WINTER 2010 vol 3.01 OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY | OFFICE OF ADMISSIONS #1 CONSERVATION BIOLOGY PROGRAM NATIONWIDE TOP-RATED SEA GRANT PROGRAM MEMORIAL UNION #1 STUDENT UNION IN THE NATION OSU COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING 2009 BAJA SAE WORLD CHAMPIONS 2009 FORMULA SAE AUSTRIA CHAMPIONS #1 CHOICE OF HIGH ACHIEVING STUDENTS WILDLIFE SCIENCE RANKED #1 IN FACULTY PRODUCTIVITY OSU COLLEGE OF FORESTRY RANKED #1 FORESTRY PROGRAM BRIDGE TO SUCCESS LARGEST FINANCIAL AID PROGRAM IN OREGON OSU TSUNAMI RESEARCH CENTER LARGEST AND MOST ADVANCED TSUNAMI WAVE RESEARCH FACILITY IN THE WORLD BASEBALL COLLEGE WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS 2006 & 2007 WINTER 2010 vol 3.01 OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY | OFFICE OF ADMISSIONS Editor 2 Nicole Shue: Celebrating firsts Blake Vawter (Office of Admissions) Living her dream through service Welcome to your first issue of the Orange & Black magazine! Copy Editor Because it’s the first, it seems fitting to highlight the many areas — academics, athletics Gary Dulude (University Marketing) and campus life — where Oregon State University ranks first. Contributing Writers 5 Your career Blake Vawter (Office of Admissions) And while we’re obviously proud of all these top rankings, they’re not really about bragging Jennifer Viña (University Housing & rights. Instead, they’re more the result of Oregon State faculty, students and alumni working Dining Services) to make a positive difference in Oregon and beyond. We like to see the world not as it is, but Kevin Miller (Alumni Relations) as it could and should be, then work to turn those ideals into reality. 6 Happy by design: Marisa Paine (University Marketing) And that’s why Oregon State stands at the top of the class in so many areas: James Miller (Office of Admissions) Movie magician Harley Jessup Dante Holloway (Office of Admissions) treasures his OSU days #1 student union Cover Design #1 conservation biology program Core Communications #1 choice of Portland’s highest achieving students Design 10 Housing: University Marketing #1 forest resources and forest ecology programs in North America It’s all in YOUR hands Photography #1 tsunami wave lab in the world Jim Folts #1 research school in Oregon Kelly James 12 You’ve been admitted Karl Maasdam #1 in agricultural science research citations Dennis Wolverton Now what? #1 secure place to live University Marketing Staff Sergeant (SSG) Lorie Jewell, US Army Largest residential entrepreneurial college in the U.S. and Honor Flight network 14 One to one National leader in wave energy research As students explore opportunities, Contact OSU Admissions: 2009 SAE Baja world champion oregonstate.edu/admissions mentors provide personal support Bridge to Success, the largest financial aid program in Oregon 800-291-4192 Back-to-back NCAA Baseball National Champions 16 Fall Traditions And so on…. Become Powered by Orange! Of course, a list of #1 rankings isn’t the only reason you should choose Oregon State (they don’t hurt, either). Walking the campus, talking to the people, becoming part of Beaver Nation, studying with great minds in and out of the classroom and making the college experience what you want to make it should be your #1 priority. Then we’re confident OSU will become your #1 choice. And we truly believe that. We look forward to seeing you on campus next fall. Join our social networks and connect with thousands GO BEAVS! of staff, faculty, alumni and current students. Twitter.com/oregonstateuniv Facebook.com/osubeavers Youtube.com/oregonstate THE ORANGE & BLACK CAREERS Nicole came to Oregon State from Colorado. As a Colorado native, Nicole had never even been to Oregon when she started looking at colleges but she was intrigued by the experiences her step-father, step-uncle, and a cousin had attending schools in Oregon. They lauded the state’s beauty and for Nicole it sounded interesting and temptingly far away from her home state. Upon doing some research she found that Oregon State has one of the finest ROTC units in the country, with all four mili- tary branches represented. “I knew I wanted to be a Naval Officer before attending Oregon State; the ROTC unit at Oregon State was a major factor in my choosing to attend. I envisioned that I’d be a Naval Oceanographer or perhaps get to train the dolphins used in explosive ordnance disposal.” She learned that OSU has a great marine biology/oceanography program which prompted Nicole to put Oregon State on her list of schools. With those multiple factors involved in choosing Oregon State, she finally visited Corvallis on a family vacation during the spring of her senior year and was “…immediately enamored with MU and the Quad, all the rhododendrons in full