both on campus, in the city of Corvallis, as well as the international stage. A community is a group of people that have something in common, whether it is their occupation, residency, status, such as current education status, hobbies, and the like. To Be Orange reflects the value of community care, which means to have the ability to be aware and conscious of community members around you and to be able to respect them. These cares are in consideration for the community, and as I said, communities such as neighboring towns, states, and countries. For the Be Orange campaign, it is any community that is affiliated or affected by OSU. Great examples of the OSU community include, but are not limited to, the OSU Cascades Campus in Bend, the OSU Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport, or even the OSU ROTC program here in Corvallis. Each example represents OSU, therefore are a part of OSU’s community.

As stated by the Office of the Dean of Student Life website, awareness

“is knowing what’s going on around you. This includes in the world, at the university and within your immediate vicinity. Awareness prepares you to make well-informed decisions. Self-awareness is recognizing your own needs, desires and your purpose in attending OSU.”

To be aware of one’s self, what’s going on in the world, and what is going on at our university can help make a person more rounded and alert of situations in their community. One example of being aware with regards to community care can be shown through research that happens both on campus and that represent the campus, no matter the department the research occurs in. Dialogue that occurs between the researcher and the community shows that the researcher wants the community to be aware of what’s going on, and in essence, become more rounded individuals. Oregon State is always trying to get word out there about what they are doing as a community, for my community, to represent my community; what it is to Be Orange. To be aware is to be conscious, to be conscious is to think, to think is to learn, and to learn is to grow. Therefore, when a person is aware, they are learning and are growing, which is another aspect of the Shared Student Values here at OSU. Growth is why we are here at OSU, to learn and to prepare ourselves for the outside world and to become contributing members of society.

Honesty and trustworthiness are another aspect of what it means to Be Orange. According to the Office of the Dean of Student Life, honesty and trustworthiness

“go hand in hand. Honesty is telling the truth. Trustworthiness is establishing a reputation for honesty. Together, these are the foundations of our academic and social associations. In the academic arena, it is paramount that you do your own work and credit others when appropriate. In the social realm, honesty and trustworthiness create the space for strong and lasting relationships.”

One thing that drew me to go to college was the lasting relationships people have with folks they met at school. My uncle went here and still sees his fraternity brothers all the time. This lasting bond is something that I value and cherish, because it makes me feel included, a part of something, and united with fellow community members. In order to gain this relationship, a person has to be honest and trustworthy, or else the relationship is based off lies, and is not as satisfying.

Another example of value of community care is the social responsibility the university has for fellow community members. According to the office of Human Resources: Learning and Organizational Development website, social responsibility is defined by the way “[w]e contribute to society’s intellectual, cultural, spiritual, and economic progress and well-being to the maximum possible extent.” In essence, it is the positive impact OSU has on the community, with an addition of flavor in the execution.

As I’ve stated before, the top values that I use when defining Be Orange is community and community care, honesty and trustworthy, awareness, and social responsibility. These are important to me because they provide a purpose, or telos, for the community as a whole, as well as the individuals within the community. The purpose for me personally, is to gain knowledge and understanding of those around for future use. The ability to do so with honesty and trustworthy shows that I am credible, which can get a person far in life.

Overall, each value works together to bring about a community and an overarching aspect of honesty and trustworthiness. Each value requires an individual to think, whether consciously or subconsciously, about the community and the positive and negative consequences their actions have within the community. The worth of each value, to me, means something different to each member of the community. For a faculty member, the social responsibility towards their students is going to be different than that of the garbage man: a faculty member’s career choice is to better the future lives of their students, whereas a garbage man’s duty is to clean the town. Both are important when talking about the success of a community; however one is highly sought for, whereas the other is not.

To clarify, this is not to say that these careers options have different moral worth; if a person is doing their duty to the best of their ability, their moral worth is positive, whereas a person who is not working to the best of their ability achieves negative worth when talking about moral and ethical standards. In a sense, it doesn’t depend on the career, but the amount of energy that is put into the job, that defines the moral compass of career choice.

Because of the skills I have acquired, I appreciate Oregon State University, and their Be Orange campaign, for it represents who I am in a community, and what I want to achieve in the future. Whether I become a professor or a garbage woman, because I will get my degree here, it will show my future employers how responsible I am when it comes to community care, how I am aware of my surroundings, the honesty and trustworthiness that Oregon State University has empowered me with, and the social responsibility I have towards my growing community. Oregon State University has given me the tools to be prosperous in the future; that is a goal of mine, to be successful and my values can help me with the process of becoming a successful woman.

BE ONE. BE ORANGE.

Oregon State University as an institution set up a “Strategic Plan” comprised of goals for the university in the coming century. The reasoning behind this is to earn high status (top ten) in the ranks of colleges across the nation. The main objective stated by OSU is to continue the “tradition of excellence” at the university. Some of the goals include improving student learning and experience, research activity, interdisciplinary approaches, sustainability, and promoting human health. While I agree that these areas are all very important to earning a college degree, I know the university has a much bigger impact on the people involved with it. These goals focus solely on education and research, which makes sense for the university, but maybe they don’t understand the full scope of influence OSU has.

