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.

When you hear the phrase “it takes a village to raise a child”, what does it mean to you? After a short time thinking about it, you discern that it means a child is not raised just by those that cater most to them, but all of the people around them play a large role in the process. I have a similar definition in my mind, however when I think deeper about it, I realize that this phrase does not just accommodate to children, and it is not just the people that surround us by which we are molded. It is everything around us that shapes us into who we are in our daily lives. Every thought we have, words we speak or read, every interaction, and everything we see and process in our minds is what molds us.

So what does it mean to Be Orange? As college students at Oregon State University, we are the “child” in the village. A village that gives you the opportunity of knowledge and skills required to be who you strive to be in the future. Being Orange isn’t about pride, diversity or integrity. It is about a community that teaches you to be prideful, instills strong moral principles and gives you the confidence to rise in the face of diversity.

Being Orange is also about open mindedness, innocence and trust. These three traits go hand-in-hand in our OSU community. One of my favorite parts about Beaver Nation is that it is not uncommon for random people to just walk into your house, realize it was not the house they were looking for, apologize and be on their merry way. Just last night I was sitting on my couch watching television and three guys I didn’t know walked through my door. We had a small conversation before they realized that they were in the wrong house, and they left a couple beers on their way out. This may seem weird everywhere else in the world, but it is what makes me proud to call Corvallis home.

Compassion also plays a large role in the Orange community. It seems that a large majority of Oregon State students are very thoughtful and kind to one another. Oregon State does not just offer an education, it offers a home. A home that is full of people that will build you up when you are down. One that is full of people trying to reach out to one another. The individuality on this campus is not something that divides us, but instead it brings us closer together. It is shown that through the compassion shown to one another unifies our community as a whole. It is not uncommon to see a posting on our “Things Overheard at Oregon State” Facebook page about a lost I.D. or credit card, and people trying to contact whoever the card belongs to. People combine their efforts in order to help one another, that is what being orange is all about.

Being Orange is not just about the five core values that are listed on the Oregon State website. To Be Orange is to appreciate everything this town and university has to offer. Each individual at OSU is the “child raised in the village” and I am proud to see what people grow into at this university.

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: Shayna Kim

Many people outside of the Oregon State University community believe that Be Orange is seen as mainly school pride because of Benny the Beaver, but that’s not all there is to it. After asking other OSU students, they see being orange as being eco-friendly, reliable, and unique. There is a large amount of words that could describe being orange. Everyone has a different perspective on being orange depending on their own personal values because one may be more important to one person but less important to another. That doesn’t mean we aren’t being orange, we are being orange in our own way.

When I first chose OSU as my college of choice we were told that we were going to be Powered by Orange. This has had a great effect on me because it gave me a sense of a community and unity. All of the OSU students, faculty, and staff are unified under the values of OSU. Be Orange is the same thing. We are all unified under the same moral values that we want as students to better ourselves by being a part of the OSU community.

I see Be Orange as a code of ethics in a way for the OSU community. OSU defines being orange by their core values of accountability, diversity, integrity, respect, and social responsibility. To me, the most important moral value held to Being Orange is social responsibility, basically making the right decisions. In Hawaii, this moral is called being pono. Be pono is to do the right thing. College in general is when we, the students, become adults and we are guided by the moral values of the school and choices we must make as adults. Every day we are faced with challenges that test our values and morality, that’s what makes ethics so important. Question all that we know to know that what we are doing is right for ourselves in our own situations. This is a part of life that I struggled with most and being orange has led me to becoming a better decision maker and making the right choices.

Being Orange means being the best person you can be in the world. Make a difference through what you have learned as being a part of OSU and keep a part of OSU with you for the rest of your lives. Everyone has a different opinion of Being Orange depending on how they want to make a difference in the world and their own personal values. I believe we all just need to do what we think is right for ourselves; not anyone else. Doing the right thing for you will always be wrong for someone else because our world is so diverse. Be Pono. Be Orange.

“Do what you feel in your heart to be right- for you’ll be criticized anyway.”

–Eleanor Roosevelt

Submitted by Andrew Jacobo

One of the values that I associate with Being Orange is to provide a welcoming place with equal opportunity for all students. However, I am not sure that I see that as much as I would like to. I believe that OSU is lacking in the attention it puts into transfer students. I myself am a transfer student who spent his first two years of college attending a community college to save money. In my first two terms here at OSU I have met many other transfer students, and there have been several of us with similar complaints about our experiences.

I realize that there are transfer students who may just want to earn a degree, graduate, and move on with their life. They probably want to be allowed to do their own thing and be treated similar to other junior or senior level students.

On the other hand, there are students like myself who want to get more involved in OSU and learn what they have to offer, but need some help doing so. Us transfer students can be a little clueless in this new environment. For example, a freshman that I know told me about some kind of party that was being held at Dixon at the beginning of the year. I would have loved to go and have fun before the term started, but I wasn’t informed of the event in time.

