Be Good. Be Orange.

By Will Schlechter

From the first day you step on Oregon State’s campus you see the marketing slogan “Powered by Orange.” At first notice this phrase is taken lightly, but after my fourth year here this “Orange” thing is definitely taking form. So what does it mean to be orange? Ed Ray, the President of the University has a list of core values which include integrity, respect, accountability, diversity and social responsibility (http://oregonstate.edu/leadership/strategicplan/).Even though these key values are a big part of being orange, they do not fully define what it means to be orange.

When walking away from Oregon State, what values will be taken away? How will others view the community from a third person perspective? Every student, teacher and alum has an impact on our community. We are all forever associated with Oregon State as a team but we all have different values which allow us to bring different things to the table. This is why one of my key values for being orange is being an individual. This value is comparable to President Ray’s value of diversity. He defines his core value of diversity as “We are committed stewards of the loyalty and good will of our alumni and friends and of the human, fiscal, and physical resources entrusted to us.” Diversity is a key value because we need understanding from different resources in order to see the big picture. Individuality is a key value because staying true to you and striving to be different is what brings out the maximum potential in all of us. In my opinion reaching potential is the goal of education. The main difference between these two values is that we are born diverse, we all come from different backgrounds and upbringings. Individuality is learned, it is natural for us to conform and not ask questions. Some people are naturally individual but for the majority it is easiest to follow the path of least resistance.

I see the Oregon State community as a team of Individuals striving for knowledge. The team is always evolving and ever changing which is why you can never fully define what it means to be Orange. Being Orange changes case by case, person to person. Being Orange is all about learning your role on the team and evolving as the team evolves. Whether the team is the Oregon State community, the populace of the whole world, or your fellow employees, that striving for individualism is what gives the unit its most potential.

“Submitted by Devereaux Filipe”

What’s Your Why?  What’s Your Orange?

            Being orange… What does it mean to be orange?  Is it a value our school puts on a pedestal? Is it just statement that makes the students of OSU feel a sense of community?  It could represent our schools strategic plan that values accountability, diversity integrity, respect, and social responsibility?  Well that’s interesting because the OSU strategic plan just summed up our ethics class.  It contains the importance of knowledge, responsibility, community, citizenship, and being good.

In the world of psychology orange represents our gut instinct or gut reaction, going after your dreams and not looking back. Orange is a positive color the represents optimism and relates to keeping us motivated and helping us look on the bright side of life during tough times.  Try to think of anything negative that has to do with the color orange.  It is definitely a tough task.  It also relates to adventure, risk-taking, confidence, competition, and independence.

The funny thing is to me being orange is much more then a set a values, or a sense of community because you are doing what your suppose to do. I believe being orange is more of an ideal, and emotional connection to our self and our school.  All these other answers to what it means to be orange our based on group for example “the students of OSU are different, we different races, religions, backgrounds” well so does every other college in the world.

We go to school, of course we are held accountable for our actions we pay money to be here they don’t pay us, it’s our job to be honest and respect one another we have been taught that since we were born, and responsibility, if we weren’t responsible we would’ve never put in the effort to be here.  What I am trying to say is being orange is not our duty as students it’s not our job, it’s not something that we can be taught, it’s a choice, it’s our individual why.

Why we worked so hard to get good grades in high school so we can get accepted here, why we get up for early morning classes when we don’t have to, why we study long hours just to make sure our teacher believes we work hard even though we ain’t going to remember half the stuff we learn anyways, why we choose to be here, why we want to succeed as a student here at OSU.  To me being orange is being you… being a teacher who stays up late to correct exams losing precious family time, being a student far away from home fighting to be somebody who will change the world, or being an athlete working hard on and off the field to prove something.

Being orange is being motivated, being passionate, being a believer, having faith in why you choose to be here no matter how tough it gets, being orange following your dreams even your the only one who believes in it.  Being orange is more than some values written on paper, being orange is being you, becoming who want to be, it’s what drives you, because you believe in yourself and your dreams.  Being orange represents your why, your reason for doing what you do every day, so tell me what you want to be?

What’s your why? What’s your orange?

 By: James Van Domelen

Be Kind. Be Orange.

            To some people, the word ‘Orange’ may simply refer to a favorite color or a citric fruit that provides vitamin C, but to me it means something much more profound. When I think about what it means to be Orange, my thoughts automatically turn to Oregon State University. More importantly, I think about the community of individuals that make up OSU as a whole. These individuals are more commonly known as the ‘Beaver Nation’. This nation of people is the backbone of the University and enables it to successfully function as a unit. Through their actions of kindness, generosity, and dedication, the true meaning of Orange emerges. As I work towards completing my education, I want these actions to be appropriately reflected in my degree. I want Orange to represent the values that the Beaver Nation displays on a daily basis, which are kindness and acquired knowledge.

Ultimately, the individuals within the Beaver Nation are responsible for the reputation of what it means to be orange. Being apart of this community simply means having an association with Oregon State University. This is the only prerequisite that is required to join the Beaver Nation. Therefore, we welcome people from all backgrounds in an inclusive manner. However, the actions of these individuals are not equally representative in what it means to be Orange. I see there being two distinct subgroups within the Beaver Nation: the primary group and the secondary group. The primary group consists of students, staff, and faculty that have a direct relationship with Oregon State University. On the other hand, I view the secondary group as being an extended family of the primary group. This group could consist of friends, family members, sports fans, future students, and other people that have an indirect relationship with Oregon State University. Therefore, the actions of the primary group have more influence on what it means to be orange due to their interconnectedness with Oregon State University.

