Beaver's Digest - Winter 2015 by Beaver's Digest

Vol 1 Issue 2

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Everything changes. A new issue of BD. A new season. And with both, a new home. I’m not saying that Snell Hall was giving me mesothelioma, but I am saying that I’m excited that Beaver’s Digest is now headquartered the Student Experience Center. I can safely speak for the entire Orange Media Network when I say that its state-of-the-art equipment and new-car smell is getting us pumped. As we settle in to our naturally-lit, earthquake-resistant new habitat, I am reminded of how college life changes with every day. Many of us are barely getting used to the changes of being away from high school and navigating OSU’s massive campus. Others are grappling with the changes that are coming after we take off our graduation caps and gowns and leave the embrace of our university to seek our fortunes elsewhere. And yet, nothing changes. There’s a consistency to our curiosity, calling us to turn one more page in a textbook or explore one more corner of an ever-interesting world around us. There’s a constancy to our friendships, keeping us close through life’s thrills and spills. And listen: there’s a relentless rhythmic drum-beat propelling us ever forward — toward the next thing, and the thing after that, and the thing after that. It’s either the stereo down the hall with the bass turned up a touch too high, or it’s the heartbeat of this amazing campus life. Embrace all that changes. Embrace all that doesn’t. Embrace what’s right in front of you, either way.

Jodie Davaz Editor-in-chief

Beaver’s Digest Vol 1 ◊ Issue 2 WIND UP AND GO

DJ NIGHT

SHARING WITH STRANGERS

WELCOME TO CHINA NIGHT

CHIC FOR WEEKS

AN UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCE

BREAK IT DOWN

A QUIET ROOM

OFF THE HOOK

FROM OSU TO MARS

PREPARE. PRESENT. PRODUCE.

YOU’RE SOMEBODY’S TYPE

ON A HIGH NOTE

GROCERY GAMES

2 4 5 6 8 9 10 12 13 14 16 17

MUPC’s Western Windup ISOSU’s Coffee Hour DAMchic Magazine

Breakin’ Down the MU Stitch Niche

Marketing Club

KBVR FM

Chinese Association at OSU The Fratmousine OSU Theatre

Robotics Club

OSU Blood Drive Association

Divine & Outspoken

MUPC’s Grocery Bingo

LEI’D IN PUBLIC

THREE KINGS’ DAY

OSU Love Talk

Centro Cultural César Chávez

CRAFTING DREAMS

DOWN AND D.I.R.T.Y

18 20 22 24 25 26 28 29 30 32 33 34

Center for Civic Engagement

Disaster Incident Response Team

A HELPFUL HUMANITARIAN

HMONG NIGHT

SAFEGUARD

SMALL BAND BIG SOUND

THE ULTIMATE SPORT

GIVE A DOG A BONE

Virginia Tat

Taekwondo & Judo Clubs Ultimate Frisbee

Hmong Club OSU Jazz

Be The Match Oregon State

Wind up and go!

The ballroom echoed with the sound of hundreds of feet repeating after the rhythm that they were learning. Clad in plaid and flannel shirts, worn-out jeans, and cowboy boots, students of all ages filled the MU Ballroom to enjoy a night of fun. With a mechanical bull, ring toss, and feisty photo booth complete with cowboy hats and fairy lights, it was like walking into Texas – minus the heat and sand. What was this party? The Western Windup! Hosted by the Memorial Union Program Council (MUPC) for the third year running, this year’s Western Windup saw a total of more than 300 people attending the event. Besides being able to ride a mechanical bull, students were seen giving a shot at the ring toss, where they had the opportunity to win a free MUPC shirt if they successfully scored a ring over a bottle. A photo booth also allowed

students to capture funky shots, with different props such as paper moustaches, cowboy hats, bandanas and a horse head complete with hay bales and string lights. In addition to that, OSU’s Country Western Dance Club certainly hyped up the whole event with a string of line dancing lessons that were easy to learn and fun to practice. Full of energy and zest, the members of the club transformed the place into a room full of professional-looking line dancers, keeping the beat up and encouraging everyone to join them in dancing. The highlight of that night was a country singer, all the way from Seattle, Washington – Aaron Crawford! He and his band certainly completed the whole western feel as they sang an entertaining collection of different country songs, both slow and fast.

MUPC’s Program Advisor, Linda Howard, proudly expressed her joy at the success of the event, stating that this year saw the highest turnout rate. “With all these different activities, it’s a great way to spend your Friday night, at an event filled with fun,” Howard quipped. She said that MUPC’s aim is to enhance the college experience – and they certainly are doing so. Keep a look out for more fun-filled events to come in Spring Term, among them being the Mom’s Weekend, Battle of the Bands and DAM Jam. For more information and updates about MUPC, head over to sli.oregonstate. edu/mupc today! ◊ Writer Hannah Enyuan Photos Halie Sutton

Sharing with strangers What better way to make new friends than over a delicious cup of coffee? The ISOSU Coffee Hour is exactly as the name suggests: an hour and a half of coffee and chatter. Held bi-weekly at the International Resource Center (IRC), Coffee Hour is a meet-and-mingle event over food and beverages that welcomes both international and domestic students alike. Participation in interactive games such as Human Bingo, Jenga, and other card games are encouraged as well. The Coffee Hour is one of the biggest events held by the IRC. Having been organized for three years and counting, the event has seen an increasing rate in attendance. Coffee Hour has fostered friendships amongst attendees that extend beyond the wall of the IRC. It is a great platform for students from all backgrounds and communities to come together.

This event highly encourages participation from domestic students as well. Finance major Shane Reezal, who serves as the IRC Coordinator, states that ISOSU acts as a bridge between OSU and “the rest of the world,” namely, the international community here at OSU. “Coffee Hour provides a safe and fun environment for students to come and mingle together and interact with other students from all corners of the world,” Shane said. So if your Monday evenings are free from 5 to 6:30 p.m., head down to the IRC in the new Student Experience Center to make new friends over coffee and tea! Also, keep a look out for more fun and exciting events to come held by ISOSU by liking their page on Facebook, International Students of Oregon State University @ ISOSU. ◊ Writer Hannah Enyuan Photo Liren Yeo

chic for weeks Young adults in fashionable semi-formal attire graced the MU Horizon room as the DAMchic Winter Launch Party commenced. The area was transformed into a winter wonderland complete with white faux-fur and snowflakes hanging from the ceiling, which created a perfect atmosphere for the release of the Winter 2015 issue’s theme: Nordic Odyssey. Editor-in-Chief Eliot Frack started the night’s events off by reading her letter from the editor from the student-produced magazine. She took the room with her on the journey that brought her and the DAMchic team this far, asking the audience: “Are you feeling adventurous?” Nordic Odyssey represents DAMchic’s continued journey to try new things, building upon “already great foundations,” Eliot said. This growth toward greatness is evident; when the magazine was founded in the summer of 2012 it had a staff of eight students. Since then it has grown to be an organization with more than 50 students on staff. This winter edition highlights cold weather trends in both fashion and interior design, ranging from traditional styles to new and alternative cold weather looks. In the editior’s words, “We put a Northwest spin on Nordic European street style.” Eliot praised the hard work of the “brand new executive team, an almost entirely new staff and our new lovely and accomplished faculty advisor, Allison Ramsing.” Following the editor’s speech, a surprise fashion show began. The sea of guests parted as models appeared out of the air and strutted towards the stage. The models donned the threads featured in the new magazine and graced the audience with a sneak peek into the issue’s wintery content. This chic showing was the topper on a classy event. The launch party included catering courtesy of New Morning Bakery and a silent auction with donated gifts from Corvallis businesses. DAMchic is available at damchicmagazine.com ◊

