Oregon State University (OSU) is a public research university in the U.S. state of Oregon. Founded in 1868, it is the flagship institution of the Oregon State University System and is one of only two land-grant universities in the Pacific Northwest region. It currently enrolls over 32,000 students on its Corvallis campus and offers more than 200 undergraduate degree programs, along with many graduate degrees and doctoral programs through its 11 colleges. The university’s athletic teams, known as the Beavers, compete in NCAA Division I Pac-12 Conference.
The Carnegie Foundation classifies OSU as a research university with “very high research activity.” Among OSU’s faculty are recipients of prestigious awards such as the Nobel Prize, MacArthur Fellowships, National Medal of Science, and National Academy of Sciences membership; alumni include astronaut Jerry Ross and several members of Congress including Greg Walden and Kurt Schrader. In 2017 US News & World Report ranked OSU among top 100 global universities for employability ranking #76 overall out of 1,250 schools worldwide; this was an improvement from their 2016 ranking at #93 globally but still below average when compared to other Pac-12 schools which averaged 50th globally according to Quacquarelli Symonds rankings published that same year.
The origin story begins with George Washing Perkins who donated eight acres (32,000 m^2) to what would become Corvallis College in 1865 after attending Willamette University where he studied law for two years before moving north to work in Portland living near eventual cofounder Joseph Gale while also working as a lawyer representing various business interests including those related to railroads being built into Central Oregon. Perkins’ donation allowed for construction to begin on Old College Hall which is now part West Park Blocks adjacent to downtown Portland where Multnomah Street intersects NW Naito Parkway; this structure eventually burned down due largely careless smoking by students though no lives were lost thanks largely to fireproofing materials used during construction making it one of very few buildings constructed west of the Mississippi River during that era not made entirely out wood.
In 1868 Governor Gibbs appointed Joseph Gale—who had previously fought against Native Americans alongside General Joel Palmer during treaties negotiations following mass killing Whitman Mission incident while also serving as Superintendent Indian Affairs for Oregon Territory—as Regent while also designating Albany as temporary location until funding could be secured build new school located nearby current town site Corvallis situated atop beautiful Willamette Valley between Eugene south home UO Ducks Bend north home PSU Vikings . After much discussion first Board Trustees consisting entirely men unanimously selectedCorvallis location which then required approval legislature since already had been allocated tax dollars support another college UO Salem instead being designated agricultural mechanical arts school per Morrill Act passed by US Congress 1862 Abraham Lincoln signed into law July 2nd same year Union Army victorious Battle Gettysburg turning point Civil War paving way Emancipation Proclamation freeing slaves effective January 1863edge Confederacy leading inexorable end hostilities April 1865 assassination President Lincoln by John Wilkes Booth resulting his vice president Andrew Johnson taking office completing transition federal government Reconstruction Era underway across South lasting nearly three decades until 1896 election William McKinley beating populist Democrat William Jennings Bryan shifting focus country back North issues like tariffs trusts monopoly reform well Europe Asia leading Spanish–American War 1898 annexation Hawaii expansionism continental United States complete 1898 Treaty Paris following decisive American victory Battle Manila Bay Philippines Commodore Dewey so called “Splendid Little War” helping propel McKinley reelected 1900 handily defeating Bryan again 1904 landslide due foreign policy successes well economic prosperity enjoying period greatest industrial growth history world what some historians labeled Second Industrial Revolution