Oregon State University’s strategic plan for OSU is important to the goals of the university. However, I believe that being a member of Oregon State has more meaning than just earning grades, graduating (or dropping out), and being sent off for the next part of life. Oregon State is a community, whether the administration realizes it or not, and I think that is a very important idea to recognize. Being a student, faculty, or even a fan of Oregon State University means something, something more than just learning and getting a job later in life. The goals presented in the strategic plan are crucial for the university in that things must be done, but I believe that knowing what it means to “Be Orange” is a much more important experience.

Being Orange represents a certain character and atmosphere that the university represents across the campus, the city of Corvallis, the state, and even the country. Being orange is participating in OSU. The values I think OSU should symbolize are community, responsibility, and opportunity.

The first value that should describe Oregon State University is community. Whether or not people realize it, being a part of OSU is being part of a community. It is built by its members, not just a place. Community is defined by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary as “a unified body of individuals; people with common interests; an interacting population of various kinds of individuals,” which I believe defines Oregon State. We are a population, a group of people who are brought together by the institution. There are many different people: students, staff, administrators, athletes, engineers, mathematicians, etc. but we all come together to represent OSU. As a community, I think we should represent unity and citizenship. All members of the community should be united and work together. We are united by the fact that we are affiliated with the university, but also by an effort to represent the school with these values that bring the members to become one. Citizenship follows the same lines—it is the membership of being in a community, AND the quality of that. How much are you involved? How can you contribute? These values of citizenship and unity are vital because they make up the community and the members must take ownership of them before they can be established. I think that the members must realize that they are part of something bigger than themselves before they will be able to contribute to the community as an orange citizen. An example of this type of community is what you may see on a fall Saturday at Reser Stadium. Thousands of people from the OSU community come together, wear orange, and cheer for their football team to show their support. This is an example of a community and the unity and citizenship that is being displayed through it.

The second value that describes what it means to be orange at OSU is responsibility. This is a responsibility, for yourself and for the community. As a citizen, you are accountable for what you do as a student, professor, administration, staff, etc. by doing what you are supposed to do when you are supposed to do it—principally, doing your job and doing it to your best ability. A student is responsible for doing their own homework, studying, and taking tests. Professors are responsible for making a lesson plan, teaching their students, and deciding grades. However, on top of this, each person has a responsibility to the community in the way of service.  Service indicates the contribution to the welfare of others. Being part of a community entails the responsibility to serve one another. This can be simple actions such as holding the door open for the next person or giving up a computer in the library or even picking up trash on campus. Though these seem simple and trivial, kindness and compassion can go a long way, and as citizens of the same community, we owe it to each other. In addition, how awesome would it be for other universities and states to look at OSU and recognize this quality of service for one another? It’s truly the responsibility of us as members of the orange community to serve each other.

The third orange quality is opportunity. This value describes the way we engage in our community as citizens. The university provides many opportunities for its members, beyond the service we owe to each other. It’s important for us to participate in the OSU community, especially while we are students because we have a great opportunity to graduate as well-rounded individuals, which I believe many people look for in others. Being broadly developed means that you were open and engaged in the community around you. By participating in every possibly opportunity at Oregon State, you will become a person with important experience and knowledge that others will not understand. I think it is a combination of the university’s duty to provide these kinds of opportunities, such as organized clubs, research programs, and study abroad connections. But I also believe that it is the students’ obligation to reach out and find opportunities too. They could volunteer for an organization, join a club, or reach out to freshman students. All of this engagement with each other is important for the uniting of the community, and is truly the responsibility of its members. I think these values should be lived out each day by the members of OSU to represent being orange.

People who are “orange” could be anyone that is affiliated with Oregon State University. People such as the administration, professors, office employees, counselors, students, and even fans are members of this community. These values are something that members of the orange community demonstrate at Oregon State or OSU events, but there is no paper to sign off that makes it law. I believe it is the obligation of the citizens to live out the values though. People with no connection to Oregon State are excluded from these values when related to being orange. In addition, the person’s status at OSU does not change the orange meaning or make the value more or less valuable. Everyone at Oregon State is old enough to understand the values of community, responsibility, and opportunity and commit to them when joining OSU. However, I realize that it is a personal choice for each individual to actually perform the values.

My values of community, responsibility, and opportunity are very important because they define what people think about Oregon State University. As an institution, the members make up the community and we represent Oregon State by what we do—our everyday actions. People actually notice if we say hello to them or hold the door, and we are judged by simple things like that.  I think it is important to be a community that is recognized for working together through responsibility and opportunity. Also, as an orange member, I want to be in this type of environment where I feel connected to others through community, where I take responsibility and better the lives of others, and where I have opportunities to discover the world—and I think many people do too. Being orange is important for the members inside the community but also for those outside of it, and even for people who may want to join in on being orange!

