Beaver's Digest - Spring 2015

Vol 1 Issue 3

- Sp

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g2 01 5

Stay thirsty, Oregon State.

Not thirsty for water, though the promise of a hot summer would suggest packing around a bottle. Instead:

Stay thirsty for adventure.

For jumping off rafts as you float down the river.

For the next step and the next step as you climb Mary’s Peak.

For each juicy blackberry you pick along the trail.

Stay thirsty for knowledge.

For the things you learn outside of the hot, muggy classroom.

For the articles you read online, in magazines, in newspapers.

For the debates with friends over coffee.

Stay thirsty for passion.

For each bounce at a high-energy music festival.

For the pursuit of creativity.

For the hand of the loved one you hold.

Another year has come and gone and we drank deeply from the well of experiences.

But the well never runs dry as long as we keep drawing from it.

Never let your thirst be quenched.

Jodie Davaz Editor-in-chief

Beaver’s Digest Vol 1 ◊ Issue 3

2 3 4 5 6 8 9 10 12 13 14 16 17 18

THE BRITISH INVASION

TWO CENTERS OPEN FOR ALL

BREATHE IN, BREATHE OUT

ARBEIT MACHT FREI

Mock Rock

APCC and BCC Grand Openings

The Yoga of 12-Step Recovery

Holocaust Memorial Program

SUGA SUGA

OSU, UNITE!

Alpha Gamma Gentlemen

Take Back The Night

MALAYSIA BOLEH

FRESH OFF THE JEEPNEY

MODERN MULTICULTURALISM

WRAP IT UP!

Isang Bansang Pilipino Club

Malaysian Students Association

20 21 22 24 25 26 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 36

Indian Students Association

Condom Couture

LIFE GOES ON

A PENCHANT FOR PLANT SCIENCE

BACK TO THE ROOTS

1ST OF 500

Relay for Life

Noor Al-Bader

Vietnamese Student Association

Global Formula Racing

A DAY AT HATFIELD

LOOK AT ME NOW

Marine Science Day

University Honors College

AND WE DANCED

A TRIBE’S LEGACY

Beavs Helping Kids’ BeaverTHON

Native American Salmon Bake

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE

EARTH AWARENESS

WITHOUT DANCE, WHAT’S THE POINTE?

1,111 RUNNERS

Hoo-Haa

Moms & Family Art Festival Elite Dance Team

Corvallis Half-Marathon

GONE TO THE DOGS

BOXED BLUSH & BIKES

THE SOUND OF MUSIC

AND ALL WE DO IS LIGHT IT UP

I’M ON A BOAT

CONTRIBUTORS

Pet Day

Greek Sing

Shasta Weekend

Tour de Franzia Dam Jam

& Special Thanks

Writer | Maria Weitzel

Photo | Natalie Stone

the british

invasion

This year’s annual Mock Rock event was a smashing success. Gill Coliseum was a packed house filled with upbeat music and excited students, parents, and community members. Kappa Delta put on a British Invasion-themed lip sync and dance competition to raise money for the Center against Rape and Domestic Violence (CARDV) and Prevent Child Abuse America (PCAA).

“The Greek houses and even some non-Greek organizations really put a lot of work into their Mock Rock performances and they do it all to support two great causes” said Erin McGowan, senior in Alpha Chi Omega.

Twenty-eight different houses performed two-minute skits and dances to entertain the crowd. The

sounds of Spice Girls, Harry Potter, Estelle, The Beatles and many more British artists played through the speakers and had the audience dancing in their seats.

This year with the help of the Greek and Oregon State communities , Kappa Delta was able to raise over $46,000 for the two organizations.

“If I can even help to make a difference in one victim’s life, then that’s enough for me,” said Ashley Haller, Vice President of Community Service in Kappa Delta. “Corvallis is my home, and I want to make my home better.” ◊

Writer | Jacob Kienlen

Addiction. It’s the drink that helps the resources of the CRC, Naomi their struggles: it’s a place to find you forget, it’s the drug that was able to facilitate these Y12SR balance, both literally and figuramakes you feel, it’s the temporary meetings on campus. tively, within their lives. Whether escape, but how do you define it’s dealing with an addiction, or The Yoga of 12-Step Recovery it? For many looking for help, it’s the pressures of being a student.

(Y12SR) meetings are open to any- Some simply the separation between who participate one who has been affected by ad- chooseoftothose mind and body. remain anonymous on diction, it is an open and inclusive their path to recovery.

“In Y12SR we say, ‘The issues live group. Each meeting starts with in the tissues,’” said Naomi Figley. an open environment for sharing, “So far, it is already better than She is the space-holder for the similar to a 12-step meeting, and just sitting around and listening Yoga of 12-Step Recovery meetthen moves on to an intentionto people talk,” said one particiings and is a senior in Human al yoga practice guided by the pant. “Here, you are able to talk Development and Family Sciences. breath. . and meditate at the same time, it “I’ve been practicing yoga for 11 allows me to feel more connected “It creates a special kind of bond; years, and it’s been a big part of with the experience.” this is especially important bemy own recovery. It makes me cause people suffering from The Yoga of 12-Step Recovery feel more connected.” addictive behaviors have a tenis for those who wish to deal Naomi is a member of the Colledency to isolate themselves,” said with life’s issues in an active way. giate Recovery Community (CRC), Naomi, “there’s something to be Whether you’re looking for a as well as the undergraduate said about coming together in a place to open up or just someassistant for the program. The safe space and loosening up.” where to feel safe, there’s a place CRC offers support for students in For many people, the meeting is for everyone in the program. ◊ long-term recovery from submore than just a place to share stance use disorders. By utilizing

Photo | Bonnie Nutting

breathe inn i ehtaerb breathe outtuo ehtaerb

Writer & Photos | Whitney Lauren Han & Stefan Herrenbruck

Suga Suga Songs inspired by sweetness set the scene for Alpha Gamma Delta’s annual Alpha Gamma Gentlemen philanthropy. This event spans multiple days each spring term. On day one this year, multiple fraternities gave musical performances and wove a few facts about diabetes in their lyrics.

AGD President Hannah Chute explained more about who the donated money impacts.

“We raise money for diabetes and diabetes research,” Hannah said. “The money goes to Gales Creek, which is a camp for kids with diabetes.”

One of the fraternities in this event was Sigma Nu—the newest fraternity at OSU. Ryan Tuttle was the historian chairman and gentleman who wrote

the diabetes-inspired cover of Baby Bash’s “Suga Suga.” He said that the brothers of the new fraternity were excited to be involved in the event.

“We’re just starting out; this is our first philanthropy that we’re participating in, so we don’t have a lot of experience in this. And I don’t either,” he laughs.

Day two of Alpha Gamma Delta’s philanthropy function was characterized by superfluous sunglasses, copious cards, and momentous music.

AGD sisters donned black dresses and assumed the roles of dealers and waitresses throughout their sorority house-turned-casino.

Poker night attracted enough fraternity brothers to ensure at least one full-house was in the cards.

The list of prizes promised to the top players stoked their competitive natures. AGD sister Jyssica Yelas, serving as DJ for the event, was happy about the turnout.

“I like how [the event] brings people from all different fraternity houses together to just play poker and have fun for a good cause,” she said.

Jake Lunter of Sigma Nu won first prize, earning more recognition for the new fraternity. A night of fun for a good cause raised $5,500 for diabetes research, making philanthropy chair Anne Marie Richards proud.

“I have type 1 diabetes myself,” Anne Marie said. “I’d like to be cured of this some day, so that’s also very i mportant to me.” ◊

Flying over 8,000 miles to a tiny country in Southeast Asia can burn quite a hole in your wallet and leave your body aching. So instead of having to go all the way to Malaysia, the Malaysian Students Association (MYSA) decided to bring a slice of Malaysia to the states. “Malaysia Truly Asia” was the very first Malaysian cultural event at OSU, recording a guest count of about 340 people and proving Malaysia Boleh — Malaysia Can. The event took a different route from the traditional sit-down cultural nights at OSU, boasting different booths at which guests could stop and get handson experiences. Upon entering the MU ballroom, each person was given a “passport” which contained a checklist of the different activities for guests to try. “[MYSA hopes] that all of you will be able to get a taste of Malaysia through all the things we have in store for you tonight,” MYSA president Shane Reezal said

during his opening speech. “Play some games, eat lots of food, and expect it to be really noisy and crowded.”

Guests were able to have a face off against one another in traditional and modern games such as Jenga, congkak (also known as mancala), zhor dai di, and other card games. An array of traditional desserts was served throughout the night.

Everyone was given the opportunity of trying their hand at traditional crafts like ketupat making, batik painting, henna art, and fish origami. Besides touring the different stations, the audience was entertained by two different traditional dance performances, one of which was put on by the Indian Student Association.

Freshman Kip Koenig commented, “It all looks very professionally done. This was a very informative and wonderful experience.”

