Life history interview conducted by Janice Dilg.
November 14, 2013Location: Van Vliet residence, Corvallis, Oregon.
Tony Van Vliet (b. 1930) is both an alum and an emeritus member of the OSU faculty. Van Vliet studied Forestry at Oregon State College, graduating with a B.S. in 1952 and attaining a master's degree in Forest Products in 1958. He began his teaching career in 1955, a tenure that lasted until 1990 and included thirty-five years on faculty in the College of Forestry. From 1971-1978, Van Vliet was also involved with the university's Career Planning and Placement Center, serving as Director from 1978 until his retirement from OSU. Van Vliet likewise built a second career as a legislator in the Oregon House of Representatives. A moderate Republican, Van Vliet served in Salem from 1974-1995, during which time he focused on support for education and revision of the state's tax system. His interview focuses on his background and early years, his experiences as an OSC student, his memories of working in the legislature, and his successful advocacy of the Corvallis Riverfront project.