The goal of my value is not to persuade you that I am right about what it means to be orange because I know there could be many different values that describe an orange person. Instead, my goal is to open up your idea of an orange community and the university. There is much more to college than being a fish in the sea where you go through at least four years of classes, work for a grade, and getting spit back out onto the sand with a degree. Earning a diploma is the main goal, but there is so much more. Imagine the countless chances you have to try something new, help some out, or experience something that you don’t have anywhere else. Being part of a community, owning your responsibilities and taking advantage of opportunities while you are an orange member will mean so much more than a piece of paper.

To further illustrate the meaning of being orange, I designed a logo. The purpose of the logo is to give the members of orange a symbol or picture to remember what it means to be orange. I wanted to create a new brand through this artistic medium to project my values in an interesting and attractive way. On the logo, the “O” contains community, the “S” has responsibility, and the “U” holds opportunity. I think that creating an image will help people of the orange community to recognize and remember the values of being orange.

There all kinds of different people that make up the OSU community. All these different cultures and backgrounds give us different points of view. Most of these views we cannot understand because we have only seen life through our own eyes.  When someone here’s Be Orange I want them to associate it with open-mindedness and respect.

To be open-minded you have to be compassionate, understanding, and engaging. You also have to be willing to put yourself out there among other strangers of your community. We have an obligation to our community to get to know those around us. Get to know those around us so that we can listen to new ideas and ways of looking at life. These experiences will open up our eyes and help us notice all the ethical skills we may or may not have.

An open-minded person will listen to whomever they are talking to and engage in a conversation. They care about what the other person has to say. They ask questions when they have them, they never hold back. They apply emotions to their conversations so that the other person feels engaged with you. Being open-minded takes a while to develop in this community I would say you’re orange after returning from your 1^st year. If you come back you’re orange. And know you represent something that is not just your top priority but others as well. When someone says they attended Oregon State University it should automatically turn the light bulb on in someone else’s head. They should associate all these great things I’ve been talking about with your degree.

Someone who is not Orange or not open-minded is an individual who is selfish in all his decisions and thinking. This type of person believes that there way of thinking is the best way and any other way means nothing to him/her. For example at the beginning of this class some of us in the class were frustrated due to the fact that we weren’t open-minded to this way of teaching. I don’t know how my peers felt but I thought that this way of learning and teaching allows students to think on their own. Being told to due an assignment without any step-step instructions helps your brain think more. It’s not necessarily thinking outside the box but just play with your box.

We are all here for the reason, to get a degree. Whether its your bachelors, masters, or PhD your degree from OSU will be the first thing people have to judge you by. We all judge a book by its cover but we don’t notice that we do it. I want them to judge me as a person with character, open-mindedness and caring for those around me.

When I hear the phrase Be Orange it means to have an open-mind to new ideas, people, events, cultures, and values. If these people want to be a part of the Beaver Nation they have to commit to these values throughout their lives. Once your Orange you can’t go back. You have made a lifelong commitment to not just representing yourself but a community that has established itself. We have to strive for education and to promote higher education to the younger generation.

From class lectures, the book, and having conversations with my colleagues I learned that we shouldn’t be part of the system. We are in the situation that we are in because we follow the system. People shouldn’t have fear; we should use the fear of not knowing what’s going to happen to drive is to put a stop to it. We have to put a end the government and corporations reign of taking advantage of its citizens. It’s a shame that the cost of education drives people away. If you have commitment in what you do, you can accomplish anything. And with this knowledge it means nothing if you don’t share it with others. We all have to know how our system works and how we can change it to improve ourselves and those around us.

I have learned a lot from this class, I have learned a lot about myself and how I can be a better person. If you approach your life goals with ethics in mind you will notice how much we take for granted. We put a value on objects that really have no value. It’s sad to see so many people that are oblivious to these ideas. For that reason we have to take use all the skills that ethics gives us to spread the word and get people the information that they need. It’s time that we take back our pride and put a stop to it.

Be open-minded, Be Orange. When I hear someone say Be Orange I want open-minded to automatically pop up in their thoughts. When people read the signs around campus and look at the pictures of the students and staff. The way we show it by our knowledge and how we choose to use it. For me the correct way of using is by sharing that knowledge with others and helping them understand these new ideas. As long as they have an open-mind I believe our knowledge can lead us in the direction that we want to go. All we have to do is pass on the knowledge to those in our community so that as a whole we can be something more then just Be Orange.