Elsewhere in the ballroom, a mini museum transported its visitors to the early historical days when Malaysians lived in “The turnout tonight was much better trees all the way to the modern infrathan we were hoping for,” said MYSA structure and popular tourist hotspots. member Nathalene Then. “I’m very A photo booth offered a wide variety of happy that all our hard work paid off. traditional costumes and funky props Malaysia Boleh!” ◊ with which guests could take pictures.

The inner child within each guest was challenged by either a game of “pick-up sticks” or “fishing”, where three of the participants with the highest score were awarded prizes.

Photo | Ali Jorgensen Writer | Hannah Enyuan

MALAYSIA BOLEH

East Meets West:

Modern Multiculturalism

Dr. Tadepalli’s speech embodied the spirit of OSU’s annual India Night, where cultures from across the globe meet and blend as they do every day in the university’s student population.

For one night a year, performers from India and the United States introduce audiences to a fusion of traditional and modern styles as they sing, dance, and charm their way to the crowd’s approval.

The ceremonies began by paying homage to both countries with a dual-rendition of the national anthems of America and India. Musicians including Patrick Layton and Dave Chiller played Indian songs on the drums and guitar with an edge of western sound, easing audiences into a tone of multiculturalism from the opening act.

Diversity and inclusivity are “the spirit of the event,” said Computer Science sophomore Aravind Parasurama.

Writer | Chris Correll

Photo | Junior Gonzalez

According to Aravind, India Night has been an Oregon State tradition for more than two decades. It is one of the few cultural functions large enough to occupy LaSells Stewart Center’s auditorium.

Indian Students Association brings festivity and diversity with OSU India Night.

“As privileged members of the OSU community, we have much to celebrate. But we also have an obligation to engage with the rest of society,” said Dr. Prasad Tadepalli, an Oregon State professor of Computer Science, as he welcomed students, faculty, and Corvallis families to the largest—and one of the oldest—cultural event on campus. “We must do our best to truly reflect the ideals of community and diversity.”

Given the number of high-quality performers each year, it wouldn’t be difficult to make “India’s Got Talent” an annual motif.

Cheers went wild—and camera phones went up—for the young members of Desi Boyz, five talented children who stood tall beside the adult performers.

Others participants performed “Dancing with the Stars” style duets, renditions of classic songs written by Indian composers, and an impromptu fashion runway that literally stole the show when Ankit left the judges’ panel and booted host Ronnie Roy out of the spotlight.

Many student performers took time out of their busy schedules for India Night simply so they could convey a slice of Indian culture for OSU. Nikhil Kishore, a junior in Computer Science, is the other co-president of the Indian Students Association who joined dozens of other dancers in the lineup.

“This is the only time we really get to show our culture,” Nikhil said, “Dancing to this great music, this atmosphere, the energy is great and it just brings out the show.”

With so many successful productions behind them, the Indian Students Association felt it was time to try something unique. As a twist to keep things fresh, several members stood in as the host and judges of “India’s Got Talent,” a parody special injecting satire between acts.

While India Night—and the welcoming speech given by Dr. Tadepalli—is primarily a testament to diversity’s many advances, it also carried a reminder of the progress yet to be made, and that prejudice, both “overt” and “subconscious” is still a presence in the modern world.

“It makes it more fun for the audience—it makes them feel like they’re a part of the night instead of just watching,” said Exercise and Sports Science junior Ankit Chopra, the co-president of Indian Students Association and one of the evening’s three judges.

Specifically, Dr. Tadepalli referred to recent examples of systemic discrimination as “extreme examples” of what can go wrong when institutions become uniform in their perspective and ways of thinking.

Ankit said the association had been playing around with “a lot of ideas” for this year’s show, but settled on the talent theme to add more crowd interaction and keep the entertainment coming while dancers and musicians prepared for their acts.

He urged audience members, many of them promising students with careers and possibilities ahead of them, not to “turn away from discrimination” because it’s harsh, but to “be a witness.”

“Diversity is only a means to an end,” Dr. Tadepalli said. “I urge you to participate fully in the struggle for equality and justice for all.” ◊

Writer | Jacob Kienlen

Photo | Bonnie Nutting

life goes on Cancer: it’s a battle some face every day, but they don’t have to face it alone. Every year the Oregon State community comes together to fight this silent enemy. Relay for Life is more than just a way to raise money; it’s a symbol of hope and defiance. It’s for those who have faced death and emerged victorious, and those that were taken too soon.

“I’m here this year for my grandmother,” said Merchandising Management sophomore Madeline Frisk. She and eight hundred others came to the relay to join something bigger than themselves. “It’s always fun to see the Greek community coming together for a good cause,” Madeline said. Many fraternities and sororities rallied their communities and marched into the MU quad to walk through the night.

“It’s all about coming together with creative ways of raising money,” said HDFS and Education junior Morgan Klupenger, “some people have bake sales, some people sell beads for every lap, and it all goes towards cancer research.”

Relay for Life raised a total of $40 thousand dollars for the American Cancer Society, an impressive feat for a one night event. It is a prime example of how much can be done with a lot of organization and a good cause.

“I’m here for my mom, who battled cancer,” said volunteer and event organizer Sarah Benham, “I’ve volunteered before, but this year I decided to step it up.” Sarah and many other volunteers are the reason the event could even be possible.

The air was filled with life. Loud music pulsated through the quad as people danced, sang, laughed, walked, and lived for cancer research. One event stood out among the festivities, however: the Luminaria ceremony.

Bags lined the walkway, each decorated for the loved ones affected by cancer and filled with a single lit candle. With the harmonious melodies of OSU’s Divine a cappella group aiding each step, everyone’s mind turned to remembrance and support.

This event was more than just a fundraiser, it was celebration of life for those still fighting for theirs. It was a way of coming together and fighting back.

Though we still do not have cure for this pervasive affliction, every little step forward is a step in the right direction. ◊

BACK TO THE ROOTS The truth? Firstly, the three children, Jimmy, Jenny and Johnny Nguyen, played by Alex Nguyen, Melissa Huynh and Kenny Nguyen respectively, could never see eye-to-eye on anything.

Jimmy always had his nose buried in his books with a mission to be a successful man someday, but in the midst of all his studying, he forgot to spend time with his family. A social butterfly, Jenny spent her time hanging out with her friends and picked fights with her younger brother Johnny, who had problems of his own. He did what he liked whenever he liked, and hardly gave two hoots about what his family said to him. Their father, Vuong (Andre To) was a firm and quiet

One issue that all three children faced was that they had become so acclimated to American culture that they were clueless about Vietnamese language and culture. When Diem found out that she had been diagnosed with brain cancer, she reveals that her final wish is to visit Vietnam with her whole family.

And visit Vietnam they did, in spite of all the children’s grumbling and complaining. They found it hard to become accustomed to the culture that they had not been taught when growing up. Their grandmother (Olyvia Chac) was furious to find out that her three grandchildren did not even know the basic custom of waiting for elders to eat before they began their meal.

After lots of slow teaching, visits to the city and relatives, and plenty of spanking, the children finally began to learn more about their roots and culture.

The play, called “Ve Nguon” (Back to the Roots)

ended with their return to America, a much closer-bonded and loving family that they were before. Months after their return, Diem left the world. The whole drama ended with a speech by each of the Nguyens at her funeral.

Louis Nguyen, a microbiology junior and the president of the the Vietnamese Student Association, was inspired to share “Ve Nguon.” “A lot of my Vietnamese friends are forgetting how to speak and understand our language, including myself,” he said. “I wanted it to be a wake-up call, to show us that this is becoming an issue in our generation today.”

The cultural night was also to showcase the Vietnamese culture to the OSU community through different performances such as traditional dances, songs and contemporary dance performances that were put on at different times throughout the play.

Louis, summed up the night in one word: “Rewarding”. ◊

Photo | Bonnie Nutting

At least, that’s what people thought.

man whose loving wife, Diem Nguyen (Tanya Amaya) was over-protective of her children.

Writer | Hannah Enyuan

The Nguyen family was just like any other Vietnamese family – a pair of parents with three American bornand-raised children. They had the occasional squabble over who was better but all loved each other, just like a happy family.

Scuba for Science

Preening populations

Scuba Sally hung suspended from bungee cords, a mannequin covered from head to toe in scientific diving gear. Kevin Buch, the diving and small boat safety officer, stood watch.

Kevin oversees all the research diving that goes on at OSU.

Common Murres don’t build nests for their eggs. Instead they lay the egg on a cold, salty seaside rockface without protection offered from pebbles and grass.

“I’m the office that helps support them, provides all the training they need, review their work plans, and Hands-on experience for undergrads provide some of the resources they The BIO 450 laboratory is the place need to work safely,” he said. where marine biology juniors and His office also has classes for seniors house the specimens they students interested in science collect from nearby rocky intertidal diving. “We work pretty closely with pools and mud flats. Only 19 stu[PAC],” he said “Before you can take dents are in this 15-unit class. They scientific diving training, you have to live near Hatfield the whole term. Dahave a fair bit of prerequisites. The vid Ben is a senior in marine biology PAC program has all the programs who was in the course this term. they need to feed in to what I do.”

“It’s pretty intense. Every two weeks Kevin says that scientific diving is the course changes,” he said. “The “different than recreational diving first two weeks we learned about because when someone is trying invertebrates, the next two weeks to work underwater, they become we’re looking at fishes, and so on.” more easily stressed or distracted. His During Marine Science Day he showed courses offer information on how to off some of their current specimen col- counter those complications, along lection. There was a wide array of colwith training divers on how to use orful sponges, some mud shrimp, and underwater scientific equipment.” nudibranchs — or “nudies,” shell-less “People are diving all over the world mollusks — on display. Their mission out of OSU,” Kevin said. There are in the course is to learn about their life coral reef biologists, marine rehistories, ecology, anatomy, and serves, and even polar ecologists other traits. diving under antartic ice.

David is a fan of living at the But scientific diving courses aren’t center for the term. He said the limited to specific majors. Kevin said comeradierie with fellow students is that hobbyists have a good reason to a big plus as they learn. Besides, he take the class, too. says, they get to spend a lot of time with some of the major players in the “There are fish people just like there marine biology scene.” are bird people,” Kevin said. “They have life lists, they travel to different “By living here, we actually get to parts of the world to see different experience a lot of the scientists that types of fish in certain areas, they work here,” David said. “And I think submit volunteer data — just that’s one of the bigger experiences like birders.” for me, is just getting to talk to them and seeing the research that’s actually being done.”

Rob Suryan studies these birds and several other species at Yaquina Head. Students and OSU alumni help him to gather data about the 80,000 Murres that live in the area. “We’re tracking the number of birds that pair up and lay eggs,” Rob said. Each partnership of bird lays and hatches only one egg per year. Rob’s team is capturing oceanographic variables in terms of food availability and changes in climate over time. This helps them to track what might be affecting population changes and distribution.

They’ll also track what kind of food is available for Murres to eat. “[The adult birds] will go get food, one at a time, and bring it back to the chick,” Rob said.

The researchers take digital photographs of the day’s catch and keep a careful log of what fish are nourishing the young. Murres can catch a pretty diverse array of fish because “...they can dive up to 500 feet,” Rob said. “They’re penguin-like because their wings can fly through the water.”

Rob’s team has noticed that a dramatic species restructuring is taking place along the coast. “Some colonies [of birds] are being abandoned. Other colonies are increasing,” he said.

He thinks this might have something to do with national efforts to increase the bald eagle population in recent years.

They wonder: Is this a natural rebalancing of predators and prey? Or are the eagles coming into an environment that is different than what it was before? ◊

Writers I Jodie Davaz and Ali Jorgenson

Hatfield Marine Science Center is OSU’s Newport outpost for the study of marine life. Students, professors, and researchers work together to maintain the facility and collect data on the marine critters who live there.

In celebration of Marine Science Day in April, they hosted a massive display of all the research that goes on in Hatfield, as well as at other nearby colleges and high schools.

Photo I Lydia Martin

A DAY AT HATFIELD

And we danced What do “Let It Go” and “Uptown Funk” have in common? A superb dance routine performed by the volunteers and children involved in Beavs Helping Kids! This nonprofit organization made of student and community volunteers is dedicated to helping children in the local Children’s Miracle Network hospital, which is the Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend in nearby Springfield, OR. At the annual BeaverTHON, the staff, students, and families can come to a fundraiser celebration of all the efforts that Beavs Helping Kids have made all year. BeaverTHON is a sixhour event full of energetic dance sessions, raffles and prizes, and personal stories shared by families who have benefited from this program.

Writer | Whitney Lauren Han

Photo | Ching-chia Ko

Minh-Hao Tran, a senior in Psychology and a co-executive director for “Beavs Helping Kids,” has worked with this program for two years.

“I do it for the kids. I was— and a lot my team members—were blessed with a really healthy childhood and we were able to live it to its fullest,” said Minh-Hao. “We wanted to be able to give kids who don’t technically have that opportunity the best chance at it that they can and it’s really great giving back to the community and staying in touch with your roots.”

Between the dance sessions at this event, families who have dealt with medical complications shared their stories with the audience and how

Beavs Helping Kids have helped them along their journey. As the director of outreach for Beavs Helping Kids, Erin Peters’ job is to reach out to the families within the community and ask them if they would like to share their inspirational stories.

“I work with the families really closely who have been through the hospital and who have been affected, so the big part of this event for me is talking to the families and getting them to come and present to us,” said Erin. “[Attendees] can listen to what the families have been through and watch their video and see that these are people in our community who have gone through this.”

Mackenzi Lee, a senior in Human Development and Family Sciences, is the other co-executive director for Beavs Helping Kids. She says the money they raise benefits the community.

“My favorite part about working with this program is seeing where our money goes,” said Mackenzi.

“We get to go due NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) tours down at Sacred Heart Medical Center and you get to see the facility and meet babies in isolates and their families; just seeing what we’re working towards give us a reminder of why we are here.”

“You get to be a part of something that is bigger than yourself,” Mackenzi said, “This isn’t about you or just one person—you are helping tons families and babies.” ◊

From fancy jewelry to intricately carved wooden ornaments, homemade jams to beautiful knits, the 2015 Moms and Family Weekend Art Festival had it all. An annual tradition organized by MUPC here at OSU, this year’s art festival housed more than 80 artisan booths with vendors reigning from all over Oregon. Carrying a wide variety of merchandise, it was like a one-stop shopping destination that fulfilled every visitor’s dream.

This year, the group of selected vendors from the pool of over 100 applicants were given a space in the the SEC Plaza to market their products. Just like every other year, the art festival brought the OSU and Corvallis communities together in a positive way to

enjoy amazing artwork and handicrafts.

Families with young children, college students with their moms, and the elderly citizens of Corvallis could be seen visiting booth by booth, bringing home with them a bag or more of unique products.

Jessica Hammock and Sarah Sutton, MUPC’s Community Relations and Traditions Event Coordinators, expressed their excitement and satisfaction at seeing the event come to life. On the day of the event, they were up and running at 5 a.m. when the plaza was quiet and still. At 7 a.m., vendors were unloading and carting their products in, and by 10 a.m. the festival was alive and bustling with families and music.

Adding some spice to the festival this year was the Best Booth Contest. An ongoing vote awarded the top three booths a prize each. Holm Made Toffee Co. emerged as champion, followed by Oregon Rain Soap and Vintage Journals.

“Those five hours made the months and months of planning worth it,” said Sarah. Jessica agreed, commenting that it was fun touring the different booths after the months of talking to vendors and reviewing the products through pictures. “My favorite part was seeing all the happy families walking through the festival,” she said. ◊

Writer | Hannah Enyuan

Photo | Junior Gonzalez

something for e veryo ne

For those who feel music flowing through their veins and the beat pumping their the heart, dancing is an art form that begins at childhood and sticks with them for the rest of their lives.

Before college, many dancers face the fear that they won’t be able to continue doing the thing that they love and be able to keep up with their studies. But here at OSU, the Elite Dance Team is the perfect organization for students who wish to continue dancing their hearts out while making sure they are committed to their studies.

One of the members is Anna Brecheisen, a junior studying biohealth sciences with an option in pre-pharmacy, who was one of the Head Captains this year and will continue to lead the team again next year.

First year student, Nikki Rossetta is studying economics and political science and was just elected to stand alongside Anna as the Assistant Captain for next year.

Erica Foster, a junior studying zoology, is a first year member of the Elite but has danced for most of her life before coming to OSU. BD: How did you get involved with the team? What’s it like being part of the team?

Anna: I heard about the team fall term my freshman year. I remember being so nervous at tryouts, and I stayed up all night waiting for the email to see if I made the team. I’m incredibly happy to have been part of the team for the past three years. I love to dance, and Elite allows me to do what I love while still having the flexibility I need on top of school and work.

Nikki: I saw a flyer on campus my first week here and a friend of mine knew someone on the team and recommend-

ed it to me. One of the best parts of Elite Dance is that it gives us an opportunity to continue dancing and performing. A lot of us did studio or dance team in high school, and weren’t expecting to find a team on campus.

Erica: I have been dancing for a long time now in a variety of styles and I really liked the mix of styles that Elite had.

It gave me the opportunity to perform at fun events and continue doing while I love while still leaving enough time to get a degree. It’s a great atmosphere. I loved going to practices and just forgetting about all the homework I had to do or other real life problems. It was nice to just focus on getting better as a team and having fun with the other talented girls in Elite.

BD: What are some main events or competitions that the team holds each year?