Writer Lindsey LeMay Photo Teresa Yoshiura

Break it down Breakin’ Down the MU promised an evening of health education, dance showcases, and fun lessons for all who attended. The College of Pharmacy’s Entrepreneurial Academy hosted their annual event to give guests the opportunity to learn ways to live a more healthful lifestyle in nutritional, physical, and mental health. The event was separated into two parts of the MU Ballroom: one side for dancers to perform and teach, and the other side for tables participating in the health fair. Attendees participated in the health fair by visiting the booths that were set up and entered a raffle to win an iPad Mini and other highly valued prizes. One popular attraction was the “smoothie bike” provided by Food@OSU. Attendees were encouraged to blend a delicious, healthy beverage just by pedaling. But other than the raffle, prizes and smoothie bike, the volunteers and staff that helped out were more than happy to give tips and facts about ways to get active and think about making healthy lifestyle choices. Pharmacy students also offered free services such as blood glucose screening and blood pressure monitoring. Floating around the crowd of volunteers and attendees was Taylor Martin, an APhA President Elector of the OSU College of Pharmacy. He said that besides this event, they group has outreaches once or twice every month to help out the local community, whether it would be going and giving out flu shots during flu season or taking glucose measurements or blood pressure measurements. Through contact from community pharmacies, the College of Pharmacy is able to send qualified students to flu clinics to lend an extra hand. Taylor also mentioned about other ways students around campus could receive information concerning their health: “Other than the student health services, when we have outreaches like Operation Self-Care, you come to us. We’ll provide you with information about what should be referred to the hospital and what you can self-treat.”

Making a difference in and off campus is something that Taylor and many other students helping out at the event are passionate about, especially when it comes to the health of others. “If you can take care of yourself in the least amount of time as you have to see your doctor, that’s health right there,” Taylor said. “If you can take advice from us, take advice from your doctor and just learn safety tips from people around you, it will save you a lot in the long run.” The dance showcases included performances from the OSU Hip Hop Student Association (HHSA), OSU Elite Dance Team, Cool Shoes and OSU Country Western Dance Club. Each club awed the audience with various, creative choreography to upbeat music. After every showcase, each club hosted a free dance lesson open to any of the attendees to have the chance to learn a few new moves. One of the hip hop dancers was the president of the OSU’s Hip Hop Student Association (HHSA). Aleck Blanger said that the club holds weekly classes and open sessions for people want to practice and learn how to dance. HHSA offers performances at other cultural organizations on campus or other organizations whenever an opportunity presents itself. Their overall goal is to communicate with the community and let people know that they can help them with anything related to dancing and teach them new skills. “It has helped shape me as a person and I owe a lot to the culture and to the people who have shared their time with me. I hope I can share this with other people so that they can better further themselves,: Aleck said. “Love the culture and then you can love the dance and everything else about it. Listen to the music and just dance—have fun!” ◊

Writer Whitney Lauren Han Photo Halie Sutton

Off the

HOOK

Everyone needs an escape. When the continuous day-to-day grind of school gets too monotonous, hobbies can help reduce stress. The OSU knitting and crochet club, known as Stitch Niche, is one of these oases. Tucked away in the cozy blue house that is the Women’s Center, the club meets weekly with new times agreed upon each term. “We did have a group called Stitch and Bitch a few years back,” said Hannah Glaser, founder of Stitch Niche and employee of the Women’s Center. She wanted to give rise to a new generation of the group because she knows how to knit and wanted to help others learn. “We already had a lot of the yarn and knitting needles, so it just took advertising,” Hannah said. “I’m there just in case people who don’t know how to knit want to learn.” Hannah is learning new things from more experienced knitters all the time. One woman taught Hannah how to knit a hat during Stitch Niche, she said. She likes to teach beginners a basic knitting stitch called the garter stitch, which they can make into items like scarves and washcloths. Hannah thinks that a creative group like this is important at a university full of scientists and engineers. “Science students need a break from study,” she said. She says they do not get to express their artistic abilities the same way that students of other majors have the opportunity to in their classwork. Knitting is an artistic outlet that can provide this escape. Stitch Niche is open to anyone who wishes to try their hand (or needles) at knitting. Though there is a learning curve, the members of Stitch Niche are ready and waiting to create the next wave of knitting fanatics. ◊ Writer Lindsey LeMay Photo Rebeckah Puppo

Prepare. Present. Produce. A room tucked into Kearney Hall is full of tense anticipation on a Sunday evening. It is the final night of an intense three-day event, Willamette Startup Weekend, and the participants are about to face their final challenge. Teams of budding entrepreneurs have worked almost non-stop for the past 54 hours to launch seven companies from scratch, and they are now minutes away from presenting their business pitches before the panel of judges. The stakes for first place are $300 and eight hours of consulting time with the professionals that has the potential to launch their business careers. Although only one team walked away with the prize, everyone was rewarded by experience. Coaches helped teams develop their concept into a business plan and cultivate their skills at every step along the way. The judges included a venture capitalist, an angel investor, and a small business developer, all of whom offered insightful feedback and questions. Their presence meant that the weekend was also a great opportunity to network and share ideas with people. “Sometimes magic happens, and I’m hoping for that magic tonight,” said John Turner, a Startup Weekend mentor. Aside from being a great resource for student and community entrepreneurs, Startup Weekend offered an opportunity for the OSU Marketing Club as well.

