Be Good. Be Orange.

Submitted by Hayden Olson

Being “Orange” at Oregon State University can mean a number of things. As our primary school color is orange, there are primary characteristics people have associated with that color. For example, being Orange is being respectful and understanding of the diversity on campus; having differences allows our culture to be unique and widespread even outside of the campus. To my friends, being Orange is being school spirited and motivated to reach one’s goals; however, each person I spoke to had a slightly different meaning of “Being Orange.” Though definitions differ, the general concept people describe is of hardworking and open-minded individuals who share differences yet are able to collaborate and make positive changes on our community and world that we live in. That is what makes this university so great; the diverse cultures and interests found at OSU all come together to make up a unified body that wears orange apparel and functions with an “Orange” attitude.

When I am being “Orange” I am consciously making an effort to be welcoming of others and representing my school in the most positive way possible. This means I am showing up on time to events, school, and work, I am putting my full effort into my daily tasks, and I am being considerate of those around me. Oregon State is known for being a research school, but it is not the only thing that makes our school successful. Having a diverse culture that share the common belief of working hard and representing their school makes OSU shine in every department.

To “Be Orange” not only means to be ambitious; it also means making smaller, achievable steps in order to progress towards a lager and meaningful impact on the community.  As seen on campus, there is a number of different banners scattered throughout buildings and on light posts stating what it means to be part of Beaver Nation. An effective strategy in communicating these messages would be to incorporate these characteristics into all OSU events. Whether these be at sporting events or orchestral concerts, having a set of characteristics visible or explained to student, faculty, and visitors will allow everyone to understand the moral compass here at OSU.

My interpretation of “Being Orange” revolves around having respect for you and for other. Holding yourself accountable will keep your goals in perspective while understanding others’ differences will allow you to be more adaptable and flexible when collaborating together. Integrity fits the list of “Orange” characteristics because succeeding in college and further into the workforce takes a lot of motivation that can be and is learned through the struggles experienced when on your own (such as college).

Being a part of the “Orange” movement means working hard for yourself and for the common good of the community; however, to do this requires proper communication and portrayal of “Orange” characteristics on a daily basis. It is easy to feel the warmth of Beaver Nation during the civil war football game but it is equally important to express passion for being Orange outside of competitive settings such as when you work with peer on group projects. Being Orange is being on time, being prepared, and being driven to reach your goals.

Submitted by Terra Setzler

Recently there was a racially hateful comment left on a bathroom stall in Milam. When I saw the post on things overheard at OSU I responded saying, “To me this person is not a Beaver. You cannot be powered by orange when you are fueled by hate. This is not acceptable.” Then in my ethics class we were asked to talk about a ‘be orange’ moment we had and to define what it means to ‘be orange.’ Let me take a moment to do that now.

Being Orange means being caring and inclusive to all. Through my almost three years of college I’ve learned a lot about how social, economic and political systems favor some people over others. OSU students take bacc core classes to gain a greater understanding of the world around them. Being Orange means as some signs in the library put it, “the nation is an inclusive community” or “the nation enhances well-being and social progress.” Being Orange and being part of Beaver Nation means being a part of the force that changes these inequalities.

So if being Orange means being accepting and understanding, what does that look like? First, be orange, be open. Be open to the experiences of others and the truths of their lives. Each person has had their own life experience and its important to be open to hearing it and even if it differs from yours, try to accept it without marginalizing or belittling. Second, be orange, be caring. I like many others cannot manage to be politically correct 100% of the time. Be emotionally correct. Try to respect other’s experiences and when you do offend someone, take the time to understand why and to adjust your mindset and actions moving forward.

There are so many obstacles for many people to overcome (gender, race and economic position having a lot to do with it), be a factor that helps fix these inequalities. If you haven’t yet learned how your actions can hurt those around you, check out the ‘I too am OSU’ page on Facebook or walk in to a cultural center. Ignorance of a problem does not make it go away.

Submitted by: Ashley Hittner

            In the future, when I tell someone I am a graduate from Oregon State University (OSU), I want their first impression of my alma mater to be positive. More importantly, I want my future employer to see me as a hard worker and potentially as an awesome employee. To me, “Being Orange” is more than a color or a saying, I want it to be a legacy that follows me and my fellow peers throughout our lives in the professional and personal world.

My journey as a Beaver Believer started as a little sprout. When it came time to apply to college, the only college I ended up applying to was OSU. In fact, we should have had a building named after my family since everyone on my dad’s side has attended OSU. However, while growing up I always watched my family work hard. After graduating college, my dad opened up his own car washing business while working at a painting company. Over the next twenty years and two kids later, he opened up two more car washes for a total of three washes. His car washes are open 365 days a year and he attends to them every day. I watched first hand growing up with a dedicated father whom worked hard so my brother and I could have a head start at life.