Nikki: A lot of the girls on the team are in sororities, so we tend to do performances at different philanthropy events throughout the year. During winter term we got to perform at a couple high school dance competitions, and it was cool to be able to show the seniors at the competition that they’ll still be able to dance next year.

Anna: This year, we have done several Greek life philanthropy events, two high school dance competitions, Beavs Helping Kids beaverTHON, the College of Pharmacy’s Breaking Down the MU, and a flash mob at the Saturday Market to name a few.

BD: What do you love most about being part of the team?

Erica: I love being able to learn fun dances that also require a fair amount of skill and being able to perform them for people who want to watch us!

Anna: One of my responsibilities as captain is that I get to teach my choreography for the team to perform.

My favorite piece was one we performed this term to the song ‘Earned It’.

I love seeing what I’ve imagined in my head come to life onstage. I actually realized I really enjoy teaching dance and could see myself doing so in the future.

Photo | Ching-Chia Ko Writer | Whitney Lauren Han

without dance, what’s the pointe?

Nikki: I love that we are able to perform on campus and feel involved in the university. But I’d have to say that the best part of being on this team is all the amazing dancers and people I have met through Elite Dance.

BD: What’s your favorite quote or mantra that you live by that holds significance in your life?

Anna: “Pour yourself a drink, put on some lipstick, and pull your life together” – Elizabeth Taylor.

Nikki: “What you do in your life may change what someone else is doing in their life, and that changes everything” – Tom Delonge.

Erika: “FIO” or “Figure It Out” and the whole meaning of it is, life isn’t perfect.

Nothing is. Things are going to go wrong with everything you do. It’s how you handle it that matters. Go out and get whatever it is that you want. There’s always some way to move the pieces around to work it out and that has helped me manage all three performing groups that I am part of, a part time job, and being a full time student. ◊

Writer | Whitney Lauren Han

Photo | Ching-chia Ko

Writer | Jennifer Hanzsek

Photo| Ching-chia Ko

Gone to the dogs Dogs of all shapes and sizes filled the lawns outside the center for the College of Veterinary Medicine on a bright spring afternoon as their owners meandered through booths representing local animal organizations.

Elsewhere, children gathered around a friendly baby pygmy goat at the petting farm. There were carnival games, food trucks, and animals of every sort at the veterinary school’s annual Pet Day celebration.

The event combined family entertainment with promotion of local organizations and charities. Seeing eye guide dogs, therapy dogs, and pack goats were a few of the working animals present. Whisper, a pony from A Child’s Haven, helped promote the organization’s work with therapeutic riding for children. Cody and Tucker, two dogs who were available for adoption,

eagerly greeted visitors at Heartland Humane Society’s booth.

“Our purpose is to to give the public a chance to interact with their community and vendors, and to foster a love of animals,” said Gabrielle Wallace, a graduate student in Veterinary Medicine. “A bunch of people come out, they bring their pets - not just dogs, I’ve seen people with cats on their shoulders! And the vet school talks to the community and reminds them we’re here.”

The event was organized and staffed by students of the College of Veterinary Medicine. They were present everywhere providing information, tours, and activities.

“It’s our biggest fundraiser for the first and second year classes within the college,” said Kathryn Gaub, a sophomore

in Veterinary Medicine. Money raised from activities and services such as the dog washes goes toward student funds for travel opportunities, internships, and conferences.

One of the biggest hits was the teddy bear surgery tent, where children got to interact one-on-one with veterinary students while their stuffed animals were delicately patched up. Pet Day had something for everyone, whether they were enjoying the games, watching the dog agility demonstrations, or out shopping for animal-related gifts.

“My favorite part is how many people show up, and seeing everyone come engaging,” said Kathryn. Because in the end, Pet Day is all about bringing animal lovers together, while supporting the community and Oregon State University students. ◊

“It sounds cliché,” said Nic, “but it’s one of those times you can’t even explain your emotions. You just go out there and everything seems just like a dream.”

The Sound of Music

To live up to the hype - and, of course, put on a great show for their moms Greek teams have been working tireOne after another, the teams wowed lessly since fall. Over a span of 15 weeks, the audience full of students and their they could be spotted all over campus families. Dressed to fit their musical, refining their routine and touching each group seemed to complement the up their vocal performances. Emalee next with friendly competition. Alli StanRabinovitch, former participant and Sing gel, OSU graduate and Alpha Omicron Coach for two years running, says teams Pi alumna, was impressed by the aerial put all they had into this lifts and synchronized dancing. year’s performances.

“My overall goal for Sing was to see “All houses utilize campus resources every team be at a level where they like the [Intramural] and Dixon fields,” are a true contender,” Alli said. “I could Emalee said. “Along the way there are finally see the last few years of changes auditions where everyone competes to really starting to pay off in the overall place. It’s definitely a confidence boost- quality of every performance, not just er for teams to see along the way that a select few. This year I felt consistently they’re doing well.”

entertained for the whole two hours, and that is a great accomplishment for everyone involved.”

In what seemed like minutes, all eleven groups sang and danced with an obvious passion, leaving nothing behind on stage. While the judging panel pooled their scores and chose the trophy winners, Corvallis celebrity Dancing Mike took the spotlight. The crowd cheered along as Mike jumped and skipped happily, brandishing his legendary moves much he would like any other late night in Corvallis.

Although all spectators thoroughly enjoyed Mike’s famous antics, they remained eager to hear the final awards.

One by one, representatives from each team filed on stage and the stadium hushed immediately. When Ybara finally announced the first place trophy to the musical “The Sound of Music” performed by Kappa Kappa Gamma and Sigma Phi Epsilon, the stadium roared with approval as balloons showered the champions from above. The team poured in from the stands, still clad in their performance getup, all hustling to get a chance to touch the first place trophy. ◊

Photo | Bonnie Nutting

With a quick introduction to the tradition from Rhett Ybara, IFC Sing’s official DJ and host for the event, the first of the performances was underway. Sigma Chi and Alpha Chi Omega got the ball rolling with the 1950s musical “Singin’ in the Rain.” Nic Clarke, freshman of Sigma Chi, says the atmosphere was nothing short of surreal.

Writer | Dane Dickerson

Beginning in 1936 as a homecoming event for fraternities to serenade sororities, the OSU Sing tradition has come a long way in recent years. This year’s Moms & Family Weekend marks the 79th annual Sing competition, and its age shows in its various improvements in marketing and presentation. This year the Interfraternity Council (IFC) Sing Council established multiple event sponsors, and set a record of 3,000 Sing attendees in Gill Coliseum.

I’M ON A BOAT.

Writer | Dane Dickerson

Photo| Jake Chamseddine

Students rejoice when it’s the end of rain-jacket-and-galoshes season and warms spring weather touches down at OSU. For students, what is the best way to celebrate? Make the five-hour trek down to grab their fill of Nor-Cal weather. Packing with them the necessary sunscreen, strapped sandals and bejeweled jugs, students set off on houseboats to dominate the shores of Shasta Lake in the name of Beaver Nation.

While trends come and go with the years, the annual Beaver migration to Shasta is one tradition that seems to just keep growing. Sam Garner, a fouryear Shasta veteran, says that it’s more than just a wild time. Shasta gives students motivation throughout the year.

“I think people keep coming back because it’s one weekend out of the entire year, and people have it to look forward to during fall and winter term. It’s kind of like a light at the end of the tunnel,” said Sam. “I also think the change of scenery is part of its appeal. Instead of hanging out in the basement of a frat while it’s pouring rain, we get to party on houseboats in 80 degree weather.”

This annual ritual holds a very special place in many OSU students’ hearts.

It’s the one time each year when folks can all disregard Greek letters, or lack thereof, and open the doors of their new floating homes to each and every friendly face who happens to wander by.

Some are satisfied with lounging in the sun, while others prefer launching themselves from houseboats; or love to dance all night. Freshman Garret Anderton describes his first Shasta experience as one-of-a-kind.

“It was cool to see everyone put their differences aside and be so outgoing and& generous with each other,” Garret said.

“The bonfires at night were really fun.

Everyone came to wind down after a long day, and it was a great way to relax before bed.”

worked together in a number of unique ways to manage risk.

“Everyone seemed to really keep an eye out for one another. The last night I Aside from all of the fun and good vibes, was walking back to my boat and a guy Shasta is infamous for its many hazards. from a random boat shined a flashlight The lake’s increasingly jagged landscape on the ground in front of me so I could is known to take its toll on stumbling see where I was stepping,” said Garstudents, but the combination of day ret. “Some people also wrote their boat drinking and dehydration under connumber somewhere on their body so stant sun can be yet more dangerous. if they couldn’t make it back, someone Shasta Boating Safety deploys at least 12 could help them.” officers 24 hours a day to manage risk Despite all of the potential for discord, for Shasta-goers. Sgt. Rob Sandbloom, Sgt. Sandbloom states that this was Shasta Lake boating safety officer of 7 overall a great year for OSU Shasta. No years, urges people to take caution. deaths, arrests, or any serious injuries “People go to Disneyland to have fun were recorded. Sgt. Sandbloom even and think no one is ever going to get remarks that OSU was especially helpful hurt,” Sgt. Sandbloon said. “If you stand this year in terms of safety and up on a roller coaster, you’re probably police cooperation. going to get hurt. Nobody thinks they’re “This year the Beavers were very cordial, going to get hurt when they go out to cooperative and very polite. Boat capShasta and that they’re invincible when tains were really great about coming up they’re young. They don’t think of long to us and getting things squared away,” term consequences.” said Sgt. Sandbloom.

