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.

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

Submitted by Stevie Coury

As we were sitting in class one day, we all realized who walked in the door. It was benny the beaver, the schools mascot. We brought benny in class to talk about what it means to be orange. Everyone is going to have a different opinion about this because there is no right or wrong, it really is what you think. The things I most remember coming up were integrity, responsibility, caring, and respect. Those four to me stood out the most and really made me think what it means to be orange. The one I chose in class and shared was respect. No matter where you go around this campus or whom you meet, I feel like there is respect. I will talk about of few of these and tell you how they fit to being orange.

I believe the most important one to me is respect. Like I said above, that’s what first came to my mind when asked about being orange. I feel like everywhere you go on campus people respect you and where you came from. I don’t feel like there is any discrimination in this college. If you notice, we have a lot of foreign people, and I’m friends with even a couple, and I don’t feel any different then they do. Respect is something that is not always easy to find. I have had cousins visit here and they can’t get over the fact of how nice people are here when they come visit. They said they have been to other college’s campus, same with me, and it isn’t the same as it is here at OSU. From the bus drivers, to the teachers, to the people who work in the MU I feel like OSU is a community that respects one another.  The next value I am going to talk about is caring. Here at OSU caring is a big value of our everyday life. Students have to care about their grades everyday in order to get good grades, and care about their surroundings. We are all here to get the best education we can, so you need to care about your grades and if you don’t your in the wrong place. Also I feel here at OSU you care about your surroundings. Nobody knows everyone on campus, but I bet mostly everyone cares enough about this school and environment we live in to do things for other people even if that is picking up their lunch trash. I have been to the OSU dinning halls and seen that happen before which is clear to me that people care about one another. The last value I will talk about is responsibility. Responsibility can be looked at in many different ways. You have your responsibility as a student in the classroom and whatever you do outside the classroom. No one is going to tell you what to do each day, you have to pick your pathways and decide if it is right or if it is wrong. College is about maturity and responsibility, and this is a big thing at OSU because of the great community we have surrounding us.

In conclusion, being orange can mean a million different things. There is no right answer or wrong answer. I truly believe what we have here at OSU is special and not found just anywhere. Respect is my biggest belief of what is truly means to be orange. Everywhere you go on campus or around the campus you feel respected and like you’re apart of something bigger then just going to school here. I believe that is a big part of why OSU is such a successful school and a great place to be.

Submitted by Molly Amo

So, we’re faced with this big question, what does it mean to be orange? My opinion of what I think orange is has definitely shifted from the beginning of the term until now, the last week of the term. Throughout the course, I’ve learned so much about the various philosophy terms and myself, a combination that provided me the ability to change my position on what I think it means to be orange.

Coming into this class as a senior, I was not accustomed to the great amount of disclosing and sharing of values with my fellow students. It was all rather a shock to me; though a pleasant shock. This entire term has molded my brain to know how to interpret situations and create well-developed opinions that were indeed morally right. Group and class discussions were very beneficial to me in regards to the values we spent time analyzing. Enrolling into this class, I think I was immature in a way that accepting another’s opinion was somewhat difficult if I saw it as morally incorrect. Morally wrong (according to Molly). One exercise we completed in particular that I really liked had us respond to an argument as if we favored the opposing side. This skill taught me to not only be more open-minded and understanding of situations, but I’ve improved my processing and am able to comprehend why one feels the way he or she does.

Oregon State University is a public, higher education institution that greatly emphasizes an effort in a sense of respect and veracity. The “Be Orange” Campaign means something different to each individual, but to me, being orange has a deep significance. “Be Orange” means be encompassed with integrity and be respectful. Oregon State is devoted to serving its students, staff, faculty, and alumni with full responsiveness. Under Oregon State’s “Office of the Dean of Student Life” webpage, student values are shared and defined. Specifically, I looked at Integrity and Respect, as to me, are the combination of values that define what orange is to a tee. These two values productively create an environment (mentally and physically), in which anyone affiliated with Oregon State is able to prosper and cultivate off one another.

The term “Be Orange” is not just a slogan. To many, it might be just that. But Oregon State did not create this motto for no reason at all. Being orange represents a wide variety of values, but mostly, it represents values of character. As I strive to achieve my life goals, when I receive my degree upon graduation from Oregon State, I want it to represent the hard work and energy I put in during my time here. A degree shouldn’t just exemplify the A’s, B’s, C’s (and maybe even some D’s) you received during your time as an undergraduate. To have a degree from Oregon State, means I’ve experienced many social engagements and have had experiences that people without a degree presumably have not encountered. My degree will symbolize the journey I went on where I learned what it means to be respectful and respected, as well as performing things with great integrity.

