Oregon State University, home of the Beavers, did not always have that name. The Corvallis Academy was founded in 1856. Just two short years later the name was changed to Corvallis College, but wasn't chartered until 1868. In 1890 the school became Oregon Agricultural College and in 1927 they added "state" to the name, it became Oregon State Agricultural College. The current name, Oregon State University, was adopted in 1961.
Oregon State University is well known for many different reasons. Linus Pauling was an American Chemist and Humanitarian. Pauling is the only person to ever receive two unshared Nobel Prizes, one for Chemistry in 1954 and one for Peace in 1962. Oregon State University is also known for receiving the first Heisman Trophy in Oregon, which was awarded to Quarterback Terry Baker in 1962.
Recently, OSU has been in the news for patenting a new strand of red algae, a type of seaweed, that tastes just like bacon!
These things are what Oregon State is most known for, but in the 146 years of graduating students, there are some inventions, products, and companies that have been started by OSU alum.
1. The Computer Mouse
One of the most essential computer tools was created by Douglas Engelbart in 1964. Engelbart is an Oregon State Agricultural College Alum and received his Bachelors of Science in 1948. Engelbart's Law, "the observation that the intrinsic rate of human performance is exponential", is named after Engelbart. Engelbart passed away in 2013. Pictured below is his first prototype mouse.
2. U-Haul
U-Haul was founded by Leonard "Sam" Shoen and his wife, Anna Mary. U-Haul was started in 1945. U-Haul is orange because it is a color that grabs attention, and with the name on the outside it was also a tool for advertising. Shoen attended Oregon State Agricultural College and graduated in 1943 with a Bachelor of Science. He was going to pursue pre-med, but was suspended from medical school and never returned.
3. The Leatherman Tool
Timothy S. Leatherman was born and raised in Oregon. Leatherman received a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Oregon State University in 1970. Leatherman came up with the idea while traveling Europe with his wife. He was consistently using his old Boy Scouts knife but wish he had a pair of pliers with him. When he returned to the states he worked on his product, and he successfully created the pocket multi-tool.
4. Panda Restaurant Group
The Panda Restaurant Group, which is the parent company of Panda Inn, Panda Express, and Hibachi-San, was created by Master Chef Ming Tsai Cherng and his son and daughter-in-law, Andrew and Peggy Cherng. All three of them were born over seas, in Hong Kong and China. Andrew and Peggy met at Baker University. Before Baker University, Peggy attended OSU and recieved her Bachelor of Science in 1971 in applied mathematics. The Memorial Union on the Oregon State campus currently has a Panda Express.
5. 2 Towns Ciderhouse
2 Towns Cider is a brewery located in Corvallis, Oregon, and is one of the biggest hard cider breweries in the Pacific Northwest. Three friends who grew up in Oregon founded the company together; Lee Larson (Finance at OSU), Dave Takush (Fermentation Science at OSU), and Aaron Sarnoff-Wood (UO). 2 Towns Ciderhouse is now an official sponsor of the Portland Timbers of the MLS (Major League Soccer).