“[Marketing Club] actually did all the marketing for this, so as part of that project team, we worked with [Startup Weekend] to make it all happen,” said Preston Derrick, a sophomore in business and member of Marketing Club. “The experience has been really great,” continued Preston. “Working as a project manager for this put me in touch with people like Dan [Whitaker] and actually landed me an internship with [Startup Weekend].” Jacob Harvey, a sophomore in business and another member of Marketing Club, also participated in Startup Weekend. “I’m grateful for the effort my team put together, we collaborated and made friends really easily” Jacob said. Both Preston and Jacob were a part of the business team that took second place at the event with their innovative music app, Sona. The event hasn’t been the only opportunity for Marketing Club members to get some real experience. The club offers students various opportunities, from marketing for actual businesses to building professional connections with people. Preston encourages anyone to join the Marketing Club. “It’s taught me a lot of really valuable skills and we’re always acquiring new projects and new internship opportunities.” ◊ Writer Jennifer Hanzsek Photo Jonathon Chea

On A High Note In a little class room on the top floor of Benton Hall, a circle of big voices gathered around a piano. The group’s chemistry was evident as they demonstrated their cohesive harmonies and solos, filling the small room with beautiful music. Together, OSU’s a cappella group Divine illustrated a strong dynamic behind their sound. Jesse Grow, one of the group’s beatboxers, discovered a passion for a cappella after watching The Sing Off. “I saw this chick who could beat-box and I was like, I want to do that,” she said. Jesse is currently the featured soloist in Divine’s cover of Aerosmith’s Cryin’, making her an a cappella double threat. The popularity of a cappella in popular culture has given college groups such as Divine an almost celebrity status among some audiences. Alto Aubrie Loden described a particularly exciting gig at a high school a capella night.

Many of us have seen the movie Pitch Perfect, but how many can say we’ve heard a live a cappella group? An a cappella group sings songs but with a twist: any of the music that is heard is coming from the singers and the singers only. No background music is necessary for these talented people. Outspoken is a group of about 11 young men that have been gaining momentum for about 12 years at OSU. Junior Ethan Palioca, president of Outspoken, believes that with the recent success of movies such as Pitch Perfect, a cappella has become mainstream. They’ve also gone through a little of a rebirth, having become an official part of the school and having their own website as well as being on different social media platforms such as Facebook, Youtube and Twitter. Outspoken has many gigs on campus and beyond. Every Friday at 4:30 p.m., they perform on the Memorial Union’s marble steps. They also compete in a

“People wanted to take pictures with us,” she said. They read our names in the program and were like, ‘Aubrie, Aubrie, come take pictures with us!’” This sort of reaction from a crowd is a motivation for the group; they thrive off of an actively listening audience. Soprano Breanne Swanson explained the secret behind on-stage cohesion. The group is so close that they get lost in the performance, and sing to each other and forget about any nervousness that may be associated with the stage. Divine performs every Friday at 4:30 p.m. in the MU. Their talent is easily worth the extra stop! ◊

Writer Lindsey LeMay Photo Ching-chia Ko

competition called ICCA, or International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella. Although the group hasn’t won yet, they are making improvements every year and hope to place in the regional competition soon. The group looks to the future and hopes to collaborate even more with the other a cappella groups on campus, such as Divine (the all-female group) and Power Chord (the co-ed group). Outspoken has also looked into potentially working with other artists on YouTube, doing whatever they can to improve and expand their brand of music. Want to get involved? Outspoken has auditions during Spring and Fall, with occasional Winter auditions. They work with singers with all levels of experience. So loosen up those vocal chords and become Outspoken! ◊ Writer Rone Nop Photo Ching-chia Ko

lei’d “You guys want to get lei’d?” Conrad Cartmell asks passers-by as they walk through the Memorial Union quad on a sunny afternoon. Conrad, a second-year student in math, is also known as DJ ;) (pronounced “wink”). He’s part of the team behind OSU Love Talk, a radio show dedicated to discussing sex, love, romance, and everything in between. Together with Student Health Services (SHS) and Sexual Health Advisory Group (SHAG), Love Talk promoted sexual health awareness in the hopes that they could get students lei’d. The pun involved handing

in Public

out leis that were decorated with free condoms. “[Love Talk] is here to spread awareness of safe sex and healthy relationships, and to let everyone know there are always people to talk to,” said Holly Clausen, a junior in digital communication arts. Holly, who goes by DJ Hollaback on air, encouraged everyone to call into Love Talk or just talk to people in general about their relationships and health. “[SHS] has programs to help both men and women, and they’re always available for questions,” Holly said.

The booth provided pamphlets from SHS, a flavored lubricant taste test, and the chance to chat with the stars of the show. There’s always something new to talk about; according to Conrad, “we have lots of material to work with.” Love Talk airs on KBVR FM on Friday mornings at 7 a.m. With these energetic DJs who care about helping people out, it’s sure to be a good show. ◊

Writer & Photo Jennifer Hanzsek

Crafting Dreams Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: what are you doing for others?” During this year’s Day of Service, Oregon State students, staff, and faculty gathered in the Memorial Union to answer that question. There were about 300 volunteers from the Oregon State community who came together to work on 11 service projects. The Center for Civic Engagement (CCE) worked with 11 community partners to coordinate these projects for the event. According to Helene Matschek, Internal Coordinator and Student Organization Liaison for the CCE, “[This day] really speaks to MLK’s legacy of getting involved in social change.” While many volunteers left the MU to help with projects like cleaning the Martin Luther King Jr. park or working at a Habitat for Humanity site, two groups stayed indoors to work on Craft N’ Care projects with Meals on Wheels and Corvallis-Gondar Sister Cities Association.

Some of the Craft N’ Care volunteers created watercolor placemats that would be laminated and used during Meals on Wheels’ lunch programs. Several tables covered in newspaper were set up with watercolor palettes and brushes, giving volunteers the tools they needed to express their creativity. Placemat themes varied from striking OSU colors to calming blues and purples. Other volunteers worked with Corvallis-Gondar Sister Cities Association (C-GSCA) to make math flashcards for students in Gondar schools. These math manipulatives are just some of the classroom materials that C-GSCA sends to Gondar schools to help improve learning. The MLK Day of Service is not the only time that there are Craft N’ Care projects. There have been several of these projects since its conception at Oregon State’s CCE. The idea for Craft N’ Care is the brainchild of Samara Rufener, Internal Coordinator for the CCE. There was a lull in her work schedule, and

she wanted to come up with a creative, accessible way for people to volunteer. Mikaela Lea, an undeclared freshman, decided to join the Craft N’ Care project because of the Inter-Hall Challenge, a competition between residence halls to get more involved on campus. The winner of the competition will be named Hall of the Year and will receive $500 to add to residence hall funds, which can be used however the residents choose. “I’m part of Hall Council in Poling, and I’m trying to get challenge points for my hall,” said Mikaela. “It’s also a good way to spend my Saturday and a good way to get out and serve.” The CCE is a great resource for students who are in search of meaningful volunteer opportunities. Keep an eye out for upcoming events at sli.oregonstate.edu/cce. ◊ Writer Tracie Allan Photos Patricia Djuhadi