Some might think that just the students are expected to use these values of respect and integrity, but I feel everyone (students, faculty, staff, and alumni) are expected to and entitled to practice these values. We have learned that ethics are such a big part of our lives and exist in our day-to-day activities whether we are aware of it or not! Respect and Integrity go together hand in hand and are a part of an ethical relationship we learn to forego in our time here at OSU.  We learn from example but we learn mostly from experiencing things hands on. In our 4 (or 5) years year at this University, we grow and learn to treat ourselves as well as others with dignity and honor.

My value of integrity is important because having a strong set of moral values and living up to them will really take you far in life; whether it be in terms of your career, personal life, in a relationship, or family life. My value of respect is also extremely important because “treating every individual with dignity, honor and generosity while valuing their humanity” is going to better ourselves for the future.

This value requires actions of being true to yourself and doing what is best for your community (in this context: Oregon State University). The telos (goal or aim) of my value is to improve everyone and their outlook on life. After developing a firm belief of principles and ideas throughout this ethics course, I’m able to “spread the love” and continue being orange after I graduate. I will fulfill my mind with integrity and treat not only others, but also myself, with great amounts of respect.

But why? Why is integrity and respect so important? Why is it emphasized so greatly at this college? For one thing, if you have high integrity, you are trustworthy. Oregon State helps mold it’s students, staff, faculty, and alumni, in the way that it communicates the idea that if you can’t trust someone, why would you want to surround yourself with them? Having strong moral principles should be of the utmost importance for each and every individual. On a separate note, respect is important because without this value, we’d probably all be savages. You get what you give in life. Respect should be earned, not demanded! These values are so important to me and apply to big actions and moral decisions in our daily lives. Ethically speaking, these two values exclude no one. Respect and Integrity really applies to us all. Students are vastly affected by these values a bit more than others, because at our average 18-22 year old age, it is easier to instill these values into our young minds.

Submitted by: Sierra Land

People have been fighting for pride since the beginning of time.  What is it that drives us to be proud of something?  Perhaps it’s having something to be proud of.  When someone has nothing in this world to offer, they will always have their pride.  Pride is something that can’t be taken away, which is why people should value it.  When I hear the phrase “Be Orange” I assume it means to be proud of your school.  You can be proud of your school by doing things such as going to class, studying hard for exams, going to sporting events, and wearing school colors.  If this is true then I am the epitome of what being Orange is all about.  Looking deeper into the meaning, when you hear the word Orange you affiliate that with the school colors.  In this sense, being Orange means being a part of the school, the community of OSU, and beaver nation as a whole.

What does being a part of beaver nation mean?  It means that you attend a school whose goal is to improve the state, the country, and the world.  It means you go to a school that has the best looking females in the country.  It means you are being taught by the best professors in Oregon.  It means you are part of a community that loves to compete in sports.  It means you belong to a community that is driven by educating people so they can make the environment better.   The main focus of OSU is to advance, promote, and progress in areas of distinction.  I’m proud to be a part of this nation because I believe in making the world a better place.  A good theory to live by is to leave this world better than when you found it.

With pride comes respect.  You can show respect to yourself and to your school by doing your best work for your professors, and cheering as loud as you can at sporting events.  You get respect when you do these things and more.  People respect you if you go all out for something.  If you show pride in your work then you have something worth honoring.  If you cheer as loud as you can for your school at sporting events, then you are showing pride.  There is no feeling like being the part of the roar of the crowd at a football game after your team scores a touchdown.  Not to mention what happens before the game; all the laughter and good times being had while tailgating.  Being all you can be for your school is what being Orange is all about.

People show respect around school on a daily basis.  For instance, people hold the door open for someone that is right behind them.  This is a simple gesture and it normally follows with a quick “thank you.”  I’ve seen people return something that someone else just dropped.  I’ve witnessed several occasions when someone says “you forgot this” and then hands the person the thing they forgot.  I’ve seen students say “hi” to their classmates when they see them around campus, and because we are all good people we say “hello” back. All these things and more are how people at OSU show respect.

