Author: shotwelk

As we approach our university’s 150th celebration, the OSU Alumni Association is excited to celebrate both our institution’s history and promising future as we head into the next 150+ years. For this celebration, they are searching for student leaders to represent Oregon State University. This fall, the Oregon State University Alumni Association is proud to sponsor the 2017 Homecoming Court, which seeks to honor students who embody the spirit of a true Oregon Stater. Individuals will be selected by a panel of staff, faculty, and alumni based on their leadership qualities, spirit, integrity, and achievement through their contributions and involvement at Oregon State University. Homecoming Court members will also receive a one-time, $1,000 scholarship.

More information on the selection process and the complete application can be found at www.osualum.com/homecoming. Applications are due April 28^th at 9:59 p.m.

Requirements

Students enrolled at Oregon State University who will have completed at least 60 credit hours by the beginning of fall term and maintained a 2.5 cumulative GPA are eligible. No current Homecoming Court Steering Committee or past Homecoming Court members may apply. All members must be in good standing with the university in order to remain in the group. The alumni association reserves the right to remove any member who is not in good standing with or whose conduct reflects poorly on the university. Please refer to the OSU student conduct code.

Selection Process

A three-part selection process:

1. All completed applications submitted by the deadline will be reviewed and scored by faculty, staff and alumni.
2. A select group of applicants with the highest scores will be chosen for in-person interviews.
3. Those scoring in the top 20 percent of combined interview, application and GPA scores will be selected as Homecoming Court members.

Obligations

Those selected as Homecoming Court members will be asked to attend a number of functions and events throughout the academic year. These events include, but are not limited to, the Homecoming Carnival and football game, President’s Circle events, Spring Awards Celebration and the State of the University. Professional attire will be required for some appearances. Exceptions can be made with at least two weeks’ notice. Each applicant must understand that these appearances are an expectation, and by accepting the position, he/she agrees to fulfill them.

Deadlines

Applicants should complete their online form no later than Friday, April 28, 2017. You will receive an email confirmation upon receipt of your application. If you do not receive confirmation, please contact Matt Fenstermaker at matt.fenstermaker@oregonstate.edu.

Interviews

Homecoming Court interviews will be held at the CH2M HILL Alumni Center. The judging panel consists of OSU faculty, staff and alumni. The 2017 Homecoming Court will be selected based on the application (30 percent), interview (60 percent) and GPA (10 percent).

For more information, contact Matt Fenstermaker, early engagement director at 541-737-1704 or matt.fenstermaker@oregonstate.edu.

With finals week coming to a close, we all begin to enjoy our spring break while we can.

Although we have time off, don’t forget to prepare yourself for next term!

• Make sure you are registered for all of your classes
• Obtain books and other supplies that is required for your courses
• Get organized!
• Don’t fall behind before you even begin
• Create a plan for exercise
• Set aside time for homework and studying
• Learn and enjoy all of your classes!

For those seniors that are graduating in the spring: only one more term to go!

Meningococcal disease is a serious, potentially fatal infection that most often causes severe swelling of the tissue around the brain and spinal cord (meningitis) or a serious blood infection (meningococcemia). The best defense is getting vaccinated.

How the disease spreads

The bacteria are spread by exchanging respiratory and throat secretions (saliva or spit) during close (for example, coughing or kissing) or lengthy contact with an infected person.

Other factors that increase risk:

• first-year college students living in residence halls
• college students age 25 and under living in group settings (such as fraternities and sororities)
• military recruits
• those who lack a spleen or have certain immune disorders.

Symptoms

Contact your health care provider or go to the emergency room for sudden severe symptoms.

• Fever and/or shaking chills
• Headache
• Stiff neck
• Nausea and/or vomiting
• Sensitivity to light
• Severe aches and pains
• Rash
• Rapid breathing
• Weakness
• Confusion

Vaccinations

Student Health Services has vaccinations to cover all serotypes (strains) of meningococcus. The mandated meningococcal vaccine required at Oregon State University protects against groups A, C, W and Y. This vaccine does not cover against group B, the strain that has infected three OSU students since fall term 2016.  The MenB vaccine is available at Student Health Services.

Students currently enrolled may come to Student Health Services to receive a vaccine. Students should check with their insurance company to see if the cost will be covered. The charges can also be billed to students’ accounts.

These interactive conversations geared around self-care will help YOU. Treat Yourself Thursdays are weekly drop-in conversations where participants will learn about, as well as practice, strategies designed to support holistic wellness.

Join us every Thursday from 12-1 PM in the Women’s Center. People of all genders and identities are welcome to attend.

Reasons to attend:

• YOU deserve it
• Learn about how to become a more balanced individual
• Enjoy a treat
• Clear your mind of negative energy
• Meet new people
• Converse with fellow peers

For accommodations related to ability, please contact Elijah Stucki at 541.737.3175 or Elijah.Stucki@oregonstate.edu, preferably one week in advance.

