Exchange Student Report

Spring 2020
By

Adisorn Sribua (Bank) 6043346026

Major: International Business (IB) Email: [email protected]
Location, environment

Oregon State University is the state’s largest international public research institution situated in
the peaceful yet dynamic city of Corvallis. Since OSU was once an agricultural college, it is still
well-known for agriculture, food science and marine studies. However, in the present,
Undergraduates are free to explore more than 200 academic programs and more than 100
master’s programs are available for graduate students.

The town of Corvallis, nestled in the center of Oregon’s Willamatte Valley, is known for its
spectacular scenery and is in close access to a variety of outdoor recreation. Corvallis has a
higher education per capita than any other cities in Oregon and is listed fifth as America’s
Smartest Cities by Forbe magazine. Corvallis falls within the dry-summer subtropical climate
zone. The temperature is relatively moderate throughout the year, with hot, dry summer and
rainy winter. Although winter snow is rare, this year the city witnessed one of the heaviest
snowfalls in a decade. In January and February, I had to wear a thick down coat and rain-proof
boots to keep myself warm. The icy road was so slippery that sneakers originally brought from
Thailand served no purpose. I encourage bringing slip-free boots if you go to Corvallis in winter.
Spring generally starts from late March onwards; residents normally gather outdoors to enjoy the
warm weather and beautiful scenery. Lush green trees and blooming flowers are everywhere.
Summer begins around middle of June and could be scorching hot due to the cloudless clear sky
and fierce sunlight. Sunscreen, sunglasses and a wide brim hat are necessary to survive the heat.
Please bear in mind that all year round, regardless of the temperature, Corvallis and its vicinity
are extremely dry. If you have dry or sensitive skin, you would need to moisturize your body
daily or else there’s a high chance that you may develop skin problems.

Oregon state, particularly in Corvallis, is pretty well known for its frequent drizzle of rain even
in the Winter’s season, so I would recommend you to carry an umbrella, a hat or a rainproof
jacket while you are packing your luggages. However, a supervisor once told me that Oregonians
(that’s what they call people living in Oregon) are not a fan of using an umbrella when it is
raining as they considered it as being vulnerable, so if you were to use an umbrella you would be
immediately spotted as a foreigner.

Teaching and Learning Styles

Oregon State University has a unique four semester system, making each semester shorter than
other universities in the States. One semester lasts for 11 weeks (not including the final week)
and most classes are held twice a week.

It is a must in many classes to read ahead of schedules as students are encouraged to exchange
their opinions about the materials. Moreover, active participation is graded in some classes.
Syllabus and relevant materials are posted on Canvas, a learning management systems like
Blackboard of Chula. Students can easily communicate with their instructors using Canvas chat.
Android and IOS apps are available and I strongly recommend downloading it in order to receive
frequent notifications from your instructors.

The professors at OSU are typically inclined towards implementing a practical approach on their
teaching materials, and constantly relating the materials to what could be done outside the
classroom and in the real world as the professors are experts in their individual fields and had
tremendous experience, they are passionate to inspire students to the extent beyond the textbook
material. There are some classes which are called ‘hybrid’ where classes are taught both online
and offline, giving the students extra hours to either work their shifts or spending leisure time.

Registration Procedure

(Referenced from OSU Catalogs)

Activate Your ONID Account
Go to​ ​http://onid.oregonstate.edu​ and choose “Sign Up For ONID” from the upper-left hand
column.

1. Identify Yourself
a. Enter your OSU ID Number
b. Set your birth date
c. Enter your first name
d. Enter your last name
e. Click “Submit”

2. Read Acceptable Use Policy

a. Read the acceptable use policy
b. Click “I Agree”

3. Set Password
a. Read the instructions and create a password that meets the restrictions
b. Enter your password twice
c. Click “Set Password”
4. Set Alternate Contact Information
a. Enter your cell phone number
b. Enter an alternate email address
c. Click “Submit." This information will be used to contact you in the event that you
forget your ONID password.
5. Set Spam Blocking Options
a. Verify that the default spam options are set

6. You're Finished
a. You should now be on a page that says, “Your ONID account has been created!” Make
a note of your ONID username, email address, forwarding address, if you set one, and the
web address of your personal OSU web page.
b. You should also receive a confirmation email in your ONID inbox verifying the
information displayed on the “Your ONID account has been created!” page.

After activating your ONID account, you will receive a PIN number from your academic
advisor, go to the Registration page of ONID and enter the PIN number. Then, you can place the
subject CRN number and your registration is finished!

Exam Styles

Midterms are conducted twice for most subjects, with the first usually during week 5 and the
second around week 8 to 9. Exam styles are quite similar to those of Chula, consisting of essay,
true or false, and multiple-choice formats. Students are normally given plenty of time (around 2
hours) to complete the exam. Unlike Chula, students are not allowed to use the restrooms
throughout the exam.

Quizzes are also available in almost every alternate class to ensure that students are actively
engaged with the lecture. It also counts towards the final grade but professors typically allow one
uncounted quiz in the case of which the students are sick or have personal businesses. Quizzes
can take place either online(Canvas) or in-class depending on the instructions given by the
professor.