You can also show respect by understanding what it is that your professors are trying to teach you.  Don’t just go to class to earn the A.  Go to learn the material and the concepts that your professor is teaching.  The school entrusts the professors with their superior wisdom.  The students are at school to get more knowledge in the field of their choosing.  Therefore, it is only right for students to put their trust into learning everything their professors teach them.  Another key value is trust.  You need to trust that everything your professor is teaching you is beneficial to your learning.  You need to trust that you are paying for the proper education.  You need to trust that you are learning the skills necessary to be successful in life.

The system is not set up for you to only take classes in the area of your major.  Instead we are told to take baccalaureate classes that shape us into being well rounded individuals.  One can assume that means that we should gain knowledge not only in our field of study but other areas as well.  This notion leads us to believe that if you are a well-rounded individual you are ready for the real world and all real world situations.  That means that the more knowledge you have, the better off you are.  We trust that all the knowledge gained at a University is good knowledge and can be applied to real life situations.  I want to gain as much knowledge as I can while attending OSU because I can use that knowledge to be successful in life.  All of this may be true, but is being a well-rounded individual all we want from attending OSU?

When I graduate I want my degree to mean that I have all the knowledge and skills necessary to make the world a better place, especially in the field of Exercise and Sport Science.  I want it to mean that I made lots of memories at OSU that I can tell my grandkids.  It’s a common saying that college years are the best times of your life and if that’s true then I will have some great stories by the time I graduate.  I want it to mean that I have more education than any of my family members before me.  It means a lot when the next generation is more educated than the previous generation.  I want to hang my degree proudly and say that I was smart enough to achieve that.  I want to honor my degree by honoring everything I had to do to get the degree.

Another value that I affiliate with being Orange is success.  What I want most out of life is to be successful.  Sadly, one of the main ways people measure their successes is by how much money they make.  Sure I would love to make a lot of money but that shouldn’t be what makes me successful.  I measure my success by determining how far I have come and how much I have accomplished.  If I do what I set out to do then I will be successful.  If I obtain a degree from OSU and get into a career related to sports I will be successful.  If I improve the Science of Sport in any way I will be successful.  If I am kicking back with my dad overlooking Lake Tahoe from my condo then I know I am successful.

I am proud of my school.  I am proud to say that I attend Oregon State University.  I am proud of all the knowledge I’m learning. I am proud to be a beaver.  I respect my school, my professors, and my classmates.  I always strive for success.  I will one day be proud to say that I am successful.  I am Orange.

By Andrea Bourgeois

Before this assignment, I didn’t understand what the “Be Orange” campaign meant because I assumed Being Orange had one specific meaning, and what that was I really wasn’t sure. You can imagine how this confusion frustrated me while I tried to brainstorm an approach to a thoughtful response. After a few failed attempts, I decided to grab my camera and take a walk around campus hoping that what I saw will spark some ideas. What I found was honestly more than what I thought I was looking for because what I found was my Orange moment. It’s hard to say in words what this is exactly because it completely defines the three years that I’ve been a student here. In a broad sense, however, I found a unique form of unity that describes who we are as Beavers which was portrayed in each photo I took that day. Each photo depicted a different kind of unity found at OSU and each kind of unity I found is explained below, along with its photo.

 It’s not the message in chalk itself that explains what being orange means, it’s the idea behind the message.  This picture emphasizes OSU’s broad community through the unity of meetings and informative lectures from different clubs and organizations on campus.  A club or an organization emphasizes unity through similar interests, which is an excellent way to bring people together who share these interests.  I took a picture of this in particular because of the meaning behind clubs on campus.  These extracurricular activities were put together by students who wish to share their common likes and interests with other students on campus.  This means that these clubs and groups were made for one sole purpose, to bring people together, meaning they value unity.  It’s not easy putting together a club or organization on campus; I’ve had my share of this in High School.  The fact that they put their time and effort into uniting other OSU members and the fact that other OSU members are passionate enough to give their time and participate shows a kind of care and connection OSU members have with one another.  These clubs can range anywhere from a sport to a love for a movie or book, but they all unite through this bond over what it means to be in a club.

Not only do clubs help student connect, they also give a sense of support.  We’re all experiencing the OSU life together and it’s important to have a community that reflects this.  A club can mean many things; to some it means their support system.  A club is indeed a mini community because they share a common space conceptually and literally.

