At Oregon State, everybody knows Benny the Beaver. Whether it’s at a football game, or even just roaming the halls of the Memorial Union, every student, faculty, and staff can recognize the celebrated mascot. The lovable, anthropomorphic beaver has been a key part of student life at OSU since the 1940s, and while many have donned the costume, each wearer has their own story to tell.
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.”
During the weekdays, Francisco was in Bexell Hall, learning as much as she could about the ocean through the College of Liberal Arts’ marine studies degree (MAST). Originally from the Seattle area, Francisco grew up constantly spending time on the coast; she enrolled at OSU as an ocean sciences major (now oceanography) in the College of Earth, Oceanic, and Atmospheric Sciences. After a few terms, she didn’t see herself thriving in the STEM-focused degree program, but still wanted to pursue an ocean-related degree. Francisco discovered MAST, a humanities and social sciences-forward program with coursework in communications, philosophy, writing, public policy, and more.
“I appreciated MAST so much,” said Francisco. “It provided me with the hands-on experience I wanted on the coast studying organisms and marine environments, but on my terms. I got to decide for myself which direction I wanted to take the degree program.”
Francisco took advantage of MAST’s experiential-learning courses, including Food from the Sea (FW 324), Marine Policy (PPOL 448), and Introduction to Marine Life in the Sea (BI 111). One of Francisco’s favorite experiences as part of MAST was her time in Introduction to Sharks (FW 115), where she travelled to Willapa Bay in S.W. Washington to help catch and tag broadnose sevengill sharks.
Hoping to serve as a science educator in the future, Francisco’s MAST capstone project aimed to increase the awareness of ocean acidification (OA). Francisco created educational learning resources for educators to use in the classroom about the ongoing effects of OA, including a 30-page book eloquently explaining the ongoing effects of the ocean’s decreasing pH. Other educational materials included presentation outlines, communication resources, quizzes, reflections and all the things teachers needed to know about ocean acidification. “I wanted to distill this very scientific issue into something even younger children could understand.”
Francisco’s MAST capstone project of developing a toolkit aligned perfectly with her internship at Marine and Coastal Opportunities (MACO), OSU’s central hub dedicated to connecting students and faculty with the Oregon Coast. As part of her internship, which frequently took her to OSU’s Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport, Francisco created MACO’s Communications Toolkit to support OSU faculty in teaching and mentoring at the coast.
Apart from her time in MAST, interning for MACO, and transforming into Benny, Francisco was active in her sorority, Delta Gamma, for all four years, including serving as president of the chapter during her senior year.
“I really wanted to find a close knit, tight friend group that shared my values,” Francisco said. “You’ll find your home wherever you go, but I felt a connection with Delta Gamma. It felt like home.”
Her time in her sorority has led to her current job, as a collegiate development consultant, where Francisco will be travelling around the U.S. and Canada to other Delta Gamma chapters, providing oversight and guidance to members nationwide.
“I just decided that I really wasn’t done with Greek life yet, and I still feel like I have people I can support and things I can do to help.” Describing it as her “first adventure of many,” Francisco is greatly looking forward to getting out there and trying something new. And yet, in the future, she plans to return to the Pacific Northwest and continue working in a marine-related field.
“If we could figure out ways to communicate about the ocean more effectively,” explained Francisco, “I think more people would care about the changes that are happening to it.”
Her school spirit has never waned, and Francisco remains as devoted to the university as ever. “I love OSU and I’ll definitely be one of the alumni who returns for all of the football games and brings my kids in the future. I can’t wait to return.”
Until that day though, Francisco left her mark at OSU and even contributed to its history. During a 2023 football game, OSU re-introduced Bernice Beaver, with Francisco reprising Benny’s female counterpart for the first time since her “retirement” in 1998.
“It was so cool to be a part of something historical and I know it meant a lot to Beaver fans,” said Francisco. “My years at OSU have meant so much to me.”
By Halle Sheppard
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