-Francisco Flores

My degree from Oregon State University will mean so much more than a diploma could ever say. Being the first person to graduate from a university in my whole entire family will be such an honor and privilege. Now days many people go to college because their parents and grandparents went, it’s already planned in their future they will attend college. Attending college was a choice I had to make for myself. Working hard to get good enough grades to get into college was a decision that I had to work towards. I am putting the responsibility of my life into my own hands. I am putting my own welfare and goals first (78). In that ethical ego state of mind I am trying to make a future for my self. It may sound harsh and that I am being selfish but through my self care practice I have learned that you must take care of your-self in order to best take care of those around you. As an utilitarianism prospective I am trying to make the right decision that gives me the best balance of happiness for everyone concerned (85).  Going to college will not only make my current family proud, but it will allow me to provide for my future family. When thinking about how I fell when attending college I feel that I am making a choice to be successful based on a model of excellence (136). When looking at the state of minds you can be in, ethical ego, consequentialism, non-consequentialism, virtue ethics, you must have a combination of them all. Happiness come when you think of others, the ricks and rewards of action and also sometimes when you think of your own well being.

Being Orange to me is something I can be proud of. When leaving Oregon State University I want other to see the pride and school spirit I hold for OSU. I believe that this value does not just hold true to me. Any student that has graduated or is currently attending OSU has the right to be proud of their school. Along with students, facility and other employees that contribute to the school should take pride and honor in being a part of Oregon State. Oregon State is doing great things and has been for many years, all community members should be proud of the excellent examples set before them.

My value is very important because people are longing to feel like they belong in the world. Being apart of Oregon State University community allows you to be proud of where you came from but also what you had accomplished while you were there. Becoming proud of the Oregon State community comes from many small actions that create a greater action. Each class you take, and work hard to pass is a small action that leads to your overall goal.

When graduating form Oregon State I want people to know that it was a challenge, that it was hard and I had to stay determined and focused. College was not a plan that was set before me. I had to expectations set on me that I had to finish college, which in a way is making it harder to stay focused. Working hard to achieve my goals is a choice I am proud to make for myself. After leaving Oregon State I will feel proud to be a beaver forever.

Submitted by Molly Amo

So, we’re faced with this big question, what does it mean to be orange? My opinion of what I think orange is has definitely shifted from the beginning of the term until now, the last week of the term. Throughout the course, I’ve learned so much about the various philosophy terms and myself, a combination that provided me the ability to change my position on what I think it means to be orange.

Coming into this class as a senior, I was not accustomed to the great amount of disclosing and sharing of values with my fellow students. It was all rather a shock to me; though a pleasant shock. This entire term has molded my brain to know how to interpret situations and create well-developed opinions that were indeed morally right. Group and class discussions were very beneficial to me in regards to the values we spent time analyzing. Enrolling into this class, I think I was immature in a way that accepting another’s opinion was somewhat difficult if I saw it as morally incorrect. Morally wrong (according to Molly). One exercise we completed in particular that I really liked had us respond to an argument as if we favored the opposing side. This skill taught me to not only be more open-minded and understanding of situations, but I’ve improved my processing and am able to comprehend why one feels the way he or she does.

Oregon State University is a public, higher education institution that greatly emphasizes an effort in a sense of respect and veracity. The “Be Orange” Campaign means something different to each individual, but to me, being orange has a deep significance. “Be Orange” means be encompassed with integrity and be respectful. Oregon State is devoted to serving its students, staff, faculty, and alumni with full responsiveness. Under Oregon State’s “Office of the Dean of Student Life” webpage, student values are shared and defined. Specifically, I looked at Integrity and Respect, as to me, are the combination of values that define what orange is to a tee. These two values productively create an environment (mentally and physically), in which anyone affiliated with Oregon State is able to prosper and cultivate off one another.

The term “Be Orange” is not just a slogan. To many, it might be just that. But Oregon State did not create this motto for no reason at all. Being orange represents a wide variety of values, but mostly, it represents values of character. As I strive to achieve my life goals, when I receive my degree upon graduation from Oregon State, I want it to represent the hard work and energy I put in during my time here. A degree shouldn’t just exemplify the A’s, B’s, C’s (and maybe even some D’s) you received during your time as an undergraduate. To have a degree from Oregon State, means I’ve experienced many social engagements and have had experiences that people without a degree presumably have not encountered. My degree will symbolize the journey I went on where I learned what it means to be respectful and respected, as well as performing things with great integrity.

Some might think that just the students are expected to use these values of respect and integrity, but I feel everyone (students, faculty, staff, and alumni) are expected to and entitled to practice these values. We have learned that ethics are such a big part of our lives and exist in our day-to-day activities whether we are aware of it or not! Respect and Integrity go together hand in hand and are a part of an ethical relationship we learn to forego in our time here at OSU.  We learn from example but we learn mostly from experiencing things hands on. In our 4 (or 5) years year at this University, we grow and learn to treat ourselves as well as others with dignity and honor.

My value of integrity is important because having a strong set of moral values and living up to them will really take you far in life; whether it be in terms of your career, personal life, in a relationship, or family life. My value of respect is also extremely important because “treating every individual with dignity, honor and generosity while valuing their humanity” is going to better ourselves for the future.