A Helpful On a sunny, dry day in the MU quad, students often encounter enthusiastic representatives with flyers promoting events or services. They might see a young woman, with a beaming smile and a bounce in her step, encouraging students to go to the Counseling and Psychological Services’ (CAPS) Mind Spa. Perhaps she’s discussing the benefits of mindfulness meditation. Or, she might be waxing poetic about a pleasant fullbody massage in an automated massage chair. This woman is Virginia Tat, a junior majoring in accounting and marketing with a spirit that stops at nothing to make a positive change in the world. Virginia’s passion for positive change began in her American literature class as a high schooler in Salem, Oregon. Her teacher frequently assigned class projects related to volunteering and service. “Just through that, she made me realize how important it was to get out there and serve and meet different people,” Virginia said. “I think having her guidance through all of my high school years, and having her supporting me and helping me with service projects made me grow as a person and want to take it on in college as well.” Virginia leaped in to service during her freshman year at OSU when she opted to do an Alternative Spring Break with the Center for Civic Engagement. She went on a service trip to San Francisco to take part in service projects involving homelessness and poverty. There, she made friends who shared her enthusiasm for volunteerism. “Since the spring break trip, I realized how prevalent that is everywhere. It’s in our backyard,” she said. Later, Virginia worked with IMPACT within the College of Public Health and

Humanitarian Human Sciences. It’s “...a program for children with disabilities,” Virginia said. “I got to play with them, help them swim, and do other motor activities to help them get out in the world.” Now, Virginia is the MindSpa Student Coordinator for CAPS. In this role, she staffs a lot of quad events and makes presentations to various groups on campus. She plans these events to help students learn about depression, anxiety, and stress — and techniques students can use to combat these issues to be successful all term long. She says that problems like depression are “...very prevalent, and a very real thing that is happening on campus.” The MindSpa, equipped with a massage chair, meditation area, and stress monitoring devices, is a good resource for students who need a break from stress. In the future, Virginia would like to use her marketing skills to benefit a non-profit. Ideally, she says, she could start her own. Until then, she’ll keep helping where she can on campus. “I just think it’s really important to give back,” Virginia said. “Just being in college, we’re already so privileged. I’ve never really encountered any issues in my life where I felt like I needed help. So I think going out there and serving people in need helps us to be humble and realize how lucky we are to be here right now.” Virginia encourages anyone with interest to begin exploring and getting involved. “You never know what passions you might encounter,” she said. “Try not to say ‘no’ to too many things, and don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone.” ◊

Writer Jodie Davaz Photo Perry Grone

SAFEGuard Members of the Judo Club and Tae Kwon Do Club at OSU joined up this winter to host their annual practical self-defense clinic. Student martial artists had a chance to demonstrate their skills and share some techniques with participants. As the experts pointed out, self-defense isn’t something you necessarily want to apply in your life, but a basic knowledge of some of the tips and tricks that were offered can still be valuable to anyone. Both Tae Kwon Do and Judo are olympic-level sports with long histories and large followings around the world. Judo is most prominent in Japan, where it is the national sport. In fact, all high school students in Japan take Judo classes as part of their education. The sport focuses on grappling, and competitions generally pit two individuals in close contact against one another. Tae Kwon Do, on the other hand, is a Korean martial art that has developed from a variety of styles being merged together. There is more emphasis on kicking and striking in Tae Kwon Do than in Judo.

After covering some cultural background, the leaders of the clinic illustrated some standard grips, and more importantly, how to break out of them. Participants had the opportunity to practice getting free of different holds, as well as learning what not to do if they get stuck. Then they broke out some strike shields, which resemble hand-held punching bags. Everyone was instructed in the correct technique for a basic front kick, a roundhouse kick, and a palm strike. Participants practiced hitting the hefty rubber shields, as club members gave out advice and encouragement. The afternoon wrapped up with some demonstrations from the Tae Kwon Do club. Allen showed off his favorite move, a 540 roundhouse kick, which included an impressive spin in mid-air. “My favorite part about [Tae Kwon Do] club is sparring and tricking,” Allen said. “I actually competed for six or seven years before I fell out of it, but it’s nice get to come out here and get into it again.” Sparring refers to mock combat in martial arts where two opponents attempt to prove their skills in a controlled situation. Club president Subret Aryal, a junior in mechanical engineering, and Olivia Kramer, a sophomore in microbiology, offered a brief demonstration to show off some more of the talent in Tae Kwon Do club. “I think [being with the club] about the opportunity to improve and expand my skills,” Olivia said. She was already a black belt when she joined in her freshman year at OSU, and the group has given her a chance to continue being involved with the sport. Overall the clinic offered a great opportunity to come practice some self-defense basics and see the martial arts clubs on campus in action. ◊ vvv Writer Jennifer Hanzsek Photo Ching-chia Ko

Colluvium brings together the best teams from the Northwest in an Ultimate tournament -- pun intended. This tournament brought together teams from all over the northwest, though they play several tournaments a year against teams from across the country. Ultimate is a lot like football, with the goal being to pass a disc down a field to an end zone without letting the disc touch the ground or be intercepted by the defending team. “The tournament went really well,” said Will Dickman, co-captain of the men’s Ultimate team. “We wound up going 4-3 over the weekend and placed 3rd out of 16 teams.” This resulted in the team taking down their rivals, Western Washington University DIRT, 13-9. He says the team plays well with the high energy the teammates bring to the field, mostly through the noise they make. Chanting and cheering, the team plays better the noisier they are during games and practices. “Our team is comprised of a great bunch of guys, so many of the times we share are quite funny,” Will said.

The team is headed by captains Will Dickman and Eric Callahan, club president Jacob Chickadonz, vice president Jake Ramsey, and freshman Aaron Peterschmidt. These players put everything they had out on the field and brought tremendous passion, along with leadership that helped bring up every player on the team. For example, Will has been involved in Men’s Ultimate since he transferred to OSU from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. It’s a long-standing hobby, though; he’s been playing Ultimate since he started high school. “Our passion not only for success, but for improvement and enjoying ourselves on the field are what inspire us to work hard at every practice,” Will said. Are you as passionate about Ultimate as Will and his friends? After the season in May, the team will be opening up practices to potential recruits. Keep an eye on their Facebook page to find out more! ◊ Writer Casey Gosselin Photos Ching-chia Ko

presents

dj night For one night only, KBVR FM’s radio DJs took to the stage at Bombs Away Café to showcase their talent and musical taste in person. Hosted by Promotions Director Rose Kearsey, restaurant-goers and radio listeners alike were given the chance to meet some of Oregon State’s favorite radio personalities in person, all while winning gift certificates, concert tickets, and plenty of other goodies. Six of the station’s most popular DJs provided entertainment for the first two hours of the event. DJ Gaia kicked the night off with a mellow indie-rock set that set the tone flawlessly as the audience began to mingle. As tables continued to fill, DJ Dubsy took to the stage to share new hip-hop deep cuts, taking full advantage of the huge speakers’ bass capabilities. “It was the first time I’ve actually performed in public like that before,” DJ Dubsy said. “It was definitely a rush to see the place packed like that while I was up there.”

