
07/03/2025
to Oregon State’s long military legacy, which began in 1868 when Corvallis College was named a Land Grant Institution under the Land Grant Act of 1862. Only 10 years later, the first Cadet Corps was formed, and OSU became one of the first institutions of higher learning in the Pacific Northwest to offer what would eventually become known as the Reserve Officer Training Corps or ROTC.
During World War II, OSU earned the nickname “West Point of the West” due to it commissioning more officers than any other non-military academy in the nation.
This Independence Day, we honor the service of Oregon State students and alumni. They’ve served in every major conflict since the Philippine-American War.
Photo Credit: OSU Special Collections & Archives Research Center