Winter 2025 7 FROM THE PUBLISHER BEAVER CAREER CONNECTIONS When Casey Anderson, ’14, was a new OSU graduate in merchandising management, she wasn’t sure how to start her job search. Friends invited her to an OSU Innovation and Design Network event, where she met Beaver alumnae from employers like Nike and Kroger. They helped her land some interviews, and that launched her career at Nike. Leslie Avila, ’25, is entering her final year as an OSU marketing major. She’s leaning on the alumni career networking platform to gain advice and connections for planning what’s next. “OSU Connections has taught me networking skills, helped me build relationships with peers and professionals, and given me the chance to be mentored,” she said. Early in my own career, I expected law school to immediately follow college. To get experience, I found a part-time job at a law firm, which helped me discover, to my surprise, that law was not my preferred path. Learning what I did not want to do was critical yet scary. Perplexed but not dismayed, I pivoted to grad school, community volunteering and building a professional network. It was my network that introduced me to my current field, which I love. I was helped along each of these journeys by others, and I think that’s true of most people who succeed in the world of work. Yet not everyone has direct access to relevant advice, a built-in professional network or the gumption to leverage entry-level opportunities. This is where the Beaver network — more specifically, you — can help. Oregon State University has revamped its core curriculum requirements to include career exploratory courses for all undergraduate students. Research shows that students with access to career advisors or mentors perform better academically, while job shadowing and internships build crucial insights and experience that help students and new graduates develop the talents employers seek. Each year, many of you provide valuable career assistance to our students and alumni. The OSU Alumni Association wants those numbers to grow. Join us at osuconnections .com to translate the lessons you’ve learned into valuable insights for today’s Beavers. Many of us remember how a simple act of kindness helped our career. Today’s OSU students could greatly benefit from yours. Go Beavs! John Valva Publisher, Oregon Stater OFF I CERS Chair, Dan Jarman, ’88 Vice Chair, Jonathan Riley, ’09 Treasurer, Bob Bluhm, ’82 MEMBERS Derek Abbey, ’99 Casey Anderson, ’14 Jay Boatwright, ’78 Sharada Bose, ’84, M.S. ’88 Eric Feldhusen, ’02 Colin Huber, ’10 Conrad Hurdle, ’96, MAT ’97 Kelley Kaiser, ’93, MPH ’99 Doug Kutella, ’98 Julie Lambert, ’85 Keith Leavitt, ’88 Holly McKinney, ’91 Lee Miller, ’80 Jayathi Murthy, OSU president, ex officio Dola Popoola, student representative, ex officio Victoria Thanh Nguyen, ’95, MAIS ’06 Candace Pierson-Charlton, ’73, Ed.M. ’02 Mary Power, ’90 Denver Pugh, ’97 Michele Rossolo, ’01 Shawn Scoville, OSU Foundation president and CEO, ex officio Dorian Smith, ’09, MAIS ’17 Syesha Holliman Thomas, ’02 Marcia Torres, ’01 Michael Whitten, ’12 ADDRESS 204 CH2M HILL Alumni Center Corvallis, OR 97331 541-737-2351 osualum@osualum.com ForOregonState.org SOCIAL MEDIA Facebook: facebook.com/ oregonstatealum X: @oregonstatealum Instagram: @oregonstatealumni YouTube: @Oregon_Stater Sign up for the Beaver Lodge newsletter at ForOregonState.org/BeaverLodge ILLUSTRATION BY JOÃO FAZENDA
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