Oregon State University: 150 Years As Oregon's Land-Grant Institution

Whether you realize it or not, you have used technology and products that came from Oregon State University.

It was OSU alumni who invented the computer mouse, wrinkle-free cotton and standard dental equipment.

Faculty developed the modern maraschino cherry and marionberry. Its Extension Service operates Outdoor School for over 30,000 Oregon fifth- and sixth-graders each year, along with 4H programs in every county in the state. Experiment Station scientists have developed high-yield wheat products used worldwide.

In 2018, Oregon State University celebrates 150 years as a land-grant institution with a mission to serve as a “school for the people of Oregon.”

Terry Baker, 1963: Baker is a former football and basketball player. He is the only athlete to win a Heisman Trophy and play in the Final Four. His senior year he was named to 11 All-America teams and won the Sportsman of the Year Award from Sports Illustrated magazine.
*Oregon State University Library, Special Collections & Archive Research Center*

Ken Austin, 1954: Austin was one of the first rally squad members to dress up as Benny Beaver. He holds dozens of patents in the dental equipment industry. Austin and his wife, Joan, built A-dec, Inc., in their hometown of Newberg, Oregon, into the country's largest manufacturer of dental equipment. Today it is a multimillion dollar, international business.
*Oregon State University Library, Special Collections & Archive Research Center*

Mercedes Bates, 1936: Bates was the head of the world-famous Betty Crocker Kitchens at General Mills, as well as the company's first-ever female corporate officer. She became known as the real-life “Betty Crocker,” a fictional character created to the market the company's numerous products. Under Bates' direction, the character evolved from an advertising symbol to an American cultural icon.
*Oregon State University Library, Special Collections & Archive Research Center*

Vance DeBar "Pinto" Colvig, 1911: Colvig was the first Bozo the Clown for Capitol Records in the 1940s. A gifted voice-over and sound-effects artists, he did all sound effects for Jack Benny's radio show in the 1930s, as well as voiced the cartoon character "Goofy" for more than two decades. He also provided voices for many other cartoon characters and wrote the children’s song "Who's Afraid of the Big, Bad Wolf."
*Oregon State University Library, Special Collections & Archive Research Center*

President Abraham Lincoln created land-grant schools in the midst of the Civil War to provide a low-cost higher education option for the masses. The goal was to help boost local economies and support rural farmers by providing practical training in agriculture, military arts and engineering.

In 1868, Oregon’s state Legislature picked Corvallis College as its land-grant school. The college’s first class graduated two years later in 1870, with two men and one woman.

Over the years, the college has had many different names and programs, but the mission has remained the same: education, outreach and research. Today, OSU enrolls more than 30,000 students each year, making it the largest university in the state.

OSU has come a long way from its early frontier roots, and the journey has not always been easy.

Racial tension led to a black student walkout in the 1960s; female faculty fought for equal pay; students and lawmakers battled over funding and curriculum; and environmental protections dramatically changed teaching and research practices.

The modern university still grapples with its sometimes troubled past. Recently, OSU decided to rename three buildings linked to early controversial founders.

President Ed Ray says OSU is trying to face the problems of the past, while also looking to the future.

“
We didn't start on the right side of all the issues as we would look at them today. We're certainly not perfect and we've got a lot more we need to do. But to honestly see where we failed in the past, and acknowledge that, that's a tribute to the people who have tried to improve and perfect some things. We're not backing off. I'm very proud of that.”
— President Ed Ray, OSU

Today, OSU is a combined land, sea, space and sun grant institution, one of only two in the country. Those federal designations allow it to create partnerships with other agencies doing research and outreach related to natural resources. Many of its programs are recognized as some of the best in the world.

"Oregon State University" is an hour-long documentary chronicling the history of the state’s only land-grant institution. Using a rich trove of rare archives, the program tells the story of alumni, faculty, researchers and the community that created the school for the people of Oregon.

Interviews With:

Daniel Arp, Dean, College of Agricultural Sciences

Margaret Burnett, Distinguished Professor of Computer Science

John Byrne, OSU President 1984-1995, Former NOAA administrator

Lynne Clendenin, Vice President of Programming, OPB

Mike Diciann, Lead Reference Student, OSU Special Collections & Archives Research Center

Mary Gallagher, Collections Manager, Benton County Historical Society

Terrance Harris, Director, Lonnie B. Harris Black Cultural Center

Jonathan Hurst, Associate Professor of Robotics

Lawrence Landis, Director, OSU Special Collections & Archives Research Center

Jane Lubchenco, Distinguished Professor of Zoology, Former NOAA Administrator

Brian McMenamin, Co-founder McMenamins

Dan McMenamin, Co-owner McMenamins

Sylvia Moore, Professor Emeritus of Women’s Athletics

Michael Oriard, Former professional American football player, Emeritus Distinguished Professor of American Literature and Culture

Edward Ray, Current OSU President

William Robbins, Emeritus Distinguished Professor of History

Cynthia Sagers, Vice President for Research

Henry Sayre, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Art History

Jo Anne Trow, Former Dean of Women, Former Vice Provost

Resources and Information

Website Resources

Books

Robbins, Williams. The People's School: A History of Oregon State University. OSU Press, 2017.
Landis, Lawrence. A School for the People. OSU Press, 2015.
Kirkpatrick, Cliff. Oregon State University Baseball: Building a Legacy. The History Press, 2013
Eggers, Kerr. Oregon State University Football Vault: A History of the Beavers. Whitman Publishing, 2009
Carlson, Kip. Oregon State Football: Image of Sport. Arcadia Publishing, 2006

Oregon Experience

Oregon State University: 150 Years As Oregon's Land-Grant Institution

Interviews With:

Resources and Information

Books

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