University of Oregon
Hallmarks and Quirks
Things I'm Good At:
- Football, football, football. We have one of the loudest stadiums for our size and "It never rains at Autzen." If you know, you know…enough said.
- My Business and Journalism schools are top-notch.
- A cappella. On the Rocks…swoon.
- Greek Life. Rush or go home—err, at least join the business frat.
- Going green gets a whole new meaning, with an eco-friendly campus nestled in the evergreens. I've got green coming out my ears. No, wait…that's gross. Never mind.
My Top 5 Must-Haves:
- Rain boots, umbrellas, and anything North Face. For fashion, not for rain. Just kidding, it totally rains all the time.
- A bike. I'm one of the top cycling cities in the U.S. and I have five self-service bicycle repair stations on my campus.
- A love of beer. Okay, you don't have to love beer, but it would certainly help. I'm home to Ninkasi, Rouge, Oakshire, and McMenamins, to name a few.
- A desire to help others. My students, staff, and faculty support a smorgasbord of different causes.
- Diversity. I have a slew of multicultural clubs and activities on campus at any given moment. Foreign Language and International Studies day, hosted by the Yamada Language Center, is one of the largest foreign language and culture events in the state.
Why You Might Have Heard of Me:
- Oregon football. My students have amazing school spirit. Cheering for Donald Duck definitely gets people a little riled up.
- Chip Kelly. You know, that awesome coach we had who left me high and dry for the Eagles? I still love you, Chip, and I'm secretly cheering for you…
- I'm a member of the Association of American Universities, one of two universities in the Pacific Northwest. It's for the best of the best in terms of research.
- I'm extremely green, and I recycle like crazy. Lilis has solar panels for the few rays of sun I do get, and I have bike lanes. Yes, bike lanes—and with actual lights.
- That hip new tune by Mat Kearney has been lovingly adopted as my anthem.
On a regular Saturday night, you can find me...
I'm probably frequenting one of the many house parties around campus. One bonus about Oregon is that everyone is extremely friendly. "The more, the merrier" is our life philosophy.
If I want more of a low-key night, I might go to the movies or order Dough Co. and play video games with friends.
Favorite Hangouts:
- Brails, because the owner is beyond amazing and so is the food.
- Sweet Basil, for tasty Thai food, served with black rice (if you so desire).
- If you're feelin' fancy, go to Beppe & Gianni's. It's the perfect place to make up for having your first date in the dining commons.
- If you want to eat the same ice cream as the President, you'd best head to Prince Puckler's. With flavors like "white licorice" or "velvet hammer," who could say no?
Quirks:
- Animal house was filmed on my campus, and that's why "Shout" is played at football games. Also, it's just a great song.
- I love my freshmen. Seriously, IntroDUCKtion (the summer session program) lets students get familiar with campus and how things work. During move-in week, upperclassmen "Unpack the Quack" in the dorms. If duck puns ruffle your feathers, you may want to reconsider your life—er, school choices.
- We have an urban farm on campus for all of you with a green thumbs. Normal thumbers are welcome, as well, so long as they don't over-water the tomatoes.
- The Oregon Country Fair. Hippies and crunchy people freely frolic at this three-day festival held every summer. Not that we lock them up at other times of the year or anything…
Famous Alumni:
- Phil Knight, co-founder, chairman, and former CEO of Nike.
- Chuck Palahnuik, author of Fight Club.
- Steve Prefontaine, track star.
- Ken Kesey, author of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.
- Anne Curry, anchor of The Today Show and Dateline NBC co-host.