My name is James Miller. I am an alumnus of Oregon State University (2006), double major in Economics and Psychology. I am an Admissions Advisor here in the OSU Office of Admissions. It’s very exciting for me to be joining the Admissions Blogging Team! My main role in the office is similar to that of fellow blogger: Matt Ogawa. As an Admissions Advisor, I travel throughout the great States of Oregon and Alaska recruiting new students to join the OSU community.

Hopefully I’ll be able to bring some fresh and exciting perspectives to the Admissions Blog. Along with the traditional news items and updates I am going to try to focus on the personal stories, people, places and traditions that make Corvallis and OSU such a special place to live and learn. If you have ideas, comments or feedback…Don’t hesitate to drop me a comment because dialog is a very good thing!

Given my theme of personal experiences, I would be remiss if I didn’t leave with you a photo from my travels through Alaska this fall. So, for your enjoyment, a shot taken on the way to a high school visitation at the Eagle River Nature Center (can you find the Beaver Dam in the left middle of this shot?):

That’ll be all for now. Stay real and BE WELL!

-jm

Mystery Beavers To Get New Home

Nationwide Attention Continues To Help Beaver Family

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — The once-condemned beaver family near Bakersfield’s Park at Riverwalk have yet to be seen, but will soon have a new home.You may recall there was public outcry and nationwide attention when the city got a permit to kill the beavers for gnawing on and tearing down trees.

CNN.com linked up to the original story, providing the high Internet traffic needed to spread the word both nationally and internationally, about the plight of the beavers who made a home near a popular bike path in Bakersfield, Calif.

The supervisor for Bakersfield Parks & Recreation told ABC23 they have wrapped 20 trees to protect them from beavers. But he said no one has seen the beavers.Now the city is trying to relocate the beavers. For now the beaver family is still living in a drainage ditch along the Kern Recreational Bike Path. So far no more trees have been damaged.

The city has identified an area to relocate the beavers in Tehachapi and the city is working with the Department of Fish and Game to get approval. Once the site is approved, city officials said an expert trapper will catch the beavers and relocate them unharmed. He also said the traps that were set by the Department of Fish and Game were pulled up empty after the city revoked its permit to destroy the animals.

Though yet to be seen, Nick Belardes from KERO 23 has been searching for the beavers. You can read about his quest and watch video clips on his Save The Kern River Beavers blog.

–mko