THE DAM BUILDERS 48 Most alumni remember the electricity of the student section — the roar of the crowd, the teeth- rattling exhilaration of chanting and cheering together. Back in the day, the Rally Squad led the action. Now, it’s the Beaver Dam Leadership Council. Reestablished in 2022 after a pandemic hiatus, it offers application-based, paid positions to about four students who want to turn their love of sports into professional experience. Rising juniors Nick Abele and Shelby Poggio, marketing students in the College of Business, meet weekly with OSU Athletics to strategize ways to make games fun. How can they build excitement on social media? What student giveaway item will be so iconic that it will be kept as a souvenir for years? Sure, they’ve seen changes, from the dissolution of the traditional Pac-12 when they were first-years to the continual loss of players through the transfer portal. But Abele doesn’t begrudge players his age who do what they think is best for their careers. “It makes you appreciate the ones that stay even more,” he says. “But I have a hard time finding fault in those that choose to pursue other opportunities that they’ve been given.” Poggio agrees. Her advice for fans grappling with the new reality is this: “I would just try to remember that little kid in you that just enjoys it.” She notes: “School is hard. You’re trying to navigate all these new changes and living on your own. It’s a lot of new learning curves, but being able to be a fan, honestly, changes people. You find a home and a community, and that’s something that some people don’t ever have if they don’t get that college experience. It just feels like having a huge family, a big forever home.” SHELBY POGGIO LOCATION: CORVALLIS, OREGON OCCUPATION: RISING JUNIOR NICK ABELE LOCATION: CORVALLIS, OREGON OCCUPATION: RISING JUNIOR
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