Be Good. Be Orange.

Be Open. Be Orange.

Submitted by Danielle Goodrich

PHL 205

Winter 2014

As I am in my fourth year of school at Oregon State University, I would think that I have a pretty good idea of what it means to “Be Orange” to me. Although, as I sat down to complete this assignment, I struggled to initially think of one word of advice to give to my peers. How could I possibly sum up the last couple of years and make a suggestion to others to be able to be a positive contribution to the OSU community while making a fulfilling college experience for themselves?

To start the exploration of this idea, I thought about what has made my experience at OSU one that I am proud of and I realize that it isn’t just one experience that makes up my story, but rather a collection of experiences. I have had the privilege to among other activities, join organizations on campus, get involved in many events, participate in summer internships, and even take part in research groups. Each of these experiences has added up to make the ultimate “Orange” story for me and even though no one else will have the same story, it is important for everyone to be open and get involved in a diverse range of groups on campus.

As I completed the preparation for this assignment by defining accountability, diversity, integrity, respect, and social responsibility the term that stood out to me the most was social responsibility , which was mentioned in the OSU Strategic Plan with this description, “We contribute to society’s intellectual, cultural, spiritual, and economic progress and well-being to the maximum possible extent.” Through this, OSU expects each person- students, professors, faculty, and others- to uphold a positive orange atmosphere through giving every part of themselves to everything they do on and around campus. I think that the collaboration of everyone’s diverse backgrounds and viewpoints in a situation is what make it the most successful. That is why I stress that each person should be open to new experiences on campus and to let the orange thrive within them. Personally, I have been able to develop so much through the combination of all of my experiences and my ability to be open to each one. It is not always easy to open yourself to everything, but the rewards from this risk can be boundless if we allow them to be.

In the OSU community, a college experience has become so much more than an education through class work and it is in our favor as students to take advantage of all of the other educational opportunities available. We are at a time that we may not be financially stable, but we are physically and intellectually able to give ourselves to the improvement of organizations and the lives of others. Something that I have found to be very rewarding is taking part in my sorority, Delta Gamma, and a community service leadership organization called Students Today Leaders Forever. These have been wonderful experiences that have allowed me to develop my leadership skills and give back to the community. Everyone can find their preferred way to give back through contribution to the organizations, clubs, events, etc. of their own preference through an open an orange perspective.  I hope that everyone is able to open themselves up to new and enriching experiences with opportunities to improve themselves and the OSU community.