Random Effekt & DJ Krumpy each played a set of electronic music, highlighting the station’s musical diversity while challenging the standing-room only crowd to get up and dance.

“I think the event went really well, and I think KBVR should do more events out in the community,” Nathan said. “The huge turnout showed us that Corvallis cares about what we do at the station.”

After over an hour of great music had them primed, many audience members climbed on stage to dance during perhaps the least likely DJ set of all. Five-year veteran DJ Harriett Potter, well known throughout Corvallis for her oldies show “Magic Blast from the Past,” had a crowd of fans join her on the stage during one of her songs.

The nationally-recognized college radio station is continuing its rise to prominence in the community. Now located in the 4th floor of the Student Experience Center, they are home to a brand new industry-standard radio booth.

Rounding out the first two hours of entertainment was “OSU Love Talk” co-host DJ ;) (pronounced “wink”). His eclectic playlist kept the energy level high as the first of two bands, Black Market Bargain, set up the stage for an hour-long set that kept the party going. Black Market Bargain frontman and KBVR FM Program Director Nathan Mayers was thrilled to play for the crowd.

KBVR FM broadcasts 24 hours a day, seven days a week and can be heard on 88.7 FM in and around Corvallis, or online at kbvr.com. ◊

Writer Matt Walton Photo Jodie Davaz

Welcome To

China Night

It was an event overflowing with culture and celebration as a string of performances entertained an audience of about 200 at LaSells Stewart Center on Valentine’s evening. Held annually for over 20 years, China Night was organized in conjunction with the Lunar New Year celebrating the Year of the Goat. The opening performance was a heart-melting dance as small children from Willamette Elementary School dressed up as cute goats and performed a “goat dance.” A series of various acts followed, ranging from hip-hop dancing, to beatboxing, cultural dances to musical performances. Different dance teams took the stage, one of them being an invited guest dance group from University of Oregon. The crowd was introduced to the different types of pop and traditional songs of the Chinese culture communicated through the dance and beatboxing performances. Before the intermission, the audience played a game called “Super Guesser”. People played the game in pairs, since it was Valentine’s Day and as the emcee put it: “We can judge how well couples communicate and understand each other.” While not all participants were in a romantic relationship, there were opportunities for everyone to join. One player in each team had to try to guess a word given to his or her partner, who was required to act out or explain it in words. The auditorium was filled with lots of laughter and cheering as pair by pair took the stage to try their luck at the game.

Ever heard of an er hu or ku cheng? These unusual, traditional Chinese instruments were a highlight of the show. Another favorite: a robed magician who changed face masks in split seconds right before their eyes the audience’s eyes. Wrapping up the night was a musical number by two guitarists and the winners of the Voice of Corvallis, rendering a number of famous songs in perfect harmony. According to Adolphus Li, one of the emcees, this event took over two months of preparation in order for it to be a success. China Night is one of the biggest events organized by the Chinese Association at OSU (CAOSU). “It is a very traditional event to our association. It is possibly the largest cultural night in OSU,” Adolphus said. Besides the cultural night, CAOSU organizes many other events that are open to all students, including their Welcome Party in the MU Basement, Voice of Corvallis, and other social events. In addition to that, CAOSU is collaborating with a business in Corvallis: a new restaurant-and-karaoke still in its construction stages. As Adolphus put it, “Karaoke is a very popular thing in the Chinese entertainment industry, and we want to bring it here to Corvallis.” Check CAOSU’s Facebook to keep on top of future fun events and the opening of the karaoke restaurant!. ◊ Writer Hannah Enyuan Photo Gabe Fleck

AN UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCE On a cold and rainy night, David Shumway was walking through Corvallis with his friends when he realized that there had to be a better way of getting around towns. And so a spark was ignited that refused to flicker or die. “I began to dream of a vehicle, a party on four wheels, that I could take all my friends in,” said David. So during the fall term of David’s freshman year, he and some friends bought a school bus, but after running into multiple problems with owning the bus they ended up retiring it. The next idea was to obtain a golf cart that they souped up with speakers, lights and rims. This idea worked until they found out that the golf cart could not be driven on street roads. David decided to search Craigslist, where he first eyed the vehicle that is now the Fratmousine. David immediately knew he had to have it, so he researched

the laws on owning a limo and made it his. David’s goal is to share the Fratmousine with as many people in Corvallis as possible. The Fratmousine now has a growing Facebook page of its own to help spread the joy of the ride. If David and his friends are available and people want a ride, the Fratmousine will pick people up and take them places free of charge. “Meeting new people, having fun, and helping other Corvallis kids enjoy their nights even more is payment enough,” David said. “Our mission is to support the rich social culture of Corvallis by connecting people to the party and turning ordinary nights into legendary ones.” The Fratmousine has undergone some serious upgrades including new speakers, multicolored lights, and a disco ball of color. Even more improvements are on the way. Since David has graduated, he is now passing the keys to the Fratmousine down to Erik Hahn, a freshman in David’s fraternity Acacia. This way, David reasons, the people of Corvallis can continue to enjoy the Fratmousine. The Fratmousine is taken care of by the men of Acacia fraternity and has found a home there. “It’s a labor of love,” David said, but he is confident that the men of Acacia are ready to take on the responsibility and the fun of the Fratmousine. ◊ Writer Maria Weitzel Photos Hoan Le

a quiet room The room dims and the Main Stage at Withycombe is brought to life as it lights up to reveal an impressive four-level set. The stage has been transformed into a three-dimensional house, complete with props and details in each room. The actors enter the scene and OSU Theatre’s winter 2015 production, The Diary of Anne Frank, begins. The play is based on the memoir by Anne, a young Jewish girl who goes into hiding with her family in order to escape Nazi persecution in Amsterdam during World War II. Their two years spent living in a cramped attic space along with the Van Daan family and Mr. Dussel are recounted through her diary, which was later found by Miep Gies and published by Anne’s father, Otto Frank. From the actors and crew to a team of composers, scene and costume shop workers, and box office staff, 60 OSU students dedicated their time and effort to put on this performance. “There’s an incredible group of students working on this play,” said Elizabeth Helman, Theatre Arts faculty member and director of the production.

“Everyone is excited, dedicated, and very serious about the subject.”

many of them are incredibly moving,” Liz said.

It’s clear that everyone has done a lot of research to get a deeper insight into their characters.

The production had a lot of thoughtful elements behind it. It featured an original score, with music composed by students in the music department. There were also six videos used in the play which projected actual historical footage and audio onto the stage during key transitions.

