The Oregon State University Sesquicentennial Oral History Project

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Paul Valenti Oral History Interview. February 24, 2014

Paul Valenti Oral History Interview

Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen and Dominic Cusimano.

February 24, 2014

Location:  Valenti residence, Corvallis, Oregon.

Paul Valenti (1920-2014) was integrally connected to Oregon State University for more that seventy years, beginning with his arrival on the Oregon State College campus as a student athlete in 1938. A member of the Beaver basketball squad during his undergraduate years, Valenti later served as freshman baseball coach, freshman basketball coach, head basketball coach and head tennis coach, spanning a time period from 1946-1970. He continued on as Assistant Athletic Director until retiring in 1982, and remained an enthusiastic ambassador for OSU until his death in 2014. His interview covers his upbringing in California, his school and coaching experiences at OSU, and his recollections of many people that he met along the way.