Visa Application Procedure

As per an exchange program, you are required to apply for a F-1 type visa. Once you have
successfully applied to OSU, the supervisor will go through your application and deliver the
verification documents via parcel from the USA. After you have received the form, please apply
for Visa Application immediately because you would receive the documents pretty late if you did
not opt for a speed delivery that comes with an additional fee. Towards the end of the Visa
Application process, you are required to set up an appointment to conduct an interview with the
Embassy of America located near Lumphini Park and pay the application fee at Krungsri Bank.
Prepare all the required documents prior to the interview day: passport, 2” photo, F-1 document,
payment slip and visit the Embassy of America on the assigned date. Do not worry, if you have
prepared all the documents, there should not be any problem during the process and if your visa
have been accepted, the Embassy personnel will take away your passport and deliver back to
your address or the passport can be picked up at the postal office if you have chosen that option
in the application.

Course Selection

Chulalongkorn University’s Oregon State Courses Transferred as

Courses

2602371 Principles of BA347 International Business Core Course

International Business
Management

2207103 Philosophy and PHL150 Great Ideas in General Course

Logic Philosophy

2602417 Entrepreneurship BA260 Intro to Entrepreneur Major Elective Course

2602376 Logistic and Supply MGMT457 Supply Chain Major Course

Chain Management Strategy

2602399 Managing BA363 Technology and Elective Course

Organization and Change and Innovation
Innovation

BA347 International Business (4 credits)

Level of difficulty: Easy

Instructor: Rick R. Wascher

This course explores various aspects of international business, including history of international
trade, current patterns of international business, international monetary transaction and many
more. This is a lecture based class held in a huge auditorium hall. The good point about this class
is that there are no midterms, finals, written reports or participations. The only thing the students
are required to do is online weekly multiple-choice quizzes that test the knowledge previously
taught during that designated week. Since there are 2 classes per week we have to complete two
quizzes by the end of the week. Online quizzes provide more flexibility to students as they can
complete quizzes together with a friend or with the help of a textbook. If you do not miss the
weekly quizzes, you will certainly pass with flying colours! And this is a hybrid course which
means you have to attend one class in the study hall and the other class will be held online.
PHL150 Great Ideas in Philosophy (3 credits)

Level of difficulty: Moderate

Instructor: Marta D. Kunecka, Ph.D.

This course presents you with basic principles of various theories in philosophy. The lecture is
based on the studies of Plato, Aristotle and other philosophers into shaping how we perceive
things differently. Classroom discussion plays a big part in this course where active participation
is highly demanding. The upside to this course is that it does not have any midterms or quizzes
but there will be one final project where groups will be assigned and students are required to
present in whichever form they like: powerpoint, play, poem, monologue etc. based on the topics
discussed in class throughout the semester. Attendance contributes the most percentage to the
final grades so make sure you attend every class! Additionally this class consist of students
coming from different majors so it gives you a good chance to meet people outside College of
Business.

MGMT457 Supply Chain Strategy (4 credits)

Level of difficulty: Easy

Instructor: Yusoon Kim, Ph.D.

This course introduces students to the terminology, problems, and tools pertaining to the
management of supply chains and offer the student a broad understanding of the concepts
and practices of SCM. Topics covered include supply chain strategies in delivering customer
value; the strategic/operational decisions in SCM; inventory management; procurement and
supplier management; transportation and distribution; supply network design; and the importance
of coordination in a SC. The course assessment consists of both individual and group work and
presentations with the highest percentage awarded for the group presentation.

BA363 Technology and Innovation (4 credits)

Level of difficulty: Easy

Instructor: Jiyao Chen

This course is taught through a mixture of online lectures and case methods. Because case
method requires you make decisions based on incomplete information in a real business context,
and because innovation issues are often characterized by ambiguity and uncertainty and requires
thinking from multiple perspectives, this course could be challenging for those who always
seek for the right answer and avoid ambiguity. The learning process of this course is a
progressive step where the professor will often repeat on the same materials to ensure that
students are comfortable with the fundamentals. Similar to other courses at OSU, this course also
has both quizzes, individual and group work.

BA260 Intro to Entrepreneur (4 credits)

Level of difficulty: Easy

Instructor: Randall Palmer

This course is one of my favourite courses during my exchange semester. It introduces the
fundamentals of entrepreneurship, and it will expose you to the concepts, practice, and tools of
the entrepreneurial world. Specifically, the course is designed to provide you with an
understanding of the entrepreneurial process, that is, the process of taking an idea and finding a
high-potential commercial opportunity, gathering resources such as talent and capital, and
deciding how to sell and market the idea. There are poster fair, and pitch competitions that
encourage the whole class to participate in a group project and express what you have learnt in
class which were very exciting and inspiring events.
Air Ticket

Purchasing an air ticket should be your priority after you are accepted into the university. In my
case, due to personal circumstances, all application processes were significantly delayed and I
received the acceptance letter at the beginning of December. Soaring prices approaching the
travelling date were inevitable. I purchased a one way ticket for China Eastern Airlines at 32,000
baht through Expedia. The flight required two stopovers at Shanghai, China and Seattle, USA.
From Seattle to Portland I rode a small airplane operated by SouthWest Airline.
From Portland International Airport (PDX) to Corvallis, I travelled by Groome Shuttle Bus, and
the fair was only 39 dollars one way. Free wifi and sockets were also available under every seat.
I recommend reserving a ticket beforehand because I did not but I was lucky enough as the
shuttle bus was not fully occupied and I was able to pay cash to the driver and took that bus. The
Groome Shuttle Bus leaves every 1 hour and drops you off at Hilton Garden Inn which is right
next to the campus.