With the advent of tax season, we’re seeing an increase in the number of phishing emails received, and urge caution when clicking on links contained in emails or responding to requests for account information such as usernames, passwords, and credit card details.

• Do not open any attachments or click on any links in emails unless you were expecting to receive them–particularly about financial matters. When in doubt, double check with the department sending the email.
• Read carefully!
• Be on the lookout for a new scam where the scammers disguise their email and make it appear as though the email is being sent from an executive of the organization. They frequently request that an HR or payroll employee send a list of all employees and their Form W-2s and thereby gain access to this sensitive information about employees. It is easy for a scammer to make an email appear like it is from a person you know—always use caution.
• Phishing websites often look exactly like official OSU login pages. If you did happen to click on a link in an email, do not enter your account info into that site.
• Use the “hover” technique to see where a link goes. Hold your cursor over a link but don’t click. (On mobile devices, touch the link and hold it.) The address where that link is really going will show on your screen. Inspect that address carefully. Be wary of URL shortening services such as tinyurl.com and bitly.com.

We would encourage anyone receiving a phishing message to report it. This will help us try to block or disable the phish.

To submit a phish, send the email as an attachment to phishing@oregonstate.edu.

To get the most out of the Winter Career Convention make sure you attend the correct day in order to have the best possibility at obtaining a job, gaining contacts for future job opportunities, ask valuable questions, and practice speaking with employers. Both days will take place in LaSells Stewart Center from 11am-3 PM.

 

Register for these events here.

February 14th-Speed Mock Interviews

This event will involve short interview session in low pressure environment for you to sharpen their interview skills with Employers who recruit at OSU.  You will register for a 40 minute timeslot in which you will have two 20 minute interview sessions with different employer representatives. Memorial Union Horizon Room from 1-4 PM.

February 15th-Winter Career Convention Day 1

This is Day One of our Career Convention, where we will have multiple fairs taking place simultaneously! These fairs will be located at the CH2M Hill Alumni Center, LaSells Stewart Center, and Reser – Loge Level, and you can expect to see employers from the following industries:

• Advertising & Marketing
• Business & Professional Services
• Creative Industries
• Government & City Agencies
• Health & Human Services
• Humanities
• Hospitality
• Graduate Schools & Educational Institutions

Looking for all the Science, Technology, and Engineering? Check out Career Convention Day 2! 

February 16th-Winter Career Convention Day 2

This is Day Two of our Career Convention, where we will have multiple fairs taking place simultaneously! These fairs will be located at the CH2M Hill Alumni Center, LaSells Stewart Center, and Reser – Loge Level, and you can expect to see employers from the following industries:

• Agriculture
• Engineering
• Government & City Agencies
• Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences
• Science

Looking for business (finance and accounting, insurance, retail, sales, marketing/PR, management, apparel design, etc), liberal arts, public services, government and city agencies, non-profit, hospitality, recreation, health & human services, and grad schools or other educational institutions? Check out Career Convention Day 1! 

As students, we focus on our education in the classroom, but do not spend enough time expanding our professional development in order to obtain a job. Although school may keep us busy, it is important to include time for job workshops. By attending job workshops you will:

1. Increase your communication skills
2. Gain contacts for future use
3. Practice speaking with employers and researching companies/organizations
   • This can help you determine what you are looking for in an employer and narrow down what you wish to do in the future
4. Meet with like minded people to discuss topics of interest
5. Ask questions about professional pathways
6. Find a JOB!

By meeting face to face with employers you will have a better chance because they will remember you and you won’t just be another name on a page.

Events to attend:

• Federal Job Employer Panel and Networking Event on February 3rd from 1-3 pm in the Valley Library Willamette East and West Rooms
• How to Apply for Federal Jobs/Internships: US Forest Service Job Seeker Workshop on February 7^th  4-6 pm in the Valley Library, Willamette West Room
• Winter Career Convention on February 15th and 16th from 11 am-3 pm in the LaSells Stewart Center
• Employer Information Night: Sierra Pacific Industries on February 28th from 5-6 pm in Strand 262
• How to Apply for State Jobs/Internships on March 3rd from 12-1 pm in the Valley Library Willamette Rooms East & West
• How to Negotiate Job Offers on March 9th from 12-1 pm in Strand 148

 

Other resources to find a job include our College of Forestry Jobs Page and Employer Information Nights. Make sure to make yourself known in the industry you wish to be involved in!

 

Our annual Food Drive is a shining example of the generosity, kindness, camaraderie, and healthy competitive spirit that characterizes the students, staff and faculty of the College. So we are more excited and determined than ever to support the College in its efforts to help the Linn Benton Food Share in one of its most important fundraising event of the year.