Although officers work hard to ensure Decades of tradition have created a safety, they can’t be everywhere at precedent for a wild weekend for Oronce. With hundreds of people on the egon State party people. With proper island at a time, Sgt. Sandbloom emattention to safety and sustained police phasizes that it’s largely up the to OSU cooperation, we can continue to pass as a student body to look out for each on a great experience at Shasta Lake to other. Garret Anderton said that during future generations. ◊ his first impression of Shasta, students

Writer | Jennifer Hanzsek

Photo | Rebeckah Puppo

two centers open for all

The Lonnie B. Harris Black Cultural Center (BCC) was packed with people and a buzz of excited energy on the sunny afternoon of its grand opening. Students, faculty, and community members filled every corner of the meeting room and spilled across the lawn outside as they gathered to celebrate the center’s new building.

“Lonnie B. Harris is a hero. He was a saviour. He was a visionary. He was my friend” began Geoff Brooks at the dedication ceremony. Brooks was one of many keynote speakers to remind the audience of the reason for the new building’s namesake and the impact that Lonnie B. Harris had as a leader of the African American community at Oregon State University (OSU).

While the speakers honored the BCC’s history and promising future, the event wasn’t limited to speeches. The African Students Club entertained attendees with an energetic dance performance and there was ample opportunity to socialize and enjoy the new space.

“For me [BCC] is a home away from home.

It’s really a place to come and hang out,” said Christian Nishioka, a senior in New Media Communications and Business.

The celebration wasn’t the only highly anticipated grand opening of the year.

Only a couple of weeks later on the 25th anniversary of the Asian and Pacific Cultural Center (APCC), another crowd filled the streets outside the APCC’s new building for its own official inauguration.

Later, Isang Bansang Pilipino, the Official Filipino Students Association at OSU, showed off the upbeat Tinikling dance. Attendees also got a small taste of India, Thailand, Polynesia, Korea, and the Philippines by sampling an array of traditional dishes while touring the building.

Already, the new center is full of life.

“My favorite thing is how many people have to come to visit, because it’s so centrally located now,” said Melissa Choy, a senior in Exercise and Sports Science. “It’s a great space and the amenities here are really nice.”

“This beautiful building at the heart of the campus represents a new chapter in the history of the Asian and Pacific Cultural Center” said OSU President, Dr. Edward Ray. “We expect this will be a Although speaking at the BCC grand place for celebration, ceremonies, and opening, Susie Brubaker-Cole, Vice community building. We anticipate Provost of Student Affairs, captured the that it will be filled with music, dancing, spirit of both celebrations when she said and singing... But also honest dialogue “We inaugurate this space today as an and genuine friendships.” inclusive space for all. A space where we can continue to nurture social justice, to Some of the music and dancing began overcome bias, and to promote inclusion that very afternoon. Charya Nritya, a and belonging and unity for all.” ◊ sacred dance of Tantric Buddhism from Nepal was performed by Uppa Shakya.

The tour was led by OSU Philosophy Instructor Ms. Marta Kunecka, who was an actual tour guide at the Auschwitz Museum while she was going to school in Poland. Although she wasn’t thrilled to relive that part of her life, she still managed to bring the tour to those willing to listen.

This virtual tour, hosted by the Memorial Union as part of the 29th annual Holocaust Memorial Program, was a dark reminder of humanity’s potential for violence. Students, professors, and community members filled the Horizon room to pay testament to those atrocities.

“I believe that we owe testimony to all of those victims who died in the death camps,” Ms.Kunecka said - “the testimony will carry out the truth about that time, especially when it is so easy to manipulate the facts.”

“It’s a hard thing to listen to, but every time I learn more, I am reminded of that old saying: ‘history is doomed to repeat itself,’” said senior Biology student Jennifer Blohm, “It’s important to acknowledge that it actually happened.”

The slow visual march through the barracks of Auschwitz-Birkenau showed death and despair around every corner.

Each step forward offered up a new and disturbing reality, from senseless and meaningless torture, to the extermination of and experimentation on children.

“It was impossible to look away, and I think most of us felt the same way,” said New Media Communications major senior Connor Sheppard.- “Sometimes you just have to look upon the horrors of the past and feel something.”

With the virtual tour coming to an end, the audience was brought to a final monument. It read: “Forever let this place be a cry of despair and warning to humanity, where the Nazis murdered about one and a half million men, women, and children.”

“I was not looking for any outcome, I just told a story of the place,” said Ms. Kunecka “The important question is; what was achieved in the hearts of the audience, and that is a question that only the audience can answer.” ◊

Writer | Jacob Kienlen

Arbeit Macht Frei: work makes you free. This chilling mantra marked the beginning of the virtual tour of Auschwitz-Birkenau. Though viewers were shielded from a firsthand tour of the notorious death camp, the images hushed the crowded room into a stark and sobering silence.

Photo | archive.org

“Arbeit Macht Frei”

“OSU, UNITE!” They came, they told their stories, and they made a demand: take back the night.

Take Back The Night is a grassroots activist campaign that has its roots in the sexual revolution of the 1970s.

Women wanted to combat portrayals of women in media, especially in the porn industry. They wanted to feel empowered in their everyday lives and to grow a supportive, attentive community of sexual violence survivors and their allies.

Related rallies have been taking place ever since, mostly organized by women’s and health groups on college campuses. OSU has held Take Back The Night events for the last few years, said Kelsey Greer, OSU’s Sexual Violence Prevention Coordinator. But in the last few years, attendance hovered around 25 people, she said. This year’s turnout of over 500 blew previous events out of the water.

The event began with speeches from OSU community members like Taylor Sarman, the ASOSU president, and Rachi Wortham, the Men’s Basketball Director of Player Personnell.

“Everyone protected the football players that raped me, but not me,” she said. “The shame and the silence that comes along with rape is not the victim’s. There’s no reason I should be ashamed for what they did to me.

There’s no reason I should be silent about what they did to me.” After years of staying silent, she encouraged other survivors and their friends to speak up. “If no one believes you, look me up. I’ll believe you,” she encouraged.

Then she made a request: “Hold the school accountable. You guys have the power to do that. You go here, you have a say in what happens. Make your voice heard. The administration isn’t always going to make the best decisions, but you can encourage them.”

The giant crowd proceeded to make a huge tour around campus, starting from the SEC Plaza and ending in the MU Quad after looping around 26th Street, Campus Way, 15th Street, and Jefferson Avenue. All the while, they cheered.

Jesseanne Pope, senior in Sociology, first attended Take Back The Night five years ago. This year, she represented the Women’s Center at the event, helping to plan the event and lead the chants during the march. Her favorite chant is “Claim our bodies, claim our

rights. Take a stand, take back the night,” she said. “Take Back The Night is not only a yearly event for me, but it’s a part of my growth and who I am.”

The massive crowd filed back into the quad to discover a podium set up, welcoming impromptu speakers to relay their experiences as survivors and allies during a Speak-Out. This was the first Speak-Out OSU has hosted, and many people came forth to share their experiences in a safe space.

OSU President Dr. Ed Ray began: “You heard earlier that Take Back The Night is 30 years old,” he said. “Shame on us.

Where the hell have we been for 30 years? How much violence does it take before we say, ‘Enough! Stop!’”

Others shared their impassioned thoughts to a crowd where they felt they could remain anonymous among friends. Many came out with stories of their own sexual assault. Others lamented moments they could have helped and didn’t. One person gave a call-to-action: “It’s the people who aren’t here who need to need to hear these messages. We need to fix our society. We live in a broken world that thinks that raping someone is okay.”

One charge remained, cementing the evening and inspiring the crowd: “It’s not just take back the night. We need to take back the day. The entire experience, the entire world.” ◊

Photos | Courtney Mullis

More than 500 voices rang out in this chant. Some people held signs of solidarity. Others wore t-shirts of support.

All of them held the same mission: show alliance with survivors and put weight behind OSU’s commitment to end sexual violence.

But the speech that got the crowd riled up to march came from Brenda Tracy, whose story about being drugged and gang raped near campus 16 years ago recently came to light in the press.

Writer | Jodie Davaz

“Join together, free our lives! We will not be victimized!”

A room filled with the scent of chicken adobo, pancit, steamed rice, and about 100 attendees greeted visitors to the Isang Bansang Pilipino Club’s cultural exposition.