This value requires actions of being true to yourself and doing what is best for your community (in this context: Oregon State University). The telos (goal or aim) of my value is to improve everyone and their outlook on life. After developing a firm belief of principles and ideas throughout this ethics course, I’m able to “spread the love” and continue being orange after I graduate. I will fulfill my mind with integrity and treat not only others, but also myself, with great amounts of respect.

But why? Why is integrity and respect so important? Why is it emphasized so greatly at this college? For one thing, if you have high integrity, you are trustworthy. Oregon State helps mold it’s students, staff, faculty, and alumni, in the way that it communicates the idea that if you can’t trust someone, why would you want to surround yourself with them? Having strong moral principles should be of the utmost importance for each and every individual. On a separate note, respect is important because without this value, we’d probably all be savages. You get what you give in life. Respect should be earned, not demanded! These values are so important to me and apply to big actions and moral decisions in our daily lives. Ethically speaking, these two values exclude no one. Respect and Integrity really applies to us all. Students are vastly affected by these values a bit more than others, because at our average 18-22 year old age, it is easier to instill these values into our young minds.

Chelsea Albertson

PHL 205

Being orange is about being apart of something that is bigger then yourself. It is about being apart of an evolving community built upon a historic foundation. A historic foundation meaning that this establishment was built upon a set of principles that has since changed over time. Students are the muse of Oregon State University; they are the ones who embody the meaning of being orange. This is a very important thing to know before you commit to attending this university. You have to be willing and in somewhat of an agreement with what the school stands for. Of course I say somewhat of an agreement because there are always going to be people who disagree in some regard and they might want to come here to change that.There are different layers to the meaning of Orange but I don’t necessarily think you need to be apart of every aspect. I guess you could say that attending OSU and receiving your degree would be the representation of you being apart of the orange community, however, it runs a lot deeper than that.

Who you are as a person within the community as you go about your education is going to say a lot about what you can do in the future. Being an engaged student is one aspect of being orange. An engaged student at Oregon State University means that one actively participates in class, demonstrates a sense of open mindedness and the ability to challenge ideas with new ones that can be applied. Demonstrating these qualities in the classroom will definitely be a way for you to achieve a high grade, to get that degree you desire, but also to show that you are apart of something that is transforming. By being diverse in a classroom setting, you are showing that you are capable of formulating these new ideas and hopefully will be able to act upon them. I think that being apart of the Orange community means that you are one to take initiative and lead by example. This also means that you are willing to take on projects that aren’t just about the University but that are apart of helping transform the world.

At Oregon State we are very into creating a more healthy environment for everyone and creating a green campus (meaning sustainable).  We have implemented new policies on campus more recently which call for a more sustainable way of running the University and addressing the effects of smoking that can be harmful to everyone, even nonsmokers. These actions that have taken place have not always been apart of Oregon State, this is a perfect example of how we have transformed over the years. The issue with second hand smoke might not have been as much of a problem when the institution originally started up, however, at this point in time it is a big issue. By implementing a new policy, enforcing it and respecting it, the orange community has come together to create a welcoming and smoke free environment for anyone who wishes to be on campus. Oregon State has also stepped up their role in creating a more sustainable campus. More efforts to get people more actively involved in recycling and even having solar panels to help keep this university running in a more environmentally friendly way. This is another issue that has grown into a more serious problem that effects everyone and that the orange community wanted to be apart of changing.

Now these layers of being orange are just simply some examples of more basic ways of being apart of such an amazing community. However, being orange and being transforming is a much more personal experience that people have on an individual level. People who are orange have a certain amount of integrity and they hold themselves to a certain standard which is how they evolve over the years. You have to remember that not everybody is going to be orange when they first arrive at OSU. They might have an idea of what it means, they might have read policies and maybe have even have taken steps to be apart of some type of club or Greek life community within the university. However, they will not truly grasp what it is to be orange until they have those individual experiences and are able to reflect and form their own opinions as they go through college. As a person who is transforming themselves it is so common that everywhere that they turn, they are seeking opportunity. The opportunity they may seek will vary from person to person but nonetheless, if the are orange, they will attach themselves to that idea and stop at nothing to obtain it. That’s what being orange is all about, it’s about transforming into the person you most desire to be and building a community around you that will help you get there.

An orange community is one that is transforming and molding into what it needs to be for every single student who attends this institution. It’s an advantage to be apart of the campus experience and really engage in all that is offered and get involved in making changes as they see fits. Those who are enrolled online or are at the smaller Cascade campus don’t get the full affect of what it really means to be orange. In that case it would be solely up to them to read policies and know what the school stands for and maybe would have to be more defined by professors. However, I don’t believe an administration or faculty makes Oregon State University what it is today. The student body, the ones who ooze beaver pride, get involved, are successful in the classroom and are apart of making changes are the ones who have created OSU as it is now. As each year goes by, I think that more of the University policies and standards are in the hands of the students and why shouldn’t it be? The ones who are truly going to care the most are the ones who are paying the tuition, the ones who see the good and evil within. They are the ones who are going to help guide their children, friends, friends’ children about where to go. I believe that if past and present students didn’t see this University transforming then they probably wouldn’t have gone here in the first place.