By enthusiastic acclaim, we are continuing our volunteer day at the Food Share facility in Tangent (February 11 at 10AM)*.  If you haven’t been able to make it out to one of these events, I can’t say enough about it.  Participants work hard, share laughs, and come away deeply fulfilled and even more appreciative of the work that the Food Share does in our community.

And on February 1, we launch our month of fundraising events starting with the Soup Lunch, Bake Sale and Quilt Raffle Ticket Sale.  This year, events will be held in both Strand Ag and Richardson to accommodate both sides of campus.

Last year, the College’s efforts raised $17,060.87, equaling 68,243.48 pounds of food for the Linn Benton Food Share earning the campus’ Top Banana prize for the 16^th year in a row.  Amazing!  We will again match the dollar amount of the Department that raises the most money from the Department soup lunch as our personal donation for 2017.

 

 

*Saturday, February 11, 10:00-12:00pm

This is a repacking event, which means we will be repackaging 50 pound bags of rice, beans, and oats into 1 pound bags to be distributed across the community. Please wear closed-toe shoes and bring a sweatshirt as the warehouse does tend to get a little chilly. Partners and children are welcome to participate. If you are interested, please RSVP to Jessica Fitzmorris by February 6 at Jessica.fitzmorris@oregonstate.edu or call 7-3161. The Linn Benton Food Share is located at 33747 Looney Lane, Tangent.

The 2016-2017 school year is almost over! Graduation is just over a week away for seniors. But first, we have to survive finals week.

During this stressful time of the year it is important to make time for all of your work, but still maintain healthy habits.

1. Get plenty of sleep. Staying up to study may seem like the only way you can do well, but pulling an all nighter can be harmful and your brain will not be able to retain as much information as you become fatigued. Don’t be like Buddy.
   
2. Exercise. Exercising your brain does not count for this one. Make sure you are staying physically active and not sitting all day long in a desk chair. Take short breaks every hour or two if you are working on a computer. Even a short walk or some jumping jacks can help stimulate the brain and boost energy levels. The warm weather is here on most days, take advantage of it! Try and take a friend too.
3. Avoid social media. I promise that nothing exciting will happen when you are gone. If it does, it will still be there once finals are over. Rewarding yourself with funny videos or cute cats may be another technique for study breaks.
4. Stay organized. Clutter and messiness will only add tension and anxiety to your stress filled finals week. By keeping on top of your tasks and schedule you will be able to focus on what is truly important.
5. Eat well. Although time is limited because of studying, it is imperative that you make time for healthy food options. Eating three balanced meals and having snacks throughout the day will help you maintain energy levels, stay focused, and perform better on your finals. Do not skip meals because you do not have time, it will only drain your brain and reduce retention rates.
6. Breathe. I know it may seem like you will not be able to make it through, but YOU CAN! Stay strong and positive. If you feel overwhelmed make sure you take a break and go for a walk, play a game, or talk with a friend.

Good luck! Congratulations to all the graduating seniors. Have a fantastic summer.

Anybody got a good picture of John Sessions riding away on his bike?

 

 

Thanks to the WSE staff who placed two Giving Trees with 60 tags benefiting children via the Vina Moses Center in the FERM Office in Snell and in the FES Office in Richardson. Please consider selecting a tag from a tree with a child’s gender and age and providing gifts and/or clothing to a child in need. Gifts should be placed back under the tree by December 13.

The Student Services Office has also made a “Giving Column” with nearly 40 tags for the Vina Moses Center. Please drop by and pick up a tag!

Each month about 1,000 people come to the Center to select clothing, toys, and household goods for their families.  For the holidays, an array of toys and clothing are displayed, and parents pick out appropriate gifts and clothing for their children. These are the items that you make available by taking tags from our Giving Trees. It is a huge success with Center families and volunteers. This season, the Center looks forward to being able to provide up to 1,200 families with food and/or gifts. Your gifts make a difference to the families in our community.

 

The College of Forestry is also sponsoring an Adopt-A-Family.

Each child will get three gifts; one they want, one they need, and one they can read; see the list below for ideas. Gifts for grownups are optional, but basics like body wash and grooming items are always welcome. The family will receive a holiday meal from Mega Foods; if you would like to provide a gift certificate or cash the cost of the meal is $29.99.

Please let Jessica Fitzmorris know what item or items you would like to purchase so that she can remove them from the list and keep things current. All items should be new and unwrapped. All items need to be delivered to RH 109 in no later than 3pm on December 9^th.

• Garrett (12yrs, boy): hot wheels, size 3 boots, captain underpants, books
• Aiden (2 months, boy): size 1 diapers, wipes, newborn socks, baby books
• Cristina (4 months, girl): rattles, teething chews, size 6/9 month clothes, baby books
• Chance (1 month, boy): newborn clothes, size 1 diapers, wipes, baby books

 

Happy Holidays to everyone! Don’t let finals get you down.