Your digital hub to stay connected to the OSU community.

Find your path: Ask Alumni

Careers rarely follow a straight line. The good news is that, wherever you wind up, there’s a Beaver-made path you can follow. Our next Ask Alumni panels explore unexpected routes and overlooked opportunities to strengthen your career and financial security.

• Feb. 12: From Data to Decisions: Turning Research into Real-World Impact
• Feb. 18: Thriving with Neurodiversity in the Workplace
• Feb. 25: Navigating Health Careers – Avoiding Analysis Paralysis
• March 3: Women in Agriculture & Natural Resources
• March 11: Smart Money Moves for Your Career

The generation choosing authenticity | Feb. 18

Raised with greater awareness and support, Gen Z is entering the workforce with a comfort around neurodiversity that previous generations rarely experienced. Their expectations are encouraging employers to build environments where diverse cognitive styles can truly thrive. For more on the topic, be sure to join us for Ask Alumni on Feb. 18!

Open doors for students 

Hosting a job shadow is one of the most powerful ways to help students bridge the gap between classroom learning and real-world careers. Whether you can offer a virtual or in-person connection, sign up by Feb. 27 to be a summer job shadow host and give OSU students an authentic look at your profession.

Spotlight a Beaver changemaker

OSU alumni are improving life for others in big and small ways, and we want to celebrate their efforts. There are just a few days left: Share the story of a Beaver whose professional or volunteer leadership deserves recognition through the Changemakers program, part of OSU Days of Service. Submissions close Feb. 20.

EVENTS

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Game-changers in the City of Angels | March 7

Dam Good Connections returns to Los Angeles this spring! Enjoy great food, drinks and a welcoming vibe where you can get to know fellow SoCal Beavers. Plus, explore the world of athletics at OSU and beyond. A panel of alumni and professionals will talk about their roles as women influencing the world of sports across high-profile global competitions and culture at large.

There’s more fun awaiting Beavs in several West Coast cities!

» Feb. 21: Bay Area: The Science of Sharks – Dissection Experience
» April 18: Sacramento: Resilient Research in Wine – Tackling Smoke Taint with Science
» May 8: Seattle: Pints & Peaks – What’s Brewing Beneath the Pacific Northwest?
» May 16: Bend: Nature and Beauty in Oregon’s Backyard

Travel Talks: Let curiosity take you places | Feb. 26 – May 12

Get a new perspective on the world with Travel Talks. This virtual, insightful travel series allows you to explore the world, across history, through the lens of Oregon State experts. Join fellow Beavs online for upcoming sessions.

» Feb. 26: Travel to OSU’s Campus Arboretum
» March 10: Guided Wine Tasting
» April 7: What Do Ancient Roman Empire Feasts Have to Do With Mosaic Floors?
» May 12: From Savannah to Sofa: What Wild Cats Can Teach Us About Our Feline Companions

Rip City goes orange-and-black | March 13

OSU Night at the Portland Trail Blazers brings Beaver Nation together at the Moda Center. Get discounted seats and a limited-edition Blazers x OSU sweatshirt with the College Series package. Don’t wait: These go fast.

From Oregon vineyards to Lower Manhattan | March 26

Connect with alumni and friends at Metropolis within the Perelman Performing Arts Center, where OSU President Jayathi Y. Murthy and OSU Foundation President and CEO Shawn L. Scoville will host an evening of Oregon wine and Beaver community. Professor James Osborne, director of the university’s Oregon Wine Research Institute, will guide you through the wines being served and share insights into Oregon’s renowned industry. Alumnus Rick Noble, ’08, the center’s inaugural director of production, will welcome attendees to this extraordinary new space.

More events

OSU Days of Service | May 1–31
In person and online
Site host applications are open. Create a service opportunity in your community for OSU Days of Service this May.

OSU Alumni Association Members: Columbia Employee Store Pass | Feb. 13 – March 8
In person
With this fan-favorite perk, OSU Alumni Association members receive access to Columbia Employee Stores, where you’ll save up to 60% off retail prices. Not a member yet? Join today.

