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.
Ake’la Ventura
Be Original, Be Orange
There are many other Universities out there that can “be” something, but it is difficult to just define a school by one word. Here at Oregon State University we are known for “Being Orange” and it describes our whole campus. To understand our campus and our community, we first must understand that to be orange has many meanings to the diverse population here at Oregon State University.
The colors of our school have a strong influence on what “Being Orange” means. Even though our school color choice represents what it means to “Be Orange”, it isn’t half as much of what “Being Orange” truly means. To most of us here on campus we think of collegiate sports and dressing up for the games when we imagine what “Being Orange” means. “Being Orange” can relate to much more than greatness. It represents each person’s individual values whether it be pride, dedication, or intelligence. “Being Orange” is a value that we students and faculty pride ourselves on. This value represents our greatness that Oregon State University has to offer us. The idea that the color orange embodies our community in a way that it encompasses everyone that has a relationship with the university whether it be a student, staff, or a sports fan.
To me “Being Orange” is being original. You are your own person and that makes Oregon State University diverse. Everyone brings something to the table whether it is being from a different state, being from out of the country, and a boy or a girl. For example, the piece of art that was built out of branches outside of the MU Quad, that is unique to our campus and brings some culture to campus. Being original means that you can be yourself and not care what other people think because you are just being you. You are unique and powerful in your own way. You are intelligent and should be proud of how far you have gotten in life. “Being Orange” doesn’t just mean to excel at sports and academics, but encompasses being philanthropic in your community and to be someone that anyone would be proud of. Alumni of Oregon State University represent “Being Orange” in what they do, no matter how big or how small. We want each generation in society who has graduated to have values that derive from what they have gained from Being Orange at Oregon State University.
To positively show what it means to “Be Orange”, we need to show the community how to come together so that we can all be united and complete a common mission of “Being Orange”. There are already many activities around the university that implements acts of “Being Orange”. What should happen is we ought to express “Being Orange” throughout other communities and not just our own. I feel that the student athletes would make more of an impact at doing just that. They are well known and the travel during their sports season. I think that the progress in academia and showing our student athletes to the community would be a positive.
Since there have been recent acts of racism and segregation. I would love to see our university as an accepting place where we can live together in peace and harmony. Since we are a diverse campus there are groups and cliques that need to be dissolved. “Being Orange” means being a part of something different and original. Not only that, but being a part of Oregon State University. This could encourage the community to be mindful about what is going on and the can connect to the different values of “Being Orange”. The better the community is at “Being Orange”, the better we can all get along in an optimistic, respectful and empathetic way the more better Oregon State University will become.
Demonstrate your ability to use relevant ethics skills (as defined in syllabus and class) to answer the question: “What does it mean for you to Be Orange?”
This will require:
- Identifying how others define “Orange” as a value
- Clarifying your own values and educational goals within the context of the OSU community (What do you want orange to mean?)
- Determining the most “effective” format/method for communicating your value message
- Thinking of your assignment as an “engagement” exercise and recalling other ethics “actions” or “interventions” discussed in class
Guidelines
Audience: your professor (remember course goals!) and blog readers
Objective: Provide student accounts of the value of “Being Orange” for the purpose of refashioning higher education (e.g. PHL 205 as back core requirement)
Format: Reflective blog entry on Be Orange website (*approximately* 3 pages). Other formats welcomed but must be cleared with professor.
Assessment: see in-class checklist provided 3/12/13
Deadline: 3/20/13 by 5pm
Option #2 assessment due via email 3/22/13 by 5pm.
Posting Instructions
1. Login with ONID information: Be Orange. Start a new post (using dashboard on left side of page).
2. Title post as: “Be [your value]. Be Orange.”
3. First line of post should be: “Submitted by [your name]”
4. Include text in box provided. You may save and edit prior to submission.
5. Check “begood” category (in right side box)
6. Add three “tags” to identify your post, using the box on the right side of the submission page. One of your tags must be the value identified in your post title.