bloom…” and her deci- sion was made. As is true for most students, Nicole’s initial plan got some tweaking along the way. She started as a marine biology major, but graduated with a BS in Environmental Science with an emphasis in Oceanography. She lived in Finley Hall her fresh- man year, jokingly calling her floor “the convent floor” as it was the one women-only floor in the building. Nicole wanted to join a sorority but her commitments to her ROTC program prevented such an arrangement. She recalls her Gunny Sergeant saying to her at the time that she was already a member of the finest fraternity in America. Nicole moved into an apartment after her freshman year and stayed very involved in campus life. While she didn’t complete an official internship, she was a student employee at the Forest Research Lab (FRL), doing copy-layout and editing for the College of Forestry. “I worked there for four years, and made some amazing friendships through that job that Nicole Shue: I still cherish today. I learned interesting little factoids such as the copulation habits of rodents under the Red Alder tree, and a lot of intricate, detailed facts on Western Hem- lock.” Nicole’s academic life, like so many other OSU students’, extended well beyond Living her DREAM through service the classroom. She also was a graduate student research assistant, “…spending many a cold, rainy night on the rocky coast of Boiler Bay counting marine organisms and (Left) Nicole Shue escorts Gen. David Petra- measuring the growth of seaweed in over 70 tide-pools at low tide, often at midnight eus to the Russell building for an appearance or later.” When asked what her favorite memories are about her time at Oregon State, before the Senate Arms Services Committee. she replied, “Civil War games will always go down as my favorite time of year. I loved Have you ever attended an event and wondered who you U.S. Central Command, the combatant command in charge (Above) Nicole sits in the gallery in her support reading the “Thermometer” and UO’s might meet? As luck would have it, I traveled all the way to of our efforts in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan as well as role for Gen. Petraeus. (Right)Nicole gets her picture during a meet and greet with Secretary fake newspaper that the two schools New York City for a family wedding and at the reception was 20 other countries in the Middle East. As a Liaison Officer, of State Hillary Clinton. used to put out, the camaraderie of being a Beaver Believer, and the seated next to a fellow Beaver! Needless to say, we hit it off Nicole supports General David H. Petraeus and his team of competition between the schools; by discussing our love for Oregon State, and what the foot- Generals and Admirals as they are called upon to provide sitting in Parker (Reser) Stadium in a sea of orange and camouflage going ball team might do this season (tied for 2nd in the Pac-10), information to Congress. In fact, Lt. Cmdr. Shue can some- “duck hunting” in the pouring rain. and our relative paths to and from our alma mater. What I times be spotted over the shoulder of the military witness There’s nothing more quintessentially Oregonian than that! When I was at discovered was a Beaver doing some pretty amazing things. while they testify on CSPAN. (See picture opposite page) OSU, we considered it a winning sea- Being this close to the inner workings of the highest levels son if we won Civil War, even if we lost Nicole Shue, class of 1996 (Lieutenant Commander if she’s every single other game!” Thankfully, of the U.S. military and government wasn’t exactly the path in uniform; Nikki to her friends) works in the Pentagon in the Beavers have made successful, she had planned for herself. winning seasons a regular thing since Washington D.C. and is a Congressional Liaison Officer for Nicole was a student! 2 3 THE ORANGE & BLACK CAREERS After graduating from Oregon State, she began her career on While she is kept busy with work, Nicole’s other passions are the ocean. “I am a Surface Warfare Officer, which means that not neglected. She is an avid triathlete and is Vice President It’s never too early to start thinking I serve aboard combatant warships doing a variety of jobs. of the DC Triathalon Club. She’s placed first many times in her My first job was as an engineering officer of a twelve hundred division including a 4th place in an Olympic-length triathalon. about your career pound steam propulsion plant. But it was my second job in Along with golf, skiing, and photography, Nicole’s interests the Navy where I really got my calling. I was the Tomahawk include being a mentor to young women in the D.C. area. She Picture this: You in about four months. You’re getting ready to head off to cruise missile officer on a destroyer, U.S.S.