Being Orange is multigenerational; I have adopted my dad’s work ethic while my time at OSU. I am constantly busy but my GPA is flourishing, I have been associated with many academic societies and work two jobs. I have been very satisfied with my time here at OSU but have also been disappointed with one aspect; I wish myself and other OSU students were rewarded for their hard work in academics. When I started at OSU in Fall 2010, the cost of tuition was $6,727 for in state residents (from: http://www.collegecalc.org/colleges/oregon/oregon-state-university/#.UyR2vZPijw1). However, tuition has sky rocketed to a whopping $8,538 for in state residents (from http://oregonstate.edu/financialaid/cost-attendance). To put this in better perspective, this is a 21 percent increase in tuition since 2010. How is this drastic increase in tuition supposed to promote hard work? I have seen my fair share of firsthand accounts of hard working students who have dropped out of school because of these massive hikes in tuition.

My response to OSU is let the hard working student have a tuition break. I love this school and want to see our alumni flourish, not waste away in college debt. My solution to the problem is simple; I want to be recognized and rewarded for my hard work and dedication I put forth with my schoolwork. One solution to the increase tuition hikes is for OSU to give students who have good grades a discount on tuition. This will give us incentive to do well in classes and make our campus more competitive.

My other solution has been adopted by other colleges such as Western Oregon University and that is to do a tuition promise. For example, the tuition that you pay your first year of college will be the same for the next four years (follow this link for more details http://www.wou.edu/student/finaid/tuition_fees/tuition_fees.php). For many students, knowing the price of college for the next four years is crucial; they will know how much money to budget for as well as how much they will be in debt.

Positive rewards the best rewards. They encourage us to prosper and grow as individuals and as a community. During my 2014 Winter term at OSU, I took a Philosophy 205 class which is the Introduction to Ethics. The professor had an amazing way of rewarding the students for their hard work. At times, the rewards seemed elementary but as simple as they were, they were the most powerful rewards. Much of the time, graded college assignments come with a solid grade, maybe some comments, and then it’s on to the next paper. However, this professor took a different approach; she added stickers to places in our papers where we had exceptional work, she rewarded us with surprises, and whenever we contributed an unique idea to class, she had a bag with small pieces of paper with a written reward on it such as cookies or an A on an assignment. She genuinely always acknowledged our hard work and unique ideas in a positive way to entice us keep participating. I would like to challenge the university to acknowledge our hard work as an entity.

As of today, OSU’s current astronomical increases in tuition are not beneficial to the many hardworking students on its campus. By providing monetary incentives to the hardworking students on campus, OSU can foster a better environment for learning. I want OSU to thrive and be known for having students of determination, intelligence, professionalism, and great work ethic. By demanding students to pay more and more each year, these objectives are less likely for the common student.

#workhardplayhard #TuitionFreezePlease #beorange

Submitted by Galen Hoshovsky

There isn’t a specific word that describes being orange; it’s more of a combination of multiple attributes and actions that have positive effects in a community. One of the reasons that I chose to come to Oregon State University in the first place was because I felt it had a strong community that cared for everyone no matter who they were.  I toured many universities and felt that Oregon State had the best environment for my future success.

For many in the Oregon State community, being orange could mean supporting the athletic teams, doing well in classes in order to graduate, or being more sustainable in your daily life. Needless to say, there are countless ways in which someone can be orange or have a positive effect on their community. Corvallis is a community that is very diverse, as the research university attracts people from around the world that want to pursue a professional career. Having that diversity really allows people to explore themselves.

To me, being orange is like being a family, a group that looks out for one another, creating an atmosphere where everyone feels comfortable and confident enough to pursue their dreams and goals. Not knowing a single person when I moved to Corvallis, I immediately felt accepted by other students and community members.

I played baseball all throughout high school and when I decided to go to Oregon State; I thought my competitive baseball career was over. Sure enough, the first two weeks at school, I was contacted via Facebook by a student that was interested in starting a club baseball team through the sports club office at Oregon State to further our competitive baseball career. It’s been three years since we started the club and we have seen it grow into something special. This club baseball team has become the most diverse group I’ve been apart of since we have people from all over the country including a French exchange student, yet we all share the love for the game of baseball. We have managed to become a family, helping each other get better on and off the field. This team has given many students at Oregon State the opportunity to play competitive baseball and at the same time, allow them to focus on their academic career. It has also taught all of us how to better manage our time, as most of us are full time students. Everything that goes along with our baseball team can be considered orange because it brings together a great group of diverse people and gives them an opportunity to play baseball and create friendships.

It takes a whole community working together to promote being orange and Corvallis is setting a great example for other cities and towns to follow. Be good to others and to yourself so that an atmosphere is created where everyone feels comfortable and confident.