Being orange is going to mean something for everyone who attends in some way or another. I want it to mean that I was apart of a transforming community that is active in all areas of things that will make this entire world a better place. I want it to mean that on an individual level, that I came from a place and got a degree somewhere that challenged my thoughts and ideas. A place where almost everyone would know that I had to somehow be apart of the University positively because those are the ones who were most successful there. Employers and people who you engage with on a daily basis want to have people who are constantly looking to the future representing their companies or just apart of their lives. People who have already been apart of something that has changed so positively in just the past couple of years are going to be the ones who don’t have a problem with accepting new ideas. People who are open minded and want things to evolve appropriately are the ones who are going to reverse the bad that has been done to our environment, economics, and social society. The ones who will stand up for what needs to be done and won’t stop at anything to get there. Oregon State University is where it started for me and there is no other way to go other than to: Be Transforming, Be Orange.

Happiness Assignment

By Terrence Gleason

The Science of Happiness video was really interesting and I agree with a lot of what he says about how we create our own happiness instead of gain it through material things. There is no recipe for what happiness is regardless of what everybody thinks it is determined and synthesized from what each individual person makes it out to be. The point where Mr. Gilbert talked about the paintings was particularly interesting to me, but it was the people with the short term memories that surprised me. That even without knowing which painting they had the subconscious literally took control and made “their” painting more liked than before it was theirs. That blew my mind and I would not have seen that coming. This really proves that humans make their own happiness and that it is not at the jurisdiction of material objects to define our happiness.

I believe his theory on happiness does require ethics, but there is a very fine line between the two that has to be reached. Take psychopaths for instance say that they synthesize happiness from doing harm to others or destruction of property, ethically we have to say that behavior is wrong when we speak from an outsider’s perspective. If you are the psychopath however this makes you happy and if someone tells you that it is not okay to do these things then they are then denying you happiness. Granted this is a very extreme example, yet I still think it is relevant. It is relevant because it brings up an important point as to where do we draw the line between what makes someone happy and what is destructive to themselves/ others?  Most would suggest it is a case by case basis, but other people might say well do whatever makes you happy.

Madelyn Miller

PHL 205

Be Orange. Be a contribution.

To me, being orange means being a contribution. Not just any contribution, but one that is positive and welcoming by nature. The act of contribution involves individuals, peers, communities and the world in general. With the act of contribution being so all encompassing, it is hard to see how our orange community could have an influence on the world through contribution; however, I argue that without the contributions bestowed upon us by the people around us we would be less successful. This is why it is important for an orange OSU student to be receptive to contributing to the world. In other words, I would hope that if you are going to be Orange, you are respectful to the fact that your success is not entirely your own doing. I think it is only when we can recognize how influential others have been on our lives that we begin to feel the importance in imparting the same type of contribution to others.  When I say others, I am not specifically referring to only one’s peers or fellow OSU affiliates. Instead, in order to be orange and to contribute, one should bestow this type of contribution onto everyone around them, both literally and figuratively. I hope that when someone is given a degree from Oregon State University, they understand the endless possibilities within their own agency to affect the people around them, and not just their ability to better themselves.

Unfortunately within our generation I have to admit that not all people come to universities with the hopes to contribute to their surroundings. It seems to me that a lot of students around the nation see higher education as a necessity in order to make money or be happy as individuals. This is unfortunate to me, because I know that our opportunity to have higher education is a privilege. I spent time in South America, where I realized the immense amount of people who would do almost anything to have the education that we are given in the United States. The realization that I am in a position that I should feel privileged to be in makes me understand my duty to contribute my knowledge and passions that I have gained in my time at Oregon State University to the best of my ability.

My passion is working within the health field. As a pre-medicine undergraduate, with a focus on public health and a minor in Spanish, I feel that my goals provide for a clear potential path. As my time as an undergrad student comes to a close, I am confident that I want to work with people who are unrepresented within the health field, such as the immigrant community. The university has given me so many amazing opportunities to explore my interests and begin to comprehend my passion. I hope this realization of incredible privilege also exists for my peers. I think that Oregon State University has a unique way of helping people find their passions. With the wide variety of required baccore courses, I would attest that majority of graduating four-year students have an idea of what they are passionate about; some may even have a concrete path towards the utilization of their passions. With this said, I would hope that someone who has graduated from our university seeks out ways to use their degree and passions in a beneficial and productive way. To be productive in your contribution, I believe that an Oregon State student, who wants to be Orange, needs to see their education as a significant privilege that gives them the ability to share what they have learned and accumulated form their experiences here to the world. If you are not using your knowledge and sharing it with the world, how significant can you argue that your time at Oregon State University really was?

As previously stated, I am aware that some people see higher education as something they are entitled to, and something they seek to only benefit themselves. What the university needs to instill in students is that our education is not entitlement to success. In order to have success and be Orange, one must be humble in his or her experiences here. Jumping to the conclusion that having a degree gives you superiority over others in the world gives an image of egocentric pride in one’s own knowledge. Once you see yourself as a part of a whole, vs. something that can stand alone, you start to see the profit behind contributing to others. This comes back to my Orange statement; when you make a positive contribution centered on your knowledge and experiences from OSU, you are Orange.

If Oregon State University’s community members choose to share their knowledge and make a positive contribution to the surroundings, they will in return create and become part of new communities. Once you seek a community or try to draw people into your ideas, there is soon a larger body of individuals who are gaining from your knowledge. When you are contributing on a community-based level, you are embodying the morals behind the purpose of contribution. Once this happens, there becomes a level of responsibility and accountability that you hold within your community. That duty of beneficence combined with accountability provides for a moral obligation to contribute to others.

In conclusion, I think that someone is Orange when they see it as a moral obligation to contribute positively to their community and surroundings. An Orange person is someone who can be successful in his or her academia, yet understands his or her role in society as a privilege. They would be accountable to use their knowledge and experiences from their time at Oregon Sate University in a way that benefits a larger pool of knowledge and would be receptive to being a part of the whole vs. seeking individual success. Someone who is Orange contributes to not only their peers but also to people who are underrepresented, or different from them, because they understand that their success relies on the collective knowledge and success of others who may or may not be similar to them. I am Orange; I do my best to contribute with passion and conviction for the benefit of all the people within my reach.

Be Respectful. Be Orange.

By: Terrence Gleason

            Respect is something that everybody should be familiar with just from everyday life. We experience respect and disrespect everyday some of us more than others, but most people have not experienced the respect of what it means to be Orange. The typical definition of respect includes definitions such as these: to show regard or consideration, to relate or have reference to, or to refrain from intruding upon or interfering with. (dictionary.com) These are all valid definitions, but when you are a student at Oregon State respect takes a whole new meaning.

This respect is felt once you become a seasoned Oregon State University Student. When I say seasoned OSU student I define that as anyone who is pursuing a higher education at Oregon State and has been for here for more than one year. It is after the first year in higher education and then continuing their education at OSU that the individual then becomes Orange. Not only did they make it through their first year of college, but they also decided to continue, for transfer students, or resume their education at Oregon State.  The best way to think of this is like the life cycle of the caterpillar. The first year the freshman spend the year crawling around, sometime literally, living the tasteless life of terrible dorm food, quiet hours, dorm living, learning life lessons, and taking responsibility for themselves. After the year is over they go back home, the cocoon stage, to reflect on what the year meant to them and if they will be returning to OSU or if they will pursue their education somewhere else. The students that chose to return to Oregon State for their second year will be in the early butterfly stages. Their wings will be relatively plain and simple, but year after year they will continue to become more complex with the experiences and knowledge that they are continuously gaining from being an OSU Beaver. With that being said there are some exceptions to the rule such as transfer students. These students usually become “seasoned” faster than freshman because they already have been through a year of college and developed their own seasoning not found at Oregon State. So once they get to Oregon state they must take their previous experiences and combine them with the ones that they have at OSU to find the perfect blend of seasoning.

Now that the seasoned OSU student has been defined lets evaluate respect, but not as defined by society but rather as defined by Oregon State.

To be respectful and be Orange you must treat fellow students and the campus as you would like to be treated. This includes but is not limited to no destruction of property or harm to individuals, not judging an individual based solely upon looks, showing compassion for and accepting each other’s flaws, helping those in need even when nothing is directly gained in return, and finally it is the loyalty of the individual to our school, ourselves, and each other.

The respect that is seen and felt at Oregon State is truly one of a kind and once it has been experienced you will not forget the feeling or Orange respect.  It goes far above and beyond what respect is defined as. It really cannot be put into words so the best and really only way to know what Orange Respect means is to personally experience it firsthand so you fully grasp the true greatness of it. People can tell you what respect is or isn’t and give you endless examples using techniques such as ethics spotting or show and tell, but this will not be able to give an outsider the full Orange experience he/she is seeking.

As students leave Oregon State the Orangeness they gained from their time here does not merely fade away, but rather it goes with them. Once a student has gained their Orangeness it goes with them where they go and will be easily be recognizable by any other seasoned OSU student. For individuals who are not Orange it is a particularly hard quality to put your finger on specifically because it is such a unique group to be a part of. These Orange students are confident in all situations and will go through life always finding a way to complete any task they are given simply by the drive OSU has given them. Will on the diverse travels that Oregon State students will endure all of us will have a home here in Corvallis even if we no longer officially live here and on our travel we will never be alone because all of our fellow alumni will be in the world with us as we spread the word about becoming Orange.