Without looking at this picture, I’m sure that most of us know Oregon State has been around for quite a while now.  This seal only reinforces that statement.  It’s hard to believe that we’re not the only students, staff, and associates of OSU since it’s hard to picture Oregon State in any other time but the present.  This picture symbolizes Oregon States history and how the school has grown.  This is because of what a seal represents, a symbol that implies another idea or meaning.  To us then, this emblem represents the school overall, how we view Oregon State as a school today.  To the associates of the past and future however, their experiences were and are probably going to be a bit different than ours, so the seal is going to have a different meaning. Overall though, this seal brings all of us Beavers together since it represents one main idea, and in this case that’s Oregon State.  Even after we’re long gone and OSU is a memory of our past, this emblem will still unify the Beavers of the past, present and future because it represents this community as a whole.

Oregon State is known for it’s many advances towards public safety, this picture included.  It’s awesome that we’re striving to be a healthier campus since there are so many health issues in the world today.  This sidewalk sign however, may be a bit deceiving since OSU does promote healthy lifestyles, and biking is a big part of that. Before this sign was sketched onto the sidewalks leading into the MU quad, there was a huge safety issue concerning bikers and pedestrians both.  Since it is such a popular area to pass through during the passing periods, there just didn’t seem to be enough room for bikers and pedestrians to share the sidewalk safely, so OSU came up with this solution to keep everyone safe and essentially happy.  How does this unify OSU as a whole though?  Implementing these signs means that we’re trying to make OSU a safer campus, and in following this rule and all rules put in place, we’re respecting each other’s safety.  This in turn brings us together because it means that we care for one another and that each of us will go out of our way to make sure that we are being safe.

This photo is more directed towards the students of Oregon State seeing as we all came here for one reason, to get a degree.  The Valley Library represents academic success through its endless row of book and spacious tables for studying.  This can also be said for almost every building on campus.  These buildings and classrooms are here to help each one of us succeed in our academic endeavors because they provide an open learning environment.  This then unifies the students through success.  It’s upsetting to see a fellow student fail here at OSU because we’re all striving towards the same goal and we all have an equal opportunity to reach that goal.  To succeed as an individual means success as a whole and in this case as OSU.  It’s awesome that we have such a high success rate because it means we care about our future and this brings us together as students because we’re striving for the same thing(s).

 The library puts out a tub full of “Choose Civility” buttons every so often with different messages on them; “lower your music”, “assume the best”, “keep shared spaces clean” and so on.  These buttons represent a pledge taken by all OSU associates who wear one.  It means that they identify with a higher set of actions that set their OSU morals to a “good civilian” level.  This photo parallels the “Please Walk Bikes” photo in the sense that they both unify Oregon State through courteousness.  This is because of the respectful nature found within each saying on the buttons. I find that the buttons remind us that we’re not the only ones who use this space and they help keep our campus looking happy and beautiful through the messages they put out.  Those who choose to wear a button are unified through the underlying message they serve, again being courteous.  Civility is a trait that we all should encompass because it shows that we not only respect the environment (being OSU) but that we respect each other enough to perform those little actions that have us go out of our way to keep everyone that much happier.

 No matter what college campus you visit, you’re always going to find some form of unity through the athletics department.  These two photos not only represent football and basketball but every college sport, club sport, intramural team and everything in between.  It’s awesome that everyone who associates with Oregon State can find some common ground within these sports because finding a common ground within a big community like this is rare.  Yes, there is more of an emphasis on certain sports than others and yes, at times it does seem as if those certain sports are all that matter but most of us didn’t decided to be apart of this community because of those sports.  Most of us came here to either get an education or work to support our families and ourselves.  Sports just happen to be one aspect of Oregon State and it’s an aspect that was worth mentioning since it does bring so many people together.  Overall, I find that this is because a sports team is representing the greater population of fans during the game.  We get a sense of dignity from watching our team play against another team for the “winners” title. To some, it matters who wins and who loses, but to others the most important aspect is the fact that they’re out there in the first place, representing a greater whole.  Whatever the case may be, most of us identify with our sports teams because they bring us together and give us a sense of pride.

I’ve also included a picture of the volleyball courts outside of Dixon because when I say sports, I mean ALL sports and sport teams here at OSU.

These photos give a broad sense as to what it means to be apart of this unified community and what I found that day on campus. It’s amazing with how diverse this community is we all came here to be apart of OSU and this lifestyle for one reason or another. And beneath all of this, we decided to stay and be apart of this community because we found something within Oregon State that shed a positive light on us in some way. This light means something different to everyone, but in general it portrays the unification we share as a university. There’s a reason why we have only one mascot, one school fight song, one set of school colors. We define each of these symbols as meaningful aspects of OSU, which in turn defines us and who we are as a whole. The Be Orange campaign brought to light what I find valuable about being a Beaver and I’m confident in saying I know what it means to Be Orange.