14 ForOregonState.org/Stater Vo i c e s PRESIDENT Q + A people have!) After a long journey — 36 or 37 hours of flying — I ended up in Spokane, missing every single connection. There was no flight to Pullman until the next day. I didn’t have enough money or knowledge to find a hotel room. So I’m sitting on the airport floor, and a janitor finds me and shows me a couch to sleep on in one of the upstairs offices. I was struck by that hospitality. I’ll tell you that my time at Washington State was a very good time. It was also my first exposure to American sports. I went to football and basketball games. That’s where I learned the fun of it. I am deeply appreciative of these schools and these communities. Do you see any unexpected silver linings in this? After all the stress and the concern, it’s brought together our community. And I don’t just mean all our campuses. I mean the broader Beaver community. Every time I fly, invariably there are people on the plane who will share a “Go Beavs!” The other thing, of course, is the limelight. We are in the limelight now, and it’s a chance to tell our story. Everybody is truly shining. This coming together is really important because we have important work to do. Our strategic plan is very ambitious. It’s a huge lift, and it’s going to need everybody’s talent and everybody’s energy to make it happen. But if it does, what’s coming up is pretty darn amazing. Is there anything alumni and friends can do right now to support OSU? First of all, people should come to games, which they are. We’ve had so many soldout games. I would love for that energy to see us through this period. The second thing is to tell our story in terms of how excellent we are athletically and academically. Tell that story with pride. A lot of what we’re trying to get done athletically requires their speaking out, particularly to their legislators.We are looking for their support as decisions get made, particularly in Oregon’s February short session. So, if this issue is important to you, if you see how much athletics does for our students and studentathletes, if you’re committed to seeing our student-athletes supported, then we need your help. Write to your representatives. Editor’s note: Learn more about how to write Oregon legislators at thebeavercaucus.org. THIS INTERVIEW HAS BEEN EDITED FOR CLARITY AND LENGTH. cont inued OSU FOUNDATION Every day, two in five college students experience food insecurity, skipping meals to make rent, keep the lights on and buy required textbooks. The alumni community has the power to help solve this. This holiday season, give to end student hunger. BeaversFightHunger.org No student should have to choose between textbooks and groceries.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTcxMjMwNg==