Interviewer: Emma Crum
Interview Date: February 19, 2023
Location: Interview conducted over Zoom
Duration: 0:51:16
At the beginning of this interview, Vicki (Myers) Russell talks about her upbringing in Portland, Oregon. She grew up with one older sister, and her father worked in corporate management, which inspired her to later study Business in college. In her youth, she was heavily involved in intramural sports because they had no girls sports back then; she participated in soccer and track and field. While she was in high school, she was a member of student government as well. She chose to attend Oregon State University because it was close to home, and it felt like the best fit for her.
Russell then recalls her undergraduate experience at Oregon State University. She joined the Alpha Chi sorority, and notes that sorority life was a large part of the social scene. She remembers having big classes in big lecture halls, where attendance was mandatory and a part of your grade. She also recalls having to take at least one physical activity class and going to as many sporting events as she could, because that was also a big social event for many people. Tailgating was a big part of the culture back then as well. She doesn’t remember the party culture being big, but says that it was there; sororities and fraternities partied with each other a lot. She also recalls that the use of marijuana was just starting to emerge as well.
The dorm she lived in was female-only, and was a positive experience. She lived with a friend from high school, and the two of them got to know everyone in their dorm very well. However, the female dorm did have a curfew of 9:30 PM, meaning that you had to be back inside your dorm by then. If you were late, you were locked out and the Resident Assistant had to come let you in, or a friend would sneak you in. She also talks about other campus rules that had to be followed, such as dress codes. From there, Russell looks back at how the city of Corvallis has changed, and also how the university has changed. She remembers being able to walk downtown for a quick 19-cent burger, and how most people had bikes, not cars.
Vicki then discusses transferring to Portland State University after her first year at OSU to be closer to home. She also recounts meeting her husband Vic while they were in high school at a student government conference, attending OSU with him, their marriage in 1973 and their subsequent move to LaPine, Oregon, where they founded a company together, Vic Russell Construction. Towards the end of the session, Russell talks about the position she has now in the company as President and CEO, and how she works primarily on site at their rock quarry and deals mainly with the financial aspects of the business. She also notes that sits on many foundations and is involved in the LaPine and Central Oregon community in many ways. She concludes by offering that her time at OSU helped prepare her for her future and her career after.
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Russell then recalls her undergraduate experience at Oregon State University. She joined the Alpha Chi sorority, and notes that sorority life was a large part of the social scene. She remembers having big classes in big lecture halls, where attendance was mandatory and a part of your grade. She also recalls having to take at least one physical activity class and going to as many sporting events as she could, because that was also a big social event for many people. Tailgating was a big part of the culture back then as well. She doesn’t remember the party culture being big, but says that it was there; sororities and fraternities partied with each other a lot. She also recalls that the use of marijuana was just starting to emerge as well.
The dorm she lived in was female-only, and was a positive experience. She lived with a friend from high school, and the two of them got to know everyone in their dorm very well. However, the female dorm did have a curfew of 9:30 PM, meaning that you had to be back inside your dorm by then. If you were late, you were locked out and the Resident Assistant had to come let you in, or a friend would sneak you in. She also talks about other campus rules that had to be followed, such as dress codes. From there, Russell looks back at how the city of Corvallis has changed, and also how the university has changed. She remembers being able to walk downtown for a quick 19-cent burger, and how most people had bikes, not cars.
Vicki then discusses transferring to Portland State University after her first year at OSU to be closer to home. She also recounts meeting her husband Vic while they were in high school at a student government conference, attending OSU with him, their marriage in 1973 and their subsequent move to LaPine, Oregon, where they founded a company together, Vic Russell Construction. Towards the end of the session, Russell talks about the position she has now in the company as President and CEO, and how she works primarily on site at their rock quarry and deals mainly with the financial aspects of the business. She also notes that sits on many foundations and is involved in the LaPine and Central Oregon community in many ways. She concludes by offering that her time at OSU helped prepare her for her future and her career after.