Austin–Round Rock Happy Hour | Feb. 17
In person
The OSU Honors College invites all alumni and friends to a welcoming Texas gathering; mingle with fellow Beavers and hear university updates from College of Liberal Arts Dean Philip J. Williams. RSVP to Samantha Kaelin by Feb. 13.

Science on Tap: Return of the Western Flyer | Feb. 17
In person and online
Join the Hatfield Marine Science Center for a talk with OSU Professor of Oceanography Jack Barth about the Western Flyer — made famous by John Steinbeck and Ed Ricketts and now fully restored into a state-of-the-art research and education vessel.

KidSpirit Alumni Network: Gymnastics Social and Tour | March 14
In person
Reconnect with fellow KidSpirit alumni and families at a pre-meet social in Langton Hall before cheering on OSU Gymnastics and enjoying an exclusive post-meet tour of the practice facility.

Science Pub: Soil - What It Is and How It Works | March 17
In person
Hosted by OSU-Cascades, soil science instructor James Cassidy returns to explain the fundamentals of soil — what it is, how it forms and why it sustains life — in a widely loved talk that will teach you more than you ever expected about this essential resource.

Provost’s Lecture with Harry Smith: Reporter and TV Journalist | March 18
In person and online
The Provost’s Lecture Series, a partnership of the Office of the Provost and the OSU Foundation, welcomes Emmy- and Peabody-winning reporter and television journalist Harry Smith for a talk on American culture and history, drawing on his impressive four-decade career.

Subtle Body | Open Mind | March 22–27
In person
Join the OSU Marigold Center for Contemplative Practice for a five-night meditation retreat in the H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest, guided by Joseph Bailey and Contemplative Studies Director Kate Gallagher, M.A. ’18. Cost includes meals and private accommodations and payment plans are available; a free Zoom Q&A will be held on Feb. 11.

PRAx Presents: BeLoud, BeLoved, BeLonging – Andy Akiho and Imani Winds | April 12
In person
Presented by OSU-Cascades and PRAx, this powerful performance unites Grammy-nominated composer Andy Akiho with Grammy-winning Imani Winds for a genre-defying exploration of mass incarceration through bold percussion and wind arrangements.

BEAVERS DOING THE UNBELIEVABLE

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» The berries in your smoothies, the hops in your IPA and even the maraschino cherry atop your sundae all stem from OSU ingenuity. The latest Oregon Stater reveals how Beaver-led food innovation continues to define what, and how, you eat. Read A Feast of OSU Food Facts.

» OSU research into marine protected areas played a crucial role in the historic High Seas Treaty that went into effect Jan. 17. There now exists a science‑backed roadmap for global policy protecting biodiversity in the two‑thirds of the ocean not under individual nations’ control.

» College of Engineering Ph.D. candidate Akhil Perincherry is advancing embodied AI on two fronts — contributing to Ford’s autonomous driver-assist systems by day and to OSU robotics research by night. As part of a DRAIL Lab research team, he coauthored a paper presented at the 2025 Conference on Robot Learning that demonstrated a 64% reduction in robotic energy use.

SUPPORTING OSU STUDENTS

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“I’ve gained confidence in myself”

When you become an OSU Alumni Association member, you’re helping students like Sara, Isaiah and Bella grow into the self-assured leaders they’re meant to be. Learn how the Student Alumni Ambassador program — supported by member dues — helps students build community, discover their voices and learn to network authentically through real-world experiences. Thank you to all members who strengthen Beaver Nation from one generation to the next!

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

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» This Ask Alumni panel breaks down what it really takes to start a business today, blending personal stories with thoughtful, experience-backed guidance for aspiring entrepreneurs.

» In a recent Linus Pauling Institute and College of Health webcast, a panel of experts shared how nutrient-dense nuts can meaningfully support heart, brain and gut function — and how small snack choices can make a big health impact.

FUN FOR MINI-BEAVS

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Reach for the stars

Craft your own whimsical décor with this 3D paper star activity! Using simple supplies you likely already have, fold, snip and tape your way to cheerful stars you can hang around the house.

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