Dear OSU Parents and Family Members,

Spring is always exciting and busy for us as a staff as we begin planning for fall while simultaneously getting ready to celebrate graduates and welcome new students with their families on campus for summer orientation sessions. We also know it’s a time when students do their best to buckle down to academics amidst the onset of warmer weather, outdoor co-rec sports and fun social gatherings. Focus is key, but that can be easier said than done. Here a few tips you may wish to share with your student(s):

• Do a little ‘spring cleaning’ of their study area — that includes digital clutter.
• Create a to-do list with mile markers before sitting down to study and give themselves a reward when they cross off a goal.
• When warm weather hits, study in the shade outside, maybe under a tree or on a patio.
• Keep healthy snacks on hand to stay alert and focused.
• Exercise before studying to clear the mind and improve mood.
• And when motivation lags, focus on the big picture — what they’re working toward and all they’ve accomplished to get to this point.

For those of you who attended OSU’s Spring Family Weekend earlier this month, we hope you enjoyed the social(s) and other activities on campus. For more opportunities to mingle with parents and alumni in your community, consider leading a service project or joining in on one this May. It’s a great way to meet fellow Beaver families while making a difference! 

Warm regards and GO BEAVS!

Julie Schwartz
Senior Director, Parent and Family Engagement Program
OSU Alumni Association

A message from Vice Provost for Student Affairs and Dean of Students Dan Larson

Parents and families: This June will mark the 155th Commencement ceremony for Oregon State University. It is an exciting time of year for our graduating students and their families as they celebrate the hard work and achievements that led to this milestone. At OSU, we are deeply committed to students graduating and reaching their career objectives. Our recently launched strategic plan, Prosperity Widely Shared, identifies becoming a university where every student graduates as one of our primary goals.

Supporting student well-being, creating leadership opportunities, enhancing professional development and providing the tools and resources that lead to academic success underpin our work in the Division of Student Affairs. For example, the Educational Opportunities Program supports students who have traditionally been denied equal access to education — like first-generation students, students of color and low-income students — with services to support their transition to OSU, academic counseling and specialized EOP course sections. The Academic Success Center offers guidance on effective studying, improving writing and connecting with OSU resources. The division provides recreational programming as well as mental and physical health services to support student wellness. Our staff are here for students experiencing distress or challenges as they adjust to the university environment. Further, students have a myriad of opportunities to engage with other students and develop management and organizational skills. All these efforts are important aspects to students’ educational advancement and to graduating with the skills and confidence to be effective leaders.

Oregon State also recognizes that for every student to graduate, we need to help students with the most financial need. The university's new Finish in Four initiative aims to make it possible for more students to graduate in four years with little to no debt. By bridging the difference between the resources they have and the actual cost of a degree, this fundraising effort aims to eliminate the financial gap faced by our highest-need students. Learn more at ForOregonState.org.

You’re invited to join OSUAA’s Parent and Family Council

The Parent and Family Council is a group of engaged parents and family members who act as ambassadors for OSUAA’s Parent and Family program. The goal is to have wide representation from OSU’s diverse community of parents and families. Regardless of where you live or what class your undergraduate student may be in, we encourage you to get involved with this dynamic leadership group, virtually or in person. Non-OSU alumni are welcome! Parents and family members of current students meet quarterly to hear from OSU leadership about topics relevant to student success, act as an advisory committee for parent and family programming, volunteer at events throughout the year and more. For additional information check out the Parent and Family webpage. Questions? Email Julie at Julie.Schwartz@osualum.com.

CAREER RESOURCES FOR ALUMNI AND CURRENT STUDENTS 

Students come to college for a purpose: to become equipped for meaningful work after graduation. And at Oregon State, we provide the tools to help them achieve that goal. Here are ways you can also help your student on their journey beyond OSU.

Parents of first-year students: Don’t worry if your student doesn’t know what they want to do after graduation. Support them as they explore new interests and passions – that’s what higher education is all about! 

• Encourage them to take a free career self-assessment via the Career Development Center or meet with a career advisor.
• Ask if they have filled out their Handshake profile yet. Handshake is the No. 1 job search tool specifically for college students – your student has access to the platform via their Oregon State email address. 

Parents of second- or third-year students: Encourage them to build a professional presence and add to their résumé.   

• Students can get résumé or LinkedIn help for free (in-person or online) from the Career Development Center.
• On-campus jobs, internships, research or job shadows can all provide building blocks and career connections.  

Parents with students who are close to graduation: Remind them to use the Career Development Center throughout their senior year – don’t wait until spring term! Specific ideas to suggest:  

• Attend career fairs and other networking events.
• Do practice interviews either in-person or with OSU’s online mock interview system.
• OSU has career advisors who work specifically with certain industries and majors. Make an appointment to strategize the best job searching techniques.  

Above all, keep doing what you’ve been doing all along: be your student’s biggest cheerleader and support system! Your unwavering belief in them will go a long way.  

Further parent resources:
Roadmap: from College to Career
Career Planning Guide for Parents & Families
Video Webinar for Parents & Families 

This article is courtesy of the Career Development Center.

And don’t forget about OSU Connections. This platform is exclusively for alumni and students to connect with each other — similar to LinkedIn, but just for Beavs. Students can join OSU Connections and take part in informational interviews with alumni from their major or desired industry and find a mentor. Additionally, students can attend an Ask Alumni panel or watch recordings of past events, and view career and alumni advice videos for additional insights. Our next live panel, “Celebrating Diversity in Teaching,” features College of Education alumni.

Note: All OSU graduates receive a FREE 1-year OSUAA membership and have access to career support for life through the OSU Alumni Association!

BEAVER "BITES" FOR PARENTS AND FAMILIES
A round-up of events, activities and information you and your student(s) may find of interest

NEW scholarship initiative to help students “Finish in Four”

OSU aims to become a university where every student graduates. But some just don’t have the resources they need to stay in school. Currently, students with high financial need and underrepresented students of color typically graduate at rates 10% lower than their higher income peers. The university’s new Finish in Four program is designed to close those gaps and make it possible for more Oregon resident students to graduate in four years with little to no debt.

$200M complex that will support innovation and technology breaks ground at OSU

The Jen-Hsun Huang and Lori Mills Huang Collaborative Innovation Complex will be a dynamic home for team-based transdisciplinary research and a teaching center. In the complex, creative, driven faculty and students will come together to solve critical challenges facing the world in areas such as climate science, clean energy and water resources. The complex will harness one of the nation’s most powerful supercomputers and a cleanroom to advance research and learning in artificial intelligence, robotics and materials science. The $200 million complex — including a $50 million gift to the OSU Foundation from NVIDIA founder and CEO Jen-Hsun Huang and his spouse, Lori — will increase OSU’s support for the semiconductor and technology industry in Oregon and beyond when it opens in 2026. The Huangs are OSU College of Engineering graduates.

OSU Alumni Association earns prestigious Inclusive Excellence Award

The OSUAA has received the 2024 Alumni Association Inclusive Excellence Award from Insight Into Diversity magazine, the largest and oldest diversity and inclusion publication in higher education. OSUAA was selected for the honor because of its commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging in alumni leadership, its unique alumni engagement programs, its promotion of diverse alumni achievements and its work to support underrepresented students and community members. 

Grad Night and Commencement are just around the corner!

Before the grad caps fly, the OSU Alumni Association is hosting a free disco-themed celebration for the Class of 2024! Tell your grad(s) to grab their sequins and join their friends from 7-10 p.m. June 6 for food and drinks, music and dancing, games, cap decorating, friendship bracelet-making, photo booths, raffle giveaways, freebies and more! Then, immediately following Commencement, stop by the Alumni Center for Sweet Beginnings: A Commencement Celebration full of cookies, refreshments and more!

Congratulations to the graduating Class of 2024

2024 marks Oregon State University’s 155th Commencement ceremony. The Class of 2024 extends a legacy dating back to the first graduating class of three students in 1870 and joins a global family of Oregon State University alumni now more than 200,000 strong. We are immensely proud of every graduate and the faculty who contribute to the rich history of this great land grant university. We look forward to celebrating with your student(s) and their family and friends.

Do you have a graduating senior?

Commemorate their achievement by buying them a paver at their Alumni Center. Located in the heart of campus, having a personalized paver installed at the CH2M HILL Alumni Center is a meaningful way to honor and celebrate cherished memories forever on campus.

Finding off-campus housing in Corvallis

Finding a quality rental that fits within a student budget isn’t easy — it’s best to start early. This site can help with the search within the Corvallis community.

Should you be tracking your student?

This article from Collegiate Parent raises the question with a nuanced approach to balancing the need-to-know versus autonomy and privacy.

College of Health upcoming events for parents, students and alumni

May 29 – Our Health& Transportation Noise
June 4 – Bray Health Leadership Lecture – Public Health After the Pandemic: How Can We Do Better?

College of Engineering upcoming events for parents, students and alumni

May 21 – Dean’s Distinguished Lecture at the 2024 Clean Water Showcase, presented by Mark Bransom, Chief Executive Officer of the Klamath River Renewal Corporation. Browse more OSU Engineering events.