Miaryl Matienzo, the current secretary for IBP, grew up in the U.S. territory of American Samoa. She came to OSU in hope of finding a group of students to connect with who had a similar cultural background.

“I felt homesick coming to a new place to study,” Miaryl said. “Getting involved with Filipino and non-Filipino students allowed me to find a community here at OSU, somewhere I felt welcomed and accepted.”

Miaryl, a senior studying English, accredits her involvement within IBP with allowing her to “have a positive, more open minded, and culturally diverse experience at OSU. I have gotten to meet

a lot of different people. As an officer, I learned leadership skills and how to interact with the community and learn more about the Filipino culture.”

The theme for the 2015 cultural night was “Fresh of the Jeepney: A Glimpse of the Filipino Culture,” which was influenced by the traditional Filipino Pahiyas festival that celebrates agricultural farmers and the seasonal crop yields, “It’s a lot like Thanksgiving,” said Miaryl.

This is the first year any Filipino Night event has sold out, and it did so quickly, with no seats remaining 48 hours after they became available.

Delfine DeFrank, an active member of IBP, felt it was difficult to find people from different cultures after she moved from southern California to the OSU campus. Becoming more involved in various cultural clubs and active and “finding people of color and people of

different ethnicities on the OSU campus” made her feel more at home.

These experiences have allowed Delfine to expand her circle of friends and connect with different groups within the OSU community. To Delfine, the importance of the cultural events held on the OSU campus “helps [students] share their identity in a way they are comfortable with.” Delfine hopes attendees “get a better understanding and enlightened view of Filipino culture they may have not been expecting.”

Rosie Reyes, freshman studying biochemistry and biophysics said, “I think more Filipinos can feel more at home with events like this and show their friends what their lives are like. It’s a great opportunity for Filipinos on campus to show their heritage.” ◊

Writer | Jasmin Vogel

Photo | Ali Jorgensen

Fresh Off The Jeepney

Wrap It Up Priya is the President of PIH Engage studying Biology and Public Health. “[Anshu and I] have been engaged in this club since freshman year. This event not just about the fun aspect, but educating people about it,” said Priya. “Like how our two speakers talked about two variations of healthcare in Ethiopia and in the U.S. including how they were similar and different; it’s part of being aware about what’s happening around us.”

“We had to order the condoms at the end of fall term or right before winter break, which gives the designers that much time to get their descriptions and pictures in of their outfits,” Anshu said. “Then we do rehearsals a couple days before the show to make sure everything is good to go.”

Right before the models came down the runway, the hosts brought a couple people from the audience to create their own condom outfit, but limited to the span of ten minutes. As the participants hurriedly unwrapped and taped together colorful condoms, the hosts turned to the rest of the audience with some trivia questions about safe sex and sexually transmitted diseases.

One of the many models that participated in this show was Eva Nguyen, a senior in Apparel Design, who has also strutted down the runway in past shows.

“The dress that I wore has blossom and is about a mother nurturing the child,” Eva said. “You can say that the

mother is the tree and that the child is the blossom. The child represents the blossom to show how when they grow, we are there to support them.”

Eva was enthusiastic about the cause the event supported. “It’s about informing people to have safe sex and persisting people to use condoms to be safe,” she said. “Being part of the show and having people see how unique and different this event is, is something interesting that people don’t get see everyday.”

As the event came to a close, the designers and their models bowed to the audience and celebrated with pictures and lemonade to commemorate another successful fashion show.

“If you’re pursuing any health career, I think this is a great opportunity to get involved and know more about the health care system or the health issues, not just over here in the U.S. but in different countries as well,” Priya said.

“You get to be part of this fun team and put this all together.” ◊ Photos | Bonnie Nutting

Sisters Priya and Anshu Prakash, PIH Engage representatives, took great pride in being part of Condom Couture and helping set up this event.

Anshu, the event coordinator for PIH Engage, talked briefly about the process of getting this event up and running.

Writer | WhitneyLauren Han

Every OSU fashion show has its own dramatic flair, but the final one of each school year has a special twist: 75 percent of each garment needs to be constructed of condoms. Students from Partners in Health Engage (PIH Engage) hosted their annual Condom Couture fashion show. This year’s theme was maternal and child healthcare. Guest speakers were invited to give the audience more information about safe sex, HIV/AIDS, and other sexually transmitted diseases before models walked the runway in latex garb.

For Noor Al-Bader, the answer to that question is found both on the farm and in the lab. Noor uses genomics to understand the genetic variability of

the crops in question, and then uses classical breeding methods to arrive at the desired result. A molecular and cellular biologist in Dr. Pankaj Jaiswal’s lab, Noor is a first-year doctoral student who works primarily with rice and chia (and yes, that’s the “fur” on purchasable porcelain “pets” like cats, dogs, and busts of Bart Simpson and President Barack Obama). While many probably know chia only from the 80’s catch-

Photo | Junior Gonzalez

crops like rice that are already sensitive to favorable climates and soil compositions. The question for plant scientists struggling to address global supply problems becomes: How can we meet the agricultural needs of the future?

Writer | Matthew McConnell

Most people don’t consider when eating a bowl of rice that it took ancient farmers lifetimes to produce this now-familiar crop. Rice was domesticated in East Asia between 8,000 and 13,000 years ago during the Agricultural Revolution, and spread to Southeast Asia and later to the world with the advent of global trade.In places that could be affected by rising sea levels and temperatures over the next century, there is concern for

phrase (“Ch-ch-ch-chia!”), the seeds of the plant are actually an important dietary supplement and additive because of their nutritional content, and are especially valued as a source of omega 3 fatty acids, antioxidants, fiber, and protein.

But Noor wasn’t always interested in plant science. When she first came to the United States from her home of

Kuwait at age 18, it was to Northeastern University in Boston to study speech pathology. After finishing her freshman year, and concerned about the high cost of tuition for international students, Noor began to look at scholarship options through the government of Kuwait.

She found that they would sponsor an undergrad to attend approved institutions, but there were some strings attached.

Writer | Matthew McConnell

Photo | Junior Gonzalez

Noor explained: “I went into this raffle and I got a scholarship… they said, ‘Well, you have to study plant sciences.’ I was just like, ‘Well that’s unusual, we don’t really have that many plant scientists,’ and they were like, ‘Exactly!’” Kuwait, a largely desert region, was looking to expand its program.

At the outset of her horticulture degree at OSU, Noor resented her educational mandate. Her interest was in hard sciences like genomics, and she dreamed of helping people around her by someday going to medical school. However, after meeting Dr. Jim Meyers from the horticulture department, who thought that her background in genetics would be an asset to his research, she decided to give it a shot and entered a graduate program at OSU working as a vegetable breeder.

“I had never been on a farm,” Noor laughed. “I went in little daisy duke shorts and a straw hat and I thought that was the get-up that farmers wore.”

She relates that it was “a painful experience,” and that as it turns out “you get kinda cut up with the thorny plants that you have to work with.”

In the end, Noor came to love plant science, and even to appreciate the hours of work she spent on the farm. “I learned a lot about the plants themselves,” she explained, “and about the impact factor for farmers and consumers.”

The impact is the importance of being able to produce varieties of crops that are environmentally tolerant, nutritious, and productive. Many wild varieties can

grow in harsh conditions, but don’t produce the volume of high quality product that commercial farmers need. For the farmer and the consumer to be happy, we need the best of both worlds.

Noor weds her love of laboratory science and life on the farm in the Jaiswal lab, where she uses her knowledge of genomics and her training in classical breeding methods. By extracting DNA from rice and chia, Noor gathers enormous amounts of data on genes that control traits useful for farmers and consumers, like tolerance for drought and saline as well as nutritional quality and yield. she then goes into her greenhouse with a notebook and pen to precisely detail these traits as they appear after cross breeding. Then, removing more DNA and looking at what has changed at the genetic level in order to determine which genes are associated with the desired traits, Noor continues to breed generation after generation in order to stabilize the desired traits in the population. It’s research that couldn’t come too soon, there are many places in the world lacking agricultural self-sufficiency that depend greatly on international crops. The danger of food shortages is exacerbated by rising global population, which by 2050 is projected by the United Nations to reach 9 billion.

“In America we have a lot of resources that maybe other countries don’t,” Noor explained. “It’s important for us to use the technologies we have to help farmers in other countries be able to grow these staple crops.”

Continuing on a journey that began when she first left Kuwait, and transformed her when she first set foot on the farm, Noor says that it feels good to be a part of the system which produces and distributes the food so many people need to survive.

“Even though I’m a very little unit of it, I get to help a little bit, and I continuously can.” ◊

Everybody dreams of being so good at something they are crowned national champions, being looked up to and praised, given a first place ranking in a world championship. The Global Formula Racing team isn’t dreaming; instead, they are winning and are ranked as world champions.