Facilities

The Valley Library

The Valley Library is the main library on OSU’s Corvallis campus. It is named after an alumni
F. Wayne Valley, a famous footballer. It is usually open 24 hours, but I would advise searching
the opening hours online as they are subject to change, especially on holidays. It is the best place
to study as personal spaces are available on every floor. Each table has plugs so you don't have to
worry about your laptops running out of battery. Huge computer labs equipped with 6 office
printers are available for use. I love how the library allows users to bring in food and beverages
unlike the library in Chula. If you’re tired of studying, you can go down to the basement to grab
a cup of coffee and have a nice break. Needless to say, the library is packed with people during
the weeks approaching finals. If you’re lucky, you might get a complimentary cookie from the
library staff. Yummy!

Plageman Student Health Center

Student Health Center provides OSU students and faculty with on-site medical services along
with pharmacy. Nurses and physician assistants (doctors) are very friendly and spend generous
time listening to patients’ health concerns. Mandatory health insurance (AETNA) for
international students offers excellent cost coverages: patients have to pay only a tenth for
prescription drugs and medical fees. I went to see the doctor for skin conditions and paid a mere
40 dollars for skin steroid creams that would actually cost 400 dollars without insurance! Since
the physician assistants working in this facility are general doctors, they might refer you to
specialists in town, if needed. I myself was referred to a dermatologist but unfortunately the
reservation was occupied well after my departure date. Links below provide detailed information
about the student health insurance and health services.

Beaverstore
At Beaverstore you can purchase all kinds of OSU goods. It is also the place where you can buy
textbooks. Several options are available in terms of textbooks: purchasing brand-new or
secondhand; or renting with only a fraction of the amount of money. I personally recommend
renting textbooks or purchasing them secondhand as brand-new textbooks could cost you a
fortune. If you are renting textbooks, be sure to return them before the semester ends, otherwise
you would be fined a hefty amount of 50 dollars per day!

Austin Hall

Austin Hall was designed to be an all-hours destination

for students, an open, comfortable and welcoming place
that would foster discussion and collaboration in an
environment tailored to providing a 21st century
business education. The building has 700 seats spread
among 10 classrooms, plus 23 computer- and
big-screen-equipped project rooms that students flock
to, including in evenings and on weekends. Students are
also slowly learning about the “hidden” study areas on
the second and fourth floors behind the staircases. The
west fourth-floor location in particular offers
spectacular views.

For College of Business students like myself, I became

particularly familiar with Austin Hall since the majority
of the classes are held in this building. The seating arrangement is somewhat similar to Building
3 of Chulalongkorn University but with a wider area.

Living in Weatherford Hall has made it even more convenient to go to class as Austin Hall is
located right across with a 2min walking distance. The ground floor also has a cafe where you
can grab coffee right before class or during breaktime.

Internet
Free Wifi is available across campus. Students should use OSU_SECURE as you would be
automatically connected to the wifi when you’re on campus. Username and password for
OSU_SECURE is the same as the one you use for your own ONID account.

Recreation Activities and Sports

If you are into sports, Oregon State is the right place; students love to work out and you’ll see
many of them exercising around the campus. The 100-year old physical activity curriculum
(PAC) offers tons of recreational classes for 1 credit with an extra 40 dollars for each PAC
course you enroll in. Although I wasn’t the type to hit the gym regularly back in Thailand, I
developed a habit of exercising while being at OSU. I also took two PAC classes consisting of
Yoga and Relaxation techniques.

Dixon Recreation Center

Dixon Recreation Center is the social hub of activity on campus. It houses two gyms, six
racquetball courts, three squash courts, two cardio and weight rooms, three multipurpose rooms,
indoor track, pool, three sand volleyball courts, and many more. Students can access the facility
by showing their OSU ID. Moreover, you can rent a bicycle from this facility with a fee.
Memorial Union (MU)
Opened nearly 90 years ago as a memorial to students
who gave their lives during World War I, the Memorial
Union continues to be a hub of activity and interaction for
the campus community.

The MU houses many programs and offices including the

Student ID Center, MU Lanes & Games, the Wellness
Nook, Veterans Lounge, MU Creative Studio, US Bank
and Xpress Stop Printing and Mailing services, as well as
several restaurants including JavaStop, Off the Quad,
Bites and The Commons.

The MU is also home to various meeting rