Oregon State University Alumni Association (OSUAA)

08/26/2026

53 days and counting until OSU Homecoming 2026! 🦫 
 
Get ready to reunite with Beaver Nation.  
🗓️ Oct. 15-18, 2026 | Corvallis, Oregon 
 
This year, Homecoming teams up with Fall Family Weekend for one incredible experience. 
 
Follow the full calendar and plan your trip to Corvallis at ForOregonState.org/Homecoming.  
 

08/22/2026

Do you remember your first Benny sighting? 
 
The Beaver wasn’t always Oregon State’s mascot. Long before Benny and Bernice entertained crowds, Oregon State’s mascots looked very different. 
 
Early on, the university’s athletic teams were known as the Aggies and, briefly, the Orangemen. Attempts to settle on a mascot also met with mixed success. There was a coyote named “Jimmie” and even a steadfast fan known as “Doc Bell.”  
 
School sentiment eventually settled on the Beavers as the athletics teams’ identity. And in 1916, the yearbook took that name.  (Soon after, in 1925, Oregon debuted its first official state flag, with the beaver on one side. As the Oregonian said then, “its appropriateness is intensified also by its commonly accepted attributes. It is the universal symbol of thrift and industry and constructive endeavor — qualities as essential now as ever.”) 
 
Once that was settled, a series of live beavers, “Bevo” and “Billy,” acted as early mascots. Later, the rally squad started hauling a beaver statue on wheels into games. Finally, in 1952, student Ken Austin appeared in a handmade beaver costume at a school rally, marking the beginning of the Benny Beaver tradition we know today. 
 


Photo: OSU Special Collections and Archives

08/21/2026

Does any of this feel familiar?

✔️ New technology feels overwhelming.
✔️ Your industry is increasingly turning to automation.
✔️ Your colleagues have capabilities you don't.
✔️ You've lost your passion for what you do.

If so, you may be one of the 59 out of 100 workers who will need to reskill or upskill by 2030. It’s time to level up before you have to! Whether that means diving deeper into your current field (upskilling) or moving on to something new (reskilling), our August career advice feature helps you figure out exactly where to begin.

Read it now: https://brnw.ch/21x56ZL

08/20/2026

Who’s ready?

The season opener this year will be a big milestone for The Dam Flag: Our 50th consecutive week flying Oregon State’s logo at CollegeGameDay!

Most weeks, we have relied on alumni in the area responding to posts like this. Sometimes they have lived close, and other times, we’ve scrambled with a last-minute flight. Other times, we’ve had some help from friends (Oregon State University Alumni Association (OSUAA) , Ol’ Crimson, OMG Flag).

As we open up the 2026 season, we are looking for volunteers to keep the streak alive at 50 as we go to Baton Rouge on 9/5, and then extend to 51 the next week in Austin.

If you are interested in either location, or joining our roster for a future location, we would love to have you! Please let us know at http://tinyurl.com/damflag-roster.

08/15/2026

No matter what country they call home, Beavers stay connected.

In the latest issue of the Oregon Stater, President Jayathi Murthy reflected on Oregon State’s global community, the demographic changes challenging higher education today and why the university’s land-grant mission matters more than ever.

Read the conversation here: https://oregonstater.org/a-far-flung-family



Photo by:

08/12/2026

If you attended Oregon State before 1995, chances are you remember Bruce the Moose.

Standing nearly 8 feet tall from hoof to antler’s tip, Bruce greeted generations of visitors at the entrance to the Horner Museum, where it became tradition to rub his shoulder for good luck. Established in 1925, the museum — located in the basement of Gill Coliseum — housed more than 60,000 artifacts from around the world before closing in the 1990s.

Today, Bruce has a new home at the Corvallis Museum, where visitors can once again stop by and say hello.

Did you ever rub Bruce’s shoulder for luck? 🧡🖤



Photo by:

08/11/2026

Boise! Where are the Beavs at? 🦫

We’re coming your way with Boise Beavers After Hours, a meetup for early- to mid-career professionals to network and build Beaver friendships. Stop by Boise Brewing downtown on Wednesday, Aug. 19, from 6 – 8 p.m.

🍻 A hosted drink.
😋 Light bites.
💬 Great conversation.

📍 Info about local alumni-led opportunities.

Whether you’re solo, bringing a friend or inviting the family, everyone’s welcome.

Space is limited, so reserve your spot for this fun evening out! https://bit.ly/2026BoiseBeavers-Aug19

08/08/2026

🦫 Beaver Nation, do you have what it takes to be a captain this season?

Turn your favorite local spot into a game day gathering place for fellow Beavers. As a Game Watch Party Captain, you’ll help bring Beaver Nation together while we help spread the word and provide an orange-and-black décor kit! 🧡

Fill out the form in our bio to sign up as a Game Watch Party Captain for one or more games this season.

Volunteer as a captain: https://bit.ly/BeaverNationLovesFootball-2026

08/07/2026

Some of the world’s clearest views of war begin in an Oregon State research lab.

Professor Jamon Van Den Hoek and the OSU Conflict Ecology Lab combine satellite imagery and other technologies to track damaged infrastructure and the movement of people in hot spots. Their findings allow journalists and humanitarian organizations to see where destruction is occurring and where help may be needed most.

“The work he does is exceptional and has made it possible to inform our readers not only about what is happening in Ukraine but in many other parts of the world, with an accuracy and efficiency that no one else has been able to achieve before,” said The New York Times graphics editor Marco Hernandez.

Read the Stater story here: https://oregonstater.org/mapping-war/



Photo by: Karl Maasdam Photography

08/05/2026

Beavers helped pack the park with good vibes and powered-up cheers during Oregon State Night at the Portland Timbers on July 25. Thanks to everyone who joined us!  
 
Your ticket purchases are passing forward a positive impact benefiting future Beavers through the OSU Alumni Association Scholarship Fund. 🧡 We can’t wait to see you rocking your limited-edition OSU x Timbers hats at the next alumni and friends meetup. 😎