Student Spotlight
A new angle of the ocean
Charlie Pingree spends his summers documenting whales and sharing his passion with the public
Pingree, originally from Marblehead, Massachusetts, is a fourth-year marine studies student. His decision to attend OSU and major in marine studies stemmed from his interest in obeserving and recording whales up and down the New England coast.
Student Spotlight
Benny the Beaver’s big secret
Marine studies alumna Hailey Francisco reflects on her time at Oregon State and how her unique experiences have prepared her for post-college
At Oregon State, everybody knows Benny the Beaver. For three years, marine studies student Hailey Francisco, ‘25, held the honor of portraying Benny (and Bernice) during OSU’s many sporting and commemorative events.
“It was literally like putting on an alter ego,” explained Francisco. “I felt like a celebrity, where everyone knows you and the joy you bring.”
Student Spotlight
The winding road to studying whales: Elijah Foster’s triumphant return to college and newfound passion for whale conservation
Foster, a 2025 graduate from the marine studies program, is interning at the Orca Behavior Institute on the San Juan Islands
Now an alumnus of the College of Liberal Arts’ marine studies program, Foster’s journey was anything but straightforward. “I was one of those people who thought I’d never go back to college,” he explained.
Fresh out of high school and wanting to flee the freezing Chicago winters, he briefly enrolled at Arizona State University, before taking a break and then moving to Corvallis to be closer to the ocean.
MAST Capstone
An exploration of the social and environmental issues facing Yakama County and examples of community resilience
Emma Chuang
Chuang's capstone project delves into three specific concerns related to social and environmental justice in Yakama County, Washington: farmworker rights, nitrate in well water, and legacy pesticides. Despite being a small portion of social and environmental justice issues in central Washington, they are nonetheless important to be aware of as their impacts on minority communities is large.