With all that being said it is very difficult to put a definition on being Orange, especially to those who have not experienced it directly. The dedication, work ethic, compassion, and confidence can be seen in daily actions, but the biggest give away of an Oregon State student is the Orange Respect that they give to all those who are not Orange. So the best way to define being Orange and what it means is to not define it at all, but to live it. Live it so you can feel what it truly means and know how it feels to give and get this unique type of respect so you can define for yourself what it means and find your own Orangeness.

Submitted by: Sierra Land

People have been fighting for pride since the beginning of time.  What is it that drives us to be proud of something?  Perhaps it’s having something to be proud of.  When someone has nothing in this world to offer, they will always have their pride.  Pride is something that can’t be taken away, which is why people should value it.  When I hear the phrase “Be Orange” I assume it means to be proud of your school.  You can be proud of your school by doing things such as going to class, studying hard for exams, going to sporting events, and wearing school colors.  If this is true then I am the epitome of what being Orange is all about.  Looking deeper into the meaning, when you hear the word Orange you affiliate that with the school colors.  In this sense, being Orange means being a part of the school, the community of OSU, and beaver nation as a whole.

What does being a part of beaver nation mean?  It means that you attend a school whose goal is to improve the state, the country, and the world.  It means you go to a school that has the best looking females in the country.  It means you are being taught by the best professors in Oregon.  It means you are part of a community that loves to compete in sports.  It means you belong to a community that is driven by educating people so they can make the environment better.   The main focus of OSU is to advance, promote, and progress in areas of distinction.  I’m proud to be a part of this nation because I believe in making the world a better place.  A good theory to live by is to leave this world better than when you found it.

With pride comes respect.  You can show respect to yourself and to your school by doing your best work for your professors, and cheering as loud as you can at sporting events.  You get respect when you do these things and more.  People respect you if you go all out for something.  If you show pride in your work then you have something worth honoring.  If you cheer as loud as you can for your school at sporting events, then you are showing pride.  There is no feeling like being the part of the roar of the crowd at a football game after your team scores a touchdown.  Not to mention what happens before the game; all the laughter and good times being had while tailgating.  Being all you can be for your school is what being Orange is all about.

People show respect around school on a daily basis.  For instance, people hold the door open for someone that is right behind them.  This is a simple gesture and it normally follows with a quick “thank you.”  I’ve seen people return something that someone else just dropped.  I’ve witnessed several occasions when someone says “you forgot this” and then hands the person the thing they forgot.  I’ve seen students say “hi” to their classmates when they see them around campus, and because we are all good people we say “hello” back. All these things and more are how people at OSU show respect.

You can also show respect by understanding what it is that your professors are trying to teach you.  Don’t just go to class to earn the A.  Go to learn the material and the concepts that your professor is teaching.  The school entrusts the professors with their superior wisdom.  The students are at school to get more knowledge in the field of their choosing.  Therefore, it is only right for students to put their trust into learning everything their professors teach them.  Another key value is trust.  You need to trust that everything your professor is teaching you is beneficial to your learning.  You need to trust that you are paying for the proper education.  You need to trust that you are learning the skills necessary to be successful in life.

The system is not set up for you to only take classes in the area of your major.  Instead we are told to take baccalaureate classes that shape us into being well rounded individuals.  One can assume that means that we should gain knowledge not only in our field of study but other areas as well.  This notion leads us to believe that if you are a well-rounded individual you are ready for the real world and all real world situations.  That means that the more knowledge you have, the better off you are.  We trust that all the knowledge gained at a University is good knowledge and can be applied to real life situations.  I want to gain as much knowledge as I can while attending OSU because I can use that knowledge to be successful in life.  All of this may be true, but is being a well-rounded individual all we want from attending OSU?

When I graduate I want my degree to mean that I have all the knowledge and skills necessary to make the world a better place, especially in the field of Exercise and Sport Science.  I want it to mean that I made lots of memories at OSU that I can tell my grandkids.  It’s a common saying that college years are the best times of your life and if that’s true then I will have some great stories by the time I graduate.  I want it to mean that I have more education than any of my family members before me.  It means a lot when the next generation is more educated than the previous generation.  I want to hang my degree proudly and say that I was smart enough to achieve that.  I want to honor my degree by honoring everything I had to do to get the degree.

Another value that I affiliate with being Orange is success.  What I want most out of life is to be successful.  Sadly, one of the main ways people measure their successes is by how much money they make.  Sure I would love to make a lot of money but that shouldn’t be what makes me successful.  I measure my success by determining how far I have come and how much I have accomplished.  If I do what I set out to do then I will be successful.  If I obtain a degree from OSU and get into a career related to sports I will be successful.  If I improve the Science of Sport in any way I will be successful.  If I am kicking back with my dad overlooking Lake Tahoe from my condo then I know I am successful.

I am proud of my school.  I am proud to say that I attend Oregon State University.  I am proud of all the knowledge I’m learning. I am proud to be a beaver.  I respect my school, my professors, and my classmates.  I always strive for success.  I will one day be proud to say that I am successful.  I am Orange.