“I learned a lot about Margot Frank,” said Elise Barberis, a junior in theatre arts “She’s studious and very smart, but she shared the zest for life and excitement that Anne did.” For Annie Parham, sophomore in civil engineering, a lot of preparation went into her role as Anne Frank. “Anne is such a key part of history,” Annie said. “We really want to tell a meaningful story about this time.” The production strikes a balance between the serious tone of the story, and the fun and creativity in all of the characters that tell it. Anne Frank is brought to life as a playful and energetic young girl, but her thoughts and feelings as she expresses them in her diary are serious and heartfelt. The monologues in these scenes are powerful moments. “They’re [Anne’s] words, and Annie’s performance of

Renee Zipp, senior in digital communication arts, worked on the videos and lights. “Seeing it all come together would be my favorite part” Renee said. “Two weeks before we open, it’s frantic and you never know if it’ll work. But we manage to pull through.” The hard work of everyone involved comes together nicely in the full performance. The play deals with a very dark and heavy subject, but it is one that remains relevant. “Anne’s story and words are a gift to us, and that’s something I feel we have to honor,” Liz said. ◊ Writer Jennifer Hanzsek Photo Rebeckah Puppo

FROM OSU TO MARS

In a small lab in the basement of Covell Hall, members of the OSU Robotics Club are hard at work late into the night. Their mission: to construct an attachment for the team’s Mars rover that will transform it into a remote controllable basketball hoop for their halftime performance at an upcoming basketball game. Club members have engineered everything from automated Nerf gun turrets to 3D printers, so while this is no small task, it is one they will accomplish with finesse. The club is broken down into three main sections: land, sea, and air. Within each section, teams spend the year designing and building complex robots that are capable of navigating specific terrain specifications and performing basic tasks. The land team is responsible for creating the Mars rover, which will compete

at the Mars Society University Rover Challenge at the end of the year. The sea team is developing “Trogontherium”, a remotely-operated underwater-ready vehicle that will have to perform tasks related to exploring a shipwreck in the annual Marine Advanced Technology Education Center competition. The aerial team is developing an autonomous robot with the goal of competing in the International Aerial Robotics Competition. President Billy Edwards, a senior in mechanical engineering, is the lead for the Mars rover team. He’s been involved with Robotics Club for four years. Every year they build a new rover to take to the annual competition, which OSU won in 2008. “My favorite thing about the rover is working all year long on this complicated project and getting to see it develop

into something functional. But I also enjoy mentoring new members and younger students,” Billy said. When they aren’t building, club leaders are busy sharing their knowledge and experience. Vice president Nick McComb, a second-year student in electrical engineering and computer science, held a presentation for club members and prospective robot engineers on Arduino, an open-sourced mini computer that can be used in programming. Attendees were then able to purchase an Arduino kit, which serves as a robotics starter kit for those interested in taking on their own projects. “I love making things that move,” Nick said. “There’s something satisfying about writing code that creates something.” ◊ Writer Jennifer Hanzsek Photo OSU Robotics Club

You’re somebody’s type Most people dream about making a difference in the world—to be part of something great. Now they have that chance just by donating some of their blood. Every term, the Blood Drive Association (BDA) holds a blood drive for the students and community to have the opportunity to donate blood to save lives. Blood drives typically last for five days, four of which are held on campus in the MU Ballroom while the other day of the drive is held in front of a community church or elsewhere on campus. As they do every term, the BDA organized their massive event in the MU Ballroom where there were sign-in stations set up for donors and volunteers to work as effectively and efficiently as possible. Donors were taken care of by the phlebotomists—the trained professionals who draw out the blood—and were able to recover in another room after completing their donation. Water and food were provided to help donors get their strength back, as well as increasing their fluid levels. Rebecca Gibbon, a junior working toward an international bio pre-med degree, is currently co-president of the BDA. In high school, Rebecca was passionate about helping others and was involved in leadership positions. Now, she is pursuing a career with Red Cross, and would potentially like to be

involved with their relief efforts in a Spanish-speaking country. “Right now, we’re really trying to focus on more the outer Corvallis community and not just OSU, because we get a pretty good representation from the students and faculty,” Rebecca said. “However, we are kind of lacking in the community and we believe that part of that is due to the construction and limited amountsw of parking. We are trying to get more out there with local businesses and trying to get some sponsors to promote us.” Rebecca said that about 15 officers help to help cover more ground when it is time to organize the event. The process of preparing for the blood drive starts with promotional activities during weeks one through six of each term. Some other ways that the BDA tries to reach out to students include speaking in classes and presenting at Greek houses. During week six they have sign-up tables in the quad for any students or faculty passing by. If there were people who were unable to sign-up in the quad, the BDA allows donors to walk-in during the week of the blood drive. As a student who is dedicated to helping others, Rebecca has a few words of wisdom that that have stuck with her throughout this experience: “‘If

you want to anything, you have to give everything.’ That’s what I do with the blood drive; I just give it my all, and I hope that everyone that comes in and volunteers does that as well because that’s what has made us successful thus far,” Rebecca said. Kurtis Perkins, the other co-president of BDA, is a senior who also studies pre-med, was first introduced to the BDA by a friend during his sophomore year. Other than co-running the club with Rebecca, he also participated in the blood drive by donating his own blood to support the cause he was a part of. “I always wanted to be involved in a club on campus,” said Kurtis. “Because I’m also studying pre-med, I wanted something more health-related and I didn’t want to just do the pre-med club; I wanted to do something more active and hands on, where I could make a difference and do something productive.” The blood drive ended having collected 857 units of blood -- about 90% of their goal of 951. Even though their goal wasn’t fully reached, the BDA is extremely proud of their results, and can’t wait until next term where they’ll try again to reach their goal. ◊ Writer Whitney Lauren Han Photos Halie Sutton

GROCERY GAMES Students sat with their cards at the many tables lined up in long rows, making the Memorial Union Ballroom resemble a great hall from a certain school of witchcraft and wizardry. They were all waiting for the right combination of numbers and letters to be called out and the moment they could yell, “BINGO!” Their prize was a brown, paper bag filled with heaps of free groceries. The Memorial Union Program Council (MUPC) has put on many events this school year, but this is the first time a Grocery Bingo has been organized. Originally, there was no budget available to plan the event. Then Kyle Flowers, graduate teaching assistant for the MUPC, decided to take on the project. “[Since] we had no funding for it, a big chunk of my time the past three to four months was working with different [organizations] and seeing what grants we were able to get,” said Kyle.

MUPC collaborated with 10 different organizations to make this event happen: OSU’s Cooking Club, Food in Culture and Social Justice, the Center for Civic Engagement, the Student Sustainability Initiative, Human Services Resource Center, Memorial Union Retail Food Services, the Vice Provost for Student Affairs’ Office, Dave’s Killer Bread, KIND Snacks, and Healthy Communities Initiative. In the end, 40 winners took home bags of groceries, each filled with about $20 worth of groceries. Some of the food came from donations, like loaves of bread from Dave’s Killer Bread and snack bars from KIND Snacks. The rest were all purchased from First Alternative Natural Foods Co-op in Corvallis. The MUPC strove to choose healthful food that students could easily use: dried pasta, milk cereal, deli meat, eggs, oranges, carrots, snap pea crisps, canned tomato sauce, and canned soup.

The event was not only a way to for students to win free food; it was also a time for students to get more involved. Organizations on campus set up tables in the back of the room, which allowed students to find involvement opportunities on campus during breaks between bingo games. There was an interactive portion of the event where poll questions were periodically displayed on the large screen at the front of the room. Students could text responses to questions like: have you ever been worried you would run out of food this term? “We try to do a good job of putting on events that students will like and also talking with them to make sure their interests are heard,” said Kyle. “As we operate under student funds, we make sure that those funds are being allocated the way they want them to be.” ◊ Writer Tracie Allan Photo Jodie Davaz

Three kings’ day A Celebration of Rosca de Reyes

For the first time ever, Centro Cultural César Chávez, ASOSU Multicultural Affairs, and Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) collaborated to start a new event called Rosca de Reyes or “Kings’ Cake.” A Kings’ Cake is a big round pastry that is served to celebrate Día de Reyes or Kings’ Day, a Latin-American and Spanish tradition that takes place 12 days after Christmas to celebrate the biblical adoration for baby Jesus by the three Wise Men each year in social reunions with family and friends. During Kings’ Day, the belief is that if people set their shoes under the Christmas tree, the Three Wise Men will leave presents to discover the next morning. After receiving their gifts, families eat the Kings’ Cake, which is decorated with dried and candied fruits. Inside the pastry is a special ingredient: a hidden figurine of baby Jesus. When the cake is served, everyone cuts his or her own piece of the bread. Whoever finds the baby Jesus trinket in their slice must take the figurine to the nearest church on February 2 and host a dinner for the rest of the family.

get to know their traditions and to know their roots.” After the cake was served and eaten, everyone gathered together and played a couple rounds of a game called “Human Bingo.” This game is similar to the American version of Bingo but spoken in Spanish. Some of the questions that were asked included are you left-handed, are you single, and do you have a pet fish. As the game continued on, the people who participated looked as if they were truly enjoyed the game and getting to know one another in the comforting atmosphere. Nayeli Ruiz, the peer-facilitator at Centro Cultural César Chávez, was one of the hosts that helped create this event. “Working here at the Centro I’ve learned so many new traditions that I didn’t do

when I grew up,” Nayeli said. “When I asked my mom why we never did these while growing up, she felt like she lost all those traditions after moving to the U.S. and she had those traditions while growing up in Mexico. I think that’s why I joined the program, because I use it for my own knowledge and to experience it myself.” As the event came to a close, Nayeli announced a new slogan that will be popping up on their social media platforms. “We’ve got our slogan #EstamosUnidos, meaning ‘we are united.’ We want to show the community that everyone is united and that everyone is connected in some way.” ◊ Writer Whitney Lauren Han Photo Jodie Davaz

Antonio Saavedra, the director of Multicultural Affairs at ASOSU, spoke on the significance of Kings’ Day. “What I’ve noticed is that when people go to these type of events, they don’t know most of the people there. I wanted to break the ice and have everyone talk to one another to feel more comfortable,” Antonio said. As a student who was born in Mexico, he immediately wanted to make an impact on the cultural community. He found that hosting this event was a great opportunity to do so. “I wanted to do this event this year so that people can get a little taste of the Latino traditions,” Antonio said. “This is a great way for some of the people who were born here in the Untied States but are from Mexican or Latino decent to

Down and D.i.r.t.y

The sound of sirens fills the air as a team of students equipped in safety gear enters the abandoned heat plant. Together, they navigate the scattered wreckage and begin conducting a search. Their task as emergency first responders is to locate and assist the two workers who are somewhere inside. This intense scenario is one of the four drills staged by the Disaster and Incident Response Team (D.I.R.T.) during their winter community emergency response training.

D.I.R.T. is an organization that focuses on preparing OSU and its community in the case of a disaster, such as an earthquake or flooding. The group welcomes students to get first-hand experience and learn from a variety of professionals, first responders, and veterans. Additionally, the recently-introduced physical activity course, Wilderness First Responder, is offered at OSU. The class focuses on injury assessment, rescues, and short-term care amongst other topics. The day-long training event acted as their final exam.

Students met for a debriefing at Student Legacy Park in the early morning before splitting into small groups of around six people each. Throughout the day they demonstrated their skills and practiced making decisions in environments designed to be as realistic as possible. In the heat plant, for instance, other participants, covered in fake injuries done by makeup, took on the role of workers awaiting rescue. One of them acted unconscious while he was assessed and carefully carried out of the building. The other yelled for help from where he was trapped under debris with a broken leg.

A second search-and-rescue operation took place in another building on campus, but in this case, the rooms used were blacked out entirely. Students had to rely on their headlamps and other equipment to find the people stuck inside. The remaining scenarios involved responding to a small fire and conducting structural assessments of buildings after an earthquake. With the help of other participants, students were also

tested on how they dealt with unexpected disruptions from the media or bystanders while they worked.

“Our goal is to establish a network of first responders around OSU,” said Exercise Controller Mike Bamberger. “If this class were to run every term, that’s roughly 100 students a year who are in a position to help out in the event of an earthquake.” Overall, nearly 50 participants were involved in creating and running the drills in this training event. Emma Wampler, a freshman in human development and family sciences, was one of the D.I.R.T. members volunteering as a drill controller. “Emergency response has always been important to me,” Emma said. “I was a part of our [first responder] group in high school, but we didn’t have exciting drills quite like this.” ◊ Writer Jennifer Hanzsek Photos Ching-chia Ko

Hmong Night Laos, 1960’s. A brave son. A raging war. Two lovers separated, and a family fighting to survive. It was a play of mixed emotions as the members of Hmong at OSU related the dramatic tale of the Hmong history to an audience of about 175 people. On Jan. 10, the Memorial Union Ballroom was transformed into a platform where the story of a rare and unique culture was unveiled. The president of the association, Yeng Thao, said that this event went through long days and sleepless nights of planning in order for it to become a success.“The hardest part was definitely the planning,” Yeng said. “We want this event to successfully introduce the OSU community to our beautiful culture.” The hard work of the 15 association members was evidently seen as the curtains rose and they presented “Lub Neej Tshiab: The New Life.” The event commenced with a short introduction by the executive committee and a slideshow of the association. Followed after was an opening dance by an all-male dancing group.

