Be Good. Be Orange.

Submitted by Kalee Wake

Oregon State University’s ideas for what being “orange” represents is stated in the university’s strategic plan. Their core values include accountability, diversity, integrity, respect, and social responsibility (“Strategic Plan”). This means being loyal to alumni and university supporters, welcoming to all people, honest in all that we do, civil to each other, and involved in society’s progress. Other Oregon State marketing groups have represented being orange as using our resources learned on campus to make a difference in our world with the Powered by Orange campaign.

Be passionate. Passion is defined as any powerful or compelling emotion, feeling, as love, or hate (“passion”). Being “Orange” for me is being passionate about life, education, and others. Oregon State is made up of people who are looking for a way to improve their life, through education, experiences and belonging to a group. Reasons for being a part of Oregon State University are different for every person, but whatever those reasons, it is important to be passionate and care about that reason for coming to Oregon State University. I am orange because I am passionate about being a beaver. The beaver campus, people and athletics are what I love about Oregon State. I am passionate about my education and future goals, which Oregon State has helped me to pursue. I show my passion of being orange by going to my classes, attending sporting events, and taking part in activities on campus.

Passion can also be shown negatively. People are passionate about their personal feelings but this does not mean it is morally right. A person can show passion for Oregon State by putting down the Oregon Ducks. Insulting another school for the benefit of your own school is an extreme example of using passion. Being over passionate is negative because a person who is over passionate can cause that person to act on their feelings and emotions. This can lead to immoral actions such as insulting, discriminating, and excluding a person or groups of people. Having no passion can be seen as lazy, uninterested, and unengaged. Being a part of Oregon State and having no passion for the school and education is immoral. This shows that going to Oregon State University and being a Beaver takes a certain amount of passion.

Passion can be shown in a variety of ways. We can be passionate about school and getting good grades. We can be passionate about learning new concepts and ideas. This does not necessarily include getting the best grades. We can be passionate about our friends, greek life, or club at Oregon State. We can be passionate about arts, creating and developing new things. We can be passionate about school spirit and athletics. I hope that in a way everybody is being passionate about making a difference. The difference does not have to be big, but I think the main goal for everyone should be to make a difference the life of a person, community, or population. It takes a passionate and motivated person to make a difference.

Work Cited

 “Passion.” Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House, Inc. 18 Mar. 2014               <Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/passion>.

“Strategic Plan.” Leadership. Oregon State University, n.d. Web. 18 Mar, 2014. <http://oregonstate.edu/leadership/strategicplan/>.