As a student, I am constantly being exposed to these actions from both the primary and secondary groups within the Beaver Nation. Therefore, I’m in an optimal position to witness and reflect upon what it means to be orange. I most clearly associate these actions with the values I stated earlier, which are kindness and acquired intellect. To me these two values are important because they provide a foundation to succeed in the future. This applies not only to occupational excellence, but also in developing a sense of character. Having this type of community, one that cares for each other and works to achieve intellect, is something I highly respect. I want to stimulate my character growth and these values will help me reach my goal.

When defining kindness, I’m simply referring to an act that contains warm-heartedness, consideration, or sympathy towards someone or something. I have observed acts of kindness on the student level in the form of holding a door open for another colleague or simply just giving a smile. I’ve seen OSU football fans stay the entire game to show support and sympathy for their team even when they’re losing in a blowout. On an organizational level, Fraternities and Sororities are routinely holding fundraisers to benefit people suffering from debilitating diseases or other important issues. Lastly at the university level, I’ve witnessed them incorporate a no smoking policy on campus. This shows a respect for the environment and displays consideration toward people who don’t smoke. However the act of kindness by the Orange community doesn’t stop at the University level, it extends to the far reaches of the globe. For OSU Public Health graduate Lindsey Kato, she found her calling as a community-based suicide prevention services coordinator in Juneau, Alaska. She says, “To be able to create a safe, healthy environment for future generations and to give back to the community that literally helped me up when I was down, is just amazing,” (Turner). This is exactly what being Orange is all about; actively engaging in kindness, not only in your local community but also around the world. Through these actions, the Beaver Nation has provided evidence to support why kindness is a value that defines what it means to be Orange.

The value of kindness only contributes to half of what it means to be Orange, the other half comes in the form of acquired intellect. When defining acquired intellect, I’m referring to new information that contributes to your overall character development while at OSU. This includes newfound wisdom, skills, facts, experiences, friendships, and identity of self. In fact, the University supports this value through the Baccalaureate Core classes. They’re designed to give students the ability to explore and learn new information in multiple fields of study. This is one of the top goals that Oregon State University has supported and is actively influencing. However, acquired intellect can also be observed in the library as students study to prepare for exams. Through the guidance of professors at OSU, students are able to acquire new skills that will benefit them in the future. Acquired intellect can also be something as simple as taking a few minutes to relax. In this process of relaxation you’re able to care for your mind and body. This type of self-engagement is important and the University supports it through the Mind Spa. Located in Snell Hall, the Mind Spa offers student services that range from Full-Spectrum Light Therapy to self-meditation. The culmination of these actions help contribute to why acquired intellect is such a big component of character development and helping to define what it means to be orange.

Overall I think the Beaver Nation has been fairly successful in conveying the values of kindness and acquired intellect when it comes to defining what it means to be Orange. However, I would like to see OSU make some changes to strengthen these keystone values. First, I want to suggest a new way in which the University could improve obtaining acquired intellect. Professors should be required to incorporate ‘effort’ into their grading rubric when deciding a final grade. Effort should be accountable for at least 10% of each student’s overall performance. Effort can be graded on overall completion of assignments, attendance to lecture, participation, progress made over the term, or completing extra assignments. In adding effort into the grading scheme it will promote students to become more engaged in academics and stimulate a taste for knowledge. This means that failing a midterm will not completely destroy your chances at getting a desirable grade in the class. I believe incorporating this method of grading will enhance the motivation students have to learn, which will trickle down to improve the value of acquired intellect while at OSU.

Secondly, I think the value of kindness is being misrepresented through our University’s new logo. The new beaver sends signals of being fierce, tough, and focused. These traits are great when speaking about the athletic programs, but not when they’re applied to the university as a whole. The logo is an important accessory because it’s usually the first thing that people associate OSU with. Therefore, our new logo is not appropriately displaying what it means to be Orange. I want a new logo that dulls down the aggressiveness and focuses on being welcoming. As a result this will give people outside the Beaver Nation a better understanding of what it really means to be Orange.

Throughout this essay I have identified two key values that contribute to what it means to be Orange, which are kindness and acquiring intellect. These values are the direct result of what I’ve witnessed occur through the actions of the Beaver Nation. I believe that individual actions determine what being Orange is all about. No matter the size of the action, big or small, each one is important in describing Oregon State University. Kindness and acquired intellect are two values that I want to be associated with my degree when I graduate. In efforts to amplify these values, I have suggested a few ideas that the University could integrate into the Orange community. Whether or not they get accepted, I know the Beaver Nation will continue to reflect the values of what it means to be Orange through their actions.

Works Cited

Turner, Heather. “Public Health Grad’s Lifelong Struggles Inspire Need To Help

Others.” Synergies 20 Feb. 2013: 1. Print.

Welcome to the blog for Be Good!  Be Orange!    This is the latest ethics education and outreach website sponsored by the Phronesis group in the School of History, Philosophy, and Religion.