On a sun-drenched afternoon already full of good cheer and start-of-the-school-year enthusiasm, Kelsey Walker of Philomath received an extra boost Wednesday afternoon when Dean Mitzi Montoya announced her as the grand-prize winner of the annual College of Business Popcorn Social’s taste-test contest.
Walker, a sophomore transfer from Linn-Benton Community College, was the only contest entrant to correctly identify all four flavors used to enliven the popcorn offerings: Coffee, dill, ketchup and pumpkin pie.
Her prize: an iPad mini.
“This is quite a welcome,” she said. “More than a welcome.”
Walker was joined by dozens of her fellow first-year COB students – of whom there are more than 600 – as well as college faculty and staff on Austin Hall’s north plaza for an hour of refreshments, mingling and games.
This school year, which starts Thursday, marks the college’s second year in Austin Hall. Austin’s neighbor to the north, the Learning Innovation Center classroom building, makes its debut Thursday; together LInC and Austin combine for arguably the most technologically integrated, innovatively designed, collaboration-focused 1-2 punch on the OSU campus.
After announcing Walker’s victory, Montoya wished all of the incoming students well on their first day of class at Oregon State and looked forward to the college helping them join the ranks of Beaver alumni “in the very near future.”