The College of Engineering provides the Global Formula Racing is ranked first in shop space, labs and resources needed a global rankings list against over 500 to build and manufacture the cars. Every universities. The team provides a fun year, GFR takes the combustion car to and challenging learning environment compete among 120 teams from unifor students to acquire real-world versities around the world in Brooklyn, knowledge and skills.

Michigan at the Michigan International “The cool thing about being at OSU and Speedway. The four-day competition is building the car here is that, because of very intense as the OSU team is working Global Formula Racing (GFR) competes the success of our team, you see a lot hard to keep the national title. in international races and collegiate deof teams taking our ideas and trying to sign events called SAE Formula Student. There are many reasons why OSU’s implement them in their own designs,” OSU students collaborate with students team has been so successful. Phillip Arsaid Doug Peterman, senior in Business from a university in Germany called scott, a graduate student in Mechanical Management. “One of the great things Duale Hochschule Baden-Wurttemberg- Engineering and a driver for the team, about the competition is seeing 3,000 Ravensburg to form one of the best explained the strengths of their racecar. engineers working towards the same teams across the world.

“The thing that makes our car so comproblem and solving it in a petitive is not because it’s the fastest in different way”.

GFR’s car is like a go-kart on steroids. any particular event, or that it’s particuStudents at universities from all over the Kyle Stevens, a senior in Marketing, larly fast in one event,” Phillip said. “It’s world form teams that build open wheel said, “My favorite part is how successful really versatile and really quick in all of formula racecars. For the competitions the team is. Other teams really look up the events, and that’s what really gets in which GFR competes in the USA, the to us. A lot of companies in the autopeople the most points.” racecars are strictly combustion cars; motive industry hire students directly competitions in Europe include combus- Put aside all the manufacturing, crunch- from our team.” For most of GFR team tion and electric powered cars. ing numbers, and technical building of members, the time spent on the team the racecar, and it really comes down to helps them get their foot in the door There are eight different parts of the the heart behind the brains. “I think we after graduation and pursue their career competition including static and dyall share a pretty common goal and we goals. GFR is a big part of these stunamic events. The static events include have a strong team philosophy and also dent’s lives. It’s a full commitment when cost report, business presentation, and really strong support from OSU,” Phillip considering the three months involved design. The dynamic events include said. “That makes it all possible as far as for each of the design phase, manufacacceleration, skid pad, autocross, fuel resources and the integration in classes, turing phase, and competition season economy, and endurance. Each part of space, financial support, all those things totalling over nine months. And they the competition requires the team to are necessary to have a good team. But love every second of it. ◊ demonstrate their unique set of engiin the end, it’s really the people that are neering skills and knowledge to involved and the vision that is created perform well. within the team”.

1st of 500

look at me now This year, the honors college celebrates the largest class of graduation students and the largest fair with about 150 posters on display and about 130 students graduating in the spring. LeeAnn Baker is the organizer for the honors college who planned and managed the fair.

Over the years, she has seen many different and unique students display exciting passions. “My favorite part is the diversity of projects” she said, “in the honors college you can major in anything at OSU and we have students that major from nuclear engineering to art graphic design, this celebrates the individuality of the students and

what they’re passionate about and you can see that all in their thesis”.

Many of the projects this year won grants and awards for impacting people in their daily lives or for the science and discoveries that students made. Each student is very unique and LeeAnn has been fortunate enough to create good relationships with the students. “The best part is seeing them all four years so you get to develop a relationship with them as their interests and values and passions kind of come into form,” she said “it is very exciting to see the growth from where they are exploring at what OSU has to offer and then leaving with an honors degree.”

Reid Sweetkind, a student majoring in biology with a chemistry minor showed her passion for informal education and the environment. She created a field trip program for elementary school students in Benton County. “My favorite part was working with students,” Reid said “they definitely get really excited and show a lot of interest in things that are sometimes harder for kids to grasp in a classroom environment.” This is something she wants to pursue in her career and she has already begun making contacts within the communities to help her develop a career.

Another student, Sam Conklin, was taking his passions for mechanical engineering and using them to build an entire new form of a bike. Steel Cargo bikes are popular in Copenhagen, Denmark and the company Sam works for in Portland called Metrofiets is trying to design them in an entirely new fashion.

The problem with the bike capable of carrying kids, groceries, or products for a company is that they weigh 68 pounds.

So, Sam’s goal was to design a new frame for the bike made out of carbon fiber, ultimately making the bike much lighter and easier to ride.

Using a 3D printer that he made and many other complicated tools, Sam successfully created a frame for the bike made entirely out of carbon fiber. “It has always been on my list to make my own bike,” Sam said “and the honors thesis is so open ended that I could do my own project with a lot of support.”

There were 150 posters, each unique to the individual presenting them. Each student shared a success they had accomplished over hard work and dedication. The graduates, happy and relived, took one step closer to being in the real world. “[The fair] is a celebration of our entire community where students whether there first year or a senior come and see the breath of work and share,” said LeeAnn “this is where they come see all that’s happening around the thesis.” ◊

Writer & Photo | Ali Jorgensen

What seemed like an ordinary day on OSU’s campus was instead filled with accomplished and relieved honors college seniors as they showed off years of hard work. The Honors College Thesis fair is the kick off to many celebrations of the senior class graduating out of the honors college. It is a way these hard working students can show off their passions and possible career interests through their thesis.

a Tribe’s Legacy Crowds of hungry students, faculty, and Corvallis residents congregated at OSU’s Native American Longhouse (NAL) to get a taste of this year’s Salmon Bake. 2015 marks the Longhouse’s 17th annual celebration of the tradition. The event is planned by the NAL and receives support from Oregon tribes who wish to attend, donate, or volunteer.

Writer | Dane Dickerson

Photo | Ching-chia Ko

A gigantic line of salmon-lovers stretched from the NAL entrance to along Jefferson St., seeming to only grow in size as the smell of baked fish wafted across campus. Chairs and tables decorated with Native American artwork centerpieces lined the streets and university sidewalks to accommodate the huge turnout.

Matt Williams, the NAL’s student leadership liaison, says the Salmon Bake is vital to the Native American community at Oregon State. Members of the Warm Springs Tribe and other groups have continuously been putting this event on to help commemorate Native American Culture in the Pacific Northwest.

“This is our biggest event as a cultural center for the Longhouse,” Matt said.

“Last year we served over a 1,000 people and plan to easily meet that mark this year. Salmon was a staple for Native people for thousands of years and is very culturally significant how it has sustained people for all these years.

It’s important for us to continue these traditions by doing the Salmon Bake.”

While many people were drawn to the event by the smell of free, tasty food,

they stayed to witness traditional Native American Salmon baking methods.

Richard Craig and his grandson Drew Pennington of Oregon’s Warm Springs Tribe cooked the salmon for the whole event, drawing an inquisitive crowd.

“From start to finish we get a whole fish, caught or donated. Then they are filleted on both sides except for the spine. The stick skewers for the fish are traditionally made. My grandparents have been using them for many years.”

Drew said. “Me and my grandfather will man the fire and chop the wood.

Only the men can cook the fish.”

As next-in-line to carry on his tribe’s legacy of salmon cooking, Drew’s attention to tradition is key. His tribe remains true to customs of women preparing the fish while the men cook and tend to the fire. Even the wood for the fire is important, as they only use seasoned alder cut from along the river which the salmon are caught.

Joelle Hepler, a sophomore studying Fisheries and Wildlife, said she waited in line for 45 minutes just to taste the tribe’s salmon. Having never been to the NAL, Joelle said it was an experience that broadened her cultural understanding as well as a great meal.

“The food was definitely worth the wait!” Joelle said. “The salmon is very flavorful. With the potatoes, kale and berries you get a very and nicely portioned meal.It was nice to be able to go into the [NAL] to see what it’s like and meet the people involved.” ◊

One of the entertainers at the event was Big Bubble Magic. They provided

Kelly O’Neill, the co-owner of the company, is a loyal attendee of the Hoo Haa. He praised the impressive turnout of the event, pleased with the crowds playing with his bubble mix.

His only complaint was the weather.

“It’s a little too dry and sunny out,” he said. “Bubbles tend to work better with higher humidity.” But the beautiful weather helped draw in the locals, so he was satisfied with the situation.

The Hoo Haa was also an opportunity for other agriculture clubs to advertise; the Organic Growers Club invited them

to set up tables on the farm and use the event as a way to gain attention.

Zoe Johnson, public relations representative of the International Ag Club, staffed a table and was happily spreading the news about the different opportunities her club provided.

“We feel like the niche of organic growers definitely overlaps with the interests of International Ag,” Zoe said.

“We’re trying to add some people to our Listserv so we can spread the word about what we do.”