Next, a group of girls presented a cultural dance to the song “Let It Go” from the movie Frozen, but this time, in Hmong language! The crowd was indeed entertained by the soft beautiful colors of the dancers’ costumes, their graceful moves, and the oh-so-popular song sung in a foreign language. As the lights dimmed and an off-stage narration took over, the historical tale of the survival of this ethnicity came to life on stage. Told through the life of a young man Lee Xiong, the audience was transported to the years when the CIA launched a secret operation in fear that Laos would succumb to communism. The struggles of a family fighting to survive the war was clearly portrayed by the Xiong family, and the hardships of a soldier in the secret army depicted lucidly by Lee Xiong and his fellow fighters. And of course, what is a story without the element of love? The tragic love story was witnessed by the crowd as Lee Xiong had to be separated from the love of his life as he left for battle, only to return to find her forcefully wed to another man.

There were laughs throughout the play but it ended on a sad note as the Xiong family was dispersed into safety, and Mrs. Xiong died in the arms of her husband, -- a tragic outcome of a flying bullet. At this intersection, a buffet of Hmong cuisine was served and the crowd had the opportunity of tasting an array of mouth-watering delicacies. During the intermission, an entertaining fashion show of different Hmong traditional wear was displayed. Hmong at OSU also carries out other social events that are open to the public, such as volleyball friendlies and food challenges. Students interested in participating in any of the activities can contact the association on Facebook, Hmong at OSU. The story had not yet reached the end. Lee Xiong was reunited with what was left of his family in a touching family reunion, and of course, managed to get back together with the girl of his dreams. And they all lived happily ever after. ◊ Writer Hannah Enyuan Photo Ching-chia Ko

small band big sound

The OSU Jazz “big band” was a little smaller than average this term, but rather than hindering the group of musicians, their size allowed them to try different and interesting arrangements to fit their numbers. Their winter performance at the Majestic Theater displayed the capability of the group to maintain a big jazz sound while also allowing each of the members a chance at a solo in the spotlight. Trumpeter Calvin Henry explained the importance of this sharing of the spotlight in such a small group: “I liked how much soloing everyone got to do. It makes band mates listen closer to everyone else’s parts.”

posers specifically from the Portland area to perform. This theme displayed the diversity of jazz music that comes from Oregon, and also displayed the diversity of abilities among the band members (one of which played three instruments during the event). The size of the band allowed the OSU Jazz Band to form an incredibly cohesive dynamic. When describing his favorite moments of that night’s performance, Lars Gunderson explained:

“The funny thing is, my favorite moment wasn’t one of the many licks that were played perfectly, the excellent bass solo, or the wonderful style change during a later alto sax solo. It was actually a time that things didn’t go right. In one of the Their performance had a specific theme, first solo sections, somebody moved on which director Ryan Biesack hinted at to the head prematurely. Many bands throughout the performance until its would have kept chugging on in hopes final reveal. The band had picked com-

that he would eventually notice, but we reacted differently. The entire band followed him. I wouldn’t be surprised if some trained ears in the audience missed the blunder because we all chose to mess up together.” This blunder and recovery did seem to go unnoticed to the audience, and it is an excellent example of what a talented group of people can do to help one another during a performance. In jazz, improvisation is key, and the OSU Jazz band stayed flawlessly dedicated to that definition. ◊

Writer Lindsey LeMay Photo Stefan Herrenbruck

GiVE A DOG A BONE There’s something in the water in Oregon. At least, that’s what the Fettig brothers think. The two Phi Delta Theta brothers, in alliance with Be The Match, have registered 435 potential donors from Oregon State University -- and 20 of those people have been a match with people in need of bone marrow or stem cells. In context, the University of Georgia found a total of 4 matches from their pool of about 4,000 potential donors. Be The Match began two years ago after Matt Fettig, then a sophomore and now a senior in business finance, was diagnosed with leukemia. “I started feeling a little sick and a little weak,” Matt said. He went to the doctor to be tested and received the bad news that night: he had leukemia. He was immediately removed from school and began his therapy. As both cancer and chemo ravaged his body, his family tried to do all they could to help. Matt’s older brother Eric Fettig -- also a Phi Delta Theta brother and OSU Beaver -- found that he was a bone marrow match and was able to give Matt the cure he needed to save his life. Blair Fettig, now a junior studying business entrepreneurship, decided to make an impact in other leukemia patients’ lives by creating Be The Match Oregon State. “Our very first match ever was matched with a 4 year-old girl in New York,” Blair said. “He was flown there for free, the procedure was done for free, he stayed there for free, and was flown home

for free. Be The Match pays for it all to happen. He saved a 4-year-old girl, and that’s pretty amazing.” It’s incredibly easy to register to be a donor. All it takes is a few minutes of paperwork, and then about a minute using cotton swabs to collect DNA samples from a donor’s mouth. Vice president Jesse McGinty, a junior in public health and environmental science, is a registered donor for Be The Match. She spent the afternoon of the Puppy Drive enticing students to register with a corgi named Roxy. With her help and the help of other volunteers, Be The Match surpassed ther goal of 125 by registering 138 new donors at their final drive of winter term. “I’ve been in the registry since I was 18,” Jesse said. “That’s when you can be on the registry.” Being a part of Be The Match has opened other doors for Jesse; since joining as a volunteer, she has gotten an internship with the area-wide Be The Match organization. Be The Match is anticipating three more donor drives during Spring term. Blair anticipates that the first one will be a collaboration with Beaver Athletics and land on a baseball game weekend toward the beginning of the term. Be The Match is always looking for new volunteers to help at their donor drives. If you’re interested in joining an organization that saves lives, message the Be The Match Oregon State Facebook page for information. ◊ Writer Jodie Davaz Photo Ching-chia Ko

Lindsey LeMay

Halie Sutton

Ben Hamlin

Patricia Djuhadi

Elaine King

Casey Gosselin

Rebeckah Puppo

Gabe Fleck

Ching-chia Ko

Rone Nop

Pa Lor

Courtney Kaneshiro

Stefan Herrenbruck

Hannah Enyuan

Tracie Allan

Jonathon Chea

Whitney Lauren Han

Katrina Wendt

Promotions

Jodie Davaz

Design

Editorial

Beaverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Digest Staff Maranda McArthur Jennifer Hanzsek Katrina Wendt Kelsey Toellner Kevin Fuquay Lydia Martin Maria Weitzel

Special thanks To Jake Chamseddine for our gorgeous front cover photo, Jeremiah Leslie for the lovely back cover photo, and Zhenliang Li for the beautiful inside cover photos. To the NMC and ART 409 students and volunteers who put in countless hours of hard work. To the KBVR FM staff for allowing us to extend our reach through the air with Cover Story. To the KBVR TV staff for venturing into new programming with us with Beaver Voices. To Matt, Justin, and Megan for the shared experiences. To every student, staff, and community member who picked up our first issue and supported us through our second.