I haven’t had any special attention as a transfer student since attending START. And unlike the two day experience that START was for incoming freshman, START for transfer students is a very basic orientation. My freshman friend described the two day START program as “fun,” and told me that they played games and met new people. Nothing about the transfer student START could be described as fun. We registered for classes, got our ID’s, attended a few informational presentations, and then went home. I understand that some transfer students want to get straight to business, but I have put off having the “college life” for 2 years, and want to have just as much of an exciting orientation as freshman.

I don’t just have a problem with the lack of fun that transfer students have in comparison to freshman though. I think we also need more help getting adjusted to school at OSU. In my first term, I went straight into junior level Computer Science classes. Since I had gone to a community college for the previous two years and not a university, I expected that I would need to do some catching up to be at the same level of abilities and knowledge as the other juniors. However, not only did I have to adjust to the higher difficulty of the classes, I also had to learn things like how to use my free printing as an engineering student, the fact that I needed a PIN number to register for new classes, how to get that PIN number, how to reserve study rooms in the library, how to find clubs that would expand my knowledge, how to look for internships and jobs that would help me get ahead, and the list goes on and on.

I think transfer students need more assistance in finding clubs, learning about how to use the resources OSU offers, and should be provided information about fun events on campus to help make new friends. We are in some ways as clueless as freshmen, yet expected to be at the same level as upper level students. Give us an optional fun 2 day START, show us how to do things other juniors know, make us feel more welcomed and comfortable in this new place.

In a university as large as Oregon State, it sometimes feels as though any one student is just a drop of water in an Oregon rainstorm. Everyone rushing from class to class, just trying to get through their own day; but what if everyone was to notice the struggles of their classmates, their community, or of their students? I believe that when anyone in our community pauses their own busy life to feel sympathy for another, or tries to help a stranger, they are acting on compassion. This sympathy and act can be as simple as picking up books after someone drops them, or can be as significant as donating countless hours to an organization that helps community members that are less fortunate.

As a psychology student I see the need for compassion in my studies and life every day. While other OSU students in a different major or community members may see being orange as a way to show school pride during sports or possibly meaning working hard on a degree to get a good future job. To me showing compassion for others is what it truly means to be orange.

The Oregon State strategic plan identifies the core value of respect, which can be simply defined as showing appreciation for someone. However, I think that just respecting the value of someone is not sufficient to create a caring atmosphere. I believe that creating a compassionate environment at OSU, where the struggles of life are met with sympathy and the desire to better the lives of others is a legacy that our current generation of community members should strive to fulfill. If the OSU community were to create a compassionate environment for everyone, I believe that everyone would benefit from it; there would be more acceptance for individuals who do not have the same life experiences as each other, there would be more of an open dialogue between students and community leaders, as well as less of a struggle for any one community member as it would be distributed among several other individuals who simply want to help another.

In closing, as a community we may not know everyone who currently is needing compassion, but we can always be compassionate to one another day in and day out, to create a caring atmosphere that will be our legacy for OSU generations to come.

Be Respectful. Be Orange

Submitted by Megan Hall

What does it mean to be Orange? Being Orange can have many different definitions depending on who you ask. “Being Orange” in its simplest terms can be described as upholding to Oregon state Universities core values which are: Accountability, Diversity, Integrity, Respect, and Social Responsibility (listed in OSU’s strategic plan). These words can have many different meanings to the students, faculty and the Corvallis community, therefore I believe it is important to define these words as I see them.

Accountability: taking responsibility for our actions and the results of your actions.

Diversity: having variety in all aspects of life including race, religion, age, sex, opinions, and ideas.

Integrity: honesty, upholding true to one’s self.

Respect: showing appreciation for the worth of someone or something.

Social Responsibility: acting in a way that benefits the society as a whole.

I see demonstrations of these core values every day on campus through advertisements, school programs, sports, community outreach programs, and actions of students and faculty. The value I see the least and truly believe needs the most improvement is respect. I don’t necessarily believe people are disrespectful to others, thought I have seen that as well, but I see a lot of people being disrespectful to themselves. I often hear other students talk badly about themselves or listen to the bad choices they have made involving their person life and or their school career and it demonstrates how little respect they actually have for themselves. It makes me wonder, if they do not respect themselves, how can they possibility be living up to the core values of the very school they go to? How can they be Orange?

Being Orange to me means being respectful to all of you come intact within our school, the community, and to yourself. I believe that learning how to be respectful to yourself and others will enhance the educational experience and atmosphere that will increase the success Oregon State University students achieve while attending. Respect is integrated into the other four values listed in the OSU’s strategic plan and believe it is important for us as a school and a community to start respecting ourselves.

Respecting yourself takes a great deal of patience and involves self-compassion. You have to understand that you will make mistakes in life and be able to learn from the outcomes of those mistakes, instead of allowing those mistakes to control you and lead to more mistakes. We need to understand that