The community atmosphere of Earth Day, combined with flawlessly sunny weather, and an open and inviting Organic Growers Club made the Hoo Haa a memorable evening. ◊

Photo | Ching-chia Ko

The Organic Growers Club celebrated this day in a way true to this melting-pot by hosting the Hoo Haa. This annual event combines music, a handson organic farming experience, and free organic food to create a joyous evening. Around 200 people from the OSU community and greater Corvallis area turned out to dig their hands into the rich soil and enjoy the fresh organic food.

buckets full of suds that produced enormous bubbles. Children and adults alike crowded around the buckets to get a chance to create one of the soapy wonders.

Writer | Lindsey LeMay

Earth Day always brings out the best of Corvallis. The combination of an agriculture-rich university and an earth-conscious town creates an interesting melting-pot that cultivates students who are aware of the importance of their environment.

Writer | Lindsey LeMay

Photo | Jodie Davaz

1,111 runners On one sunny April day, cars were faced with a daunting task of maneuvering through endlessly jammed roads. The cause of this traffic nightmare was more than a thousand dedicated runners striding confidently across the town. However, in true Corvallis spirit, instead of honking horns and the shouts of angry drivers, the air was filled with cheering for the racers of the Corvallis Half Marathon.

in the Corvallis Half because of how well it is put on,” she said. “At mile nine my legs were screaming, but thanks to a fan blasting Chariots of Fire I hit a third wind. Every block or so there is a new group of fans holding signs or giving encouragement. [It] makes me glad to be a part of the Corvallis community!”

The course spanned a 13.1 mile scenic route through both Oregon State campus and the quieter residential areas of Corvallis. Conveniently, the race took place on the most beautifully sunny, blue-sky day a runner could ask for.

The event truly represented all aspects of the Corvallis population, from students and faculty to high school kids and community members. Even those who weren’t running lined the streets to cheer for all who trotted past.

The feeling of community in Corvallis is what makes this event so appealing.

Many of the athletes who competed have been running this annual race for a number of years. Ashley Rausch, a former Corvallis resident, made the trip back to town for her fourth race.

“My favorite part about running the Half Marathon each year in Corvallis is the course that takes you through the whole town,” Ashley said. “Since I grew up in Corvallis but don’t live there anymore, it’s great to see all of the new changes.”

OSU Agricultural Science major Reva West explained her joy towards these happily cheering folks. “I love running

Even first-time runners like Josh Parker, an OSU alumnus and Corvallis resident, found themselves inspired by the

atmosphere. “I thoroughly enjoyed my experience,” Josh said. “This was my first half marathon, and in the weeks of training leading up I had said to friends that it would be the only one I’d run.

After finishing, I’m already thinking about the next one.”

Overall the event was a big success, with 1,111 runners finishing the race.

The volunteer turnout was substantial, with more than 200 people staffing water tables, pointing runners in the right direction, and keeping cars out of the course.

Blair Bronson is the owner and director of Best in the West Events and put on the Corvallis Half Marathon. He was proud of the turnout. “This race is a great example of just how wonderful the community of Corvallis is,” he said.

“A huge thanks to all of those who helped make the day possible. We look forward to growing the whole weekend for next year.” ◊

A throng of inebriated young adults stormed in to Avery Park on a cool spring evening dressed to impress.

They were welcomed by live Rock and Roll and enough Chillable Red to last the duration of what was to be Tour de Franzia 2015.

“It was f---ing amazing!” Zac Leritz a junior studying Digital Communication Arts said.

The Tour began at a secret Corvallis location where the participants gathered to begin their journey. The mismatched riders then set off into the cool spring air.

“There was sea of people wearing masks and glorious costumes,” Said Kyle Harter, a junior studying Horticulture. “All different types of people participated in the event, it was almost like a wine tasting… but with more chugging.”

From the first house, the riders went to the Irish Bend Covered Bridge, all the while picking up new followers along the way. Once at the bridge the participants quenched their thirst with the bagged wine for which the event is named and then continued on their ride.

The riders soldiered on their zig-zagging path to glory. The next stop they made was outside of Weatherford Hall, where the peloton posed for a picture.

Photos at iconic OSU locations is a tour tradition.

They came in waves to Avery Park, leaving a trail of glitter and inhibitions behind them. The riders were greeted by local Corvallis rock band Polar Echo.

“The energy was incredible!” Zac said.

Polar Echo played an extremely well received set. Polar Echo finished and Black Market Bargain took the stage But as they wrapped up their set, the

inevitable announcement came across the party: “cops are here!” The once carefree, glitter and wine soaked riders turned in to mice now running away from their cat. The situation was under control thanks to Brent Bybee, a self proclaimed “active member” within the Tour de Franzia. As the crowd began to return to their normal state, Corvallis rock royalty Brown Town began their whirlwind set accompanied by a cacophanous, head banging mosh pit.

As the music echoed away, the riders began to stumble away one by one wet, smelly and elated. The fortunate few staggered home while the bands and a few good people stayed to clean up what they could. Senior Wildlife Biology major and wordsmith Harriet Potter sums it up: “I won’t ‘wine,’ but I didn’t get dined, and that was fine. The people were cool, the music was swell.

Gee, it went so well.” ◊

Writer | Costumed Jesus

Photo | Ching-Chia Ko

BOXED blush & BIKES

And all we do is light it up Oregon State’s Memorial Union Program Council (MUPC) certainly set a great precedent with last year’s Dam Jam concert sales, featuring Mike Posner. This year the MUPC has done it once again, filling up the MU Quad with more than 8,500 people.

Dam Jam 2015’s surprise opener, Robert DeLong of Seattle, WA mesmerized students with his fresh and progressive sound. DeLong’s unique mix of vocals and electronic-funk got the crowd bouncing unanimously with ease.

Keenan Seguencia, event organizer and senior studying Business Information Systems, explains that the MUPC determined the campus wanted an opener with high energy, and DeLong definitely delivered.

ly, shouting his name in unison. It didn’t take long for him to get the mob going wild, each audience member hustling to get a chance to grab his hand from the front row gates. Before performing his hit “Both Of Us,” the headliner called for everyone to help illuminate the bustling MU Quad.

“You really can’t see the stars right now, so everybody pull your cell phones out and put your lights on! If you know the words, sing along! ” exclaimed B.o.B. “You’re going to want to get footage of this, bro!” he added after grabbing a fan’s GoPro camera and filming the spectacular scene.

Andrew Holland, Mechanical Engineering freshman, described his first Dam Jam as a great success.

“The middle agent that we work through “The concert was awesome! It was really came back with a list the most energetic crowded and everyone was so sweaty people that they have in their database but it was a lot of fun,” Andrew said. and DeLong came up on top,” Keenan “There was a lot of people there, more said. “A lot of people classify him as than I thought it would be. It was pretty EDM, but he doesn’t just sit behind a DJ cheap for such a big artist.” booth. He’s really interactive.”

Keenan and and other MUPC event But Robert DeLong wasn’t the main staff chose B.o.B among other artists attraction — that honor belonged to very carefully. Because the MUPC is a B.o.B. Born Bobby Ray Simmons, Jr., the student-led and student-funded 26-year-old rapper got his start in Decaorganization, their ultimate goal is to tur, Georgia. Though he makes hip-hop ensure a Dam Jam lineup that is sure to music, he has cited various genres as please everyone. influences, like 80’s music, techno, rock, funk, and even doo-wop.

Todd Holce, Mechanical Engineering major at CSU Boulder, ventured to After Robert DeLong finished his set the Corvallis to get a chance to experience crowd beckoned B.o.B on stage anxiousthe annual OSU show.

“If you had a concert like this almost anywhere else with that cheap of tickets, you’d have people trying to crash the gate and maybe even riots,” Todd said. “The show I saw tonight definitely stacked up as far as respect for the artists and people being there for the right reasons. There are a lot of colleges across the nation in general that won’t even risk something like this.”

Considering the size of the crowd, the audience dispersed fairly quickly into the evening after B.o.B said his parting words. Waves of people filled Monroe, continuing the party downtown or in local townhouses. Others left to go home, their minds still buzzing with the beats of a spectacular show. ◊

Writer | Dane Dickerson

Photos | Halie Sutton

Jacob Keinlen

Ali Jorgensen

Junior Gonzalez

Bonnie Nutting

Lindsey LeMay

Ching-chia Ko

Lydia Martin

Courtney Kaneshiro Rebeckah Puppo Dane Dickerson

Stefan Herrenbruck

Hannah Enyuan

Whitney Lauren Han

Halie Sutton Gabe Fleck Elaine King Pa Lor Patricia Djuhadi

Promotions

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Design

Editorial

Beaver’s Digest Staff Maranda McArthur Jennifer Hanzsek Joel Duling Kevin Fuquay Maria Weitzel Rachelle Hug

Special thanks From Jodie: to Margaret, Dale, and Kenny for your support through this journey.

From Maranda: to my amazing mom, family, and friends who never leave my side.

From Halie: to Don, Ryan, and all my friends who were there for me through this hard work.

And to our wonderful cover photographers Junior Gonzalez (front & back), Theresa Hogue (inside front), and Zhenliang Li (inside back).