JUST FOR OSU-CASCADES PARENTS AND FAMILIES

11th Research and Scholarship Symposium at OSU-Cascades | May 22

Celebrate the creativity, innovation and discovery underway by undergraduate students at OSU-Cascades. Students will present research posters, lightning talks and creative work in disciplines from engineering to social science to creative writing. Parents, students, faculty, industry leaders and community members are invited.

Community open house: Site tours, hard hats and more | May 28

Curious about work underway to grow the OSU-Cascades campus? Interested in meeting the campus planners? Wondering how to get involved in your growing campus? Join OSU-Cascades for tours, refreshments and more.

Scholarship spotlight: Isabella Crews, '24

Isabella started college in fall 2020 during the COVID-19 lockdown. She formed a trail-running club to get outside with other students. This experience led her to explore kinesiology and pursue a career in helping others move for a satisfying life. With the help of scholarships, she excelled in her studies and was accepted into OSU-Cascades' Doctor of Physical Therapy program.

Video: Meet OSU-Cascades undergraduate researchers

They’re not waiting to solve some of our biggest challenges, they’re tackling them today. These undergraduate students, with mentoring from research faculty, are working on a variety of projects, from deeper insights on watershed issues to adaptive technology solutions for people with disabilities.

For OSUAA members: Gear up in Columbia fashion at a great discount | May 17 – June 9

OSUAA membership provides access to deals and events, and lifelong learning opportunities at a reduced rate. As thanks for being part of our community, members can receive exclusive access to Columbia Sportswear Employee Stores from May 17 – June 9 with this members-only shopping pass for up to 50% off retail on the latest products from the Columbia family of brands.

Not yet a member? Join online. You don’t have to be a grad to become a member!

KEEP LEARNING AND STAY INFORMED

Put yourself in travel mode

Do you dream of galivanting through the Galápagos? A Beaver legend, Robert Cowen — associate vice president of research and operations and director of OSU’s Hatfield Marine Science Center, and professor in the College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences — will lead a 10-day expedition in September 2024. What an incredible chance to learn about this vibrant landscape from a coastal expert whose research has taken him to work off all coasts of the U.S. as well as the Caribbean, Mediterranean and Antarctic. Open to alumni and non-alumni — the only requirement is a sense of adventure and a thirst for learning.

For more chances to learn about your next travel destination from the experts, OSU parents and family members are always welcome to sign up for upcoming virtual Travel Talks. Add these to your calendar!

• May 22: Sustainable Seafood at Home and Away with Selina Heppell | Register
• June 4: The Collapse of the Bronze Age and the Birth of Greek Gods — Travel to the Ancient Mediterranean with John Larison | Register  

BEAVS READ: BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS FOR NEW OSU PARENTS AND FAMILIES

The Stressed Years of Their Lives: Helping Your Kid Survive and Thrive During Their College Years by B. Janet Hibbs, Ph.D., and Anthony Rostain, MD: As more students enter college with a previous diagnosis of anxiety, depression or other mental health issues, families need to understand how to best support their college student throughout their academic journey. Gain perspective on how to help students prepare for college and how to help them through mental health struggles.

Save these dates and join us on campus this fall!

Oct. 18 – 19: Homecoming

OSU vs. UNLV football, open houses, tours, alumni reunions, tailgates, cozy pancake breakfasts and more! Hotels fill up quickly; if traveling to Corvallis, we recommend booking your hotel rooms early.

Nov. 8 – 10: Fall Family Weekend

OSU vs. SJSU football; OSUAA’s Parent and Family Social (Nov. 8, CH2M HILL Alumni Center) and more! Check back later to see what events are planned.

Aug. 31 – Nov. 30: OSU Football

Join us at home and away games for pregame gatherings and activities. This year’s schedule includes road games in California, Colorado, Idaho and Nevada. Check back at ForOregonState.org/Football for more details and to register. Parents, families, students and friends of OSU are welcome to join the fun. OSUAA members get in at reduced registration price — join today!  

May 2 – 4: 2025 Spring Family Weekend

OSUAA's Parent and Family Social; First Gen Reception; All-University Sing; NW Spring Fest on the Quad, Open Houses in the colleges and MORE!

Helpful links for parents and families

• Annual Calendar
• Upcoming OSUAA Programs & Events
• Parent and Family Council
• Parent Handbook/FAQ
• Upcoming Family/Student Events
• Student Health Services
• Office of Student Orientation
• Become an OSUAA member
• Subscribe to OSU Today daily newsletter
• Honors College parent and families webpage

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