Job Org Report: Clerical Position at OSU College of Engineering (Business and Engineering Division)

Recently, I applied for a clerical position at OSU’s Department of Engineering, specifically the Division of Business and Engineering. The school is located in semi-urban Corvallis, Oregon, which has its share of rain, but otherwise temperate weather. Roads definitely get crowded during rush hours, but always keep moving. The cost of living is moderate compared to living in a large city. Overall, Corvallis is a pleasant city to live in, with a clean, friendly, close-knit community, and the college town feel.

Oregon State is a large school of almost 29,000 students, and the College of Engineering is one of the main programs here, having almost 8,000 students in 2014. Engineering has been taught at Oregon State since the 1880s, and what was the beginning of the College of Engineering was brought together in 1908. The Engineering Department is well-funded, and the Division of Business and Engineering has worked hard to keep the cash flowing through grants. The organization has its leaders, but is more democratic, as it focuses on collaborations between the College of Engineering and the College of Business. This teamwork helps bring new products to market.

In the office setting, the dress, language, and conduct is professional. In my job as a clerical worker, I would be assisting with various tasks, including answering phones, preparing documents and spreadsheets, and greeting guests. My job would mostly require me to work alone, but I would get to know several faculty members in the College of Business and the College of Engineering. I would also get the opportunity to learn about the inner workings of both colleges, and gain some knowledge about the engineering industry, and business conduct.

A notable faculty member is Dr. Scott Ashwood, who is the Dean of the College of Engineering. Dr. Ashwood graduated from Oregon State, and later received his PhD from the University of California at Berkeley. He came to work for OSU as the head of the School of Civil and Construction Engineering in 2007. Dr. Ashwood became the Dean of the College of Engineering in February 2014.

The College of Engineering has a mission statement—“Creating a better future: Our mission is to transform lives and enhance society through impactful education and research. In an inclusive and open environment, we produce graduates who are highly valued and in demand, solutions to global challenges, and partnerships that ensure responsiveness to Oregon and beyond.” In summary, the college focuses on educating quality engineers, so that they can change the world around them by fixing relevant local and global issues. The Division of Business and Engineering would certainly be an interesting organization to work for, as it would teach me a lot about how business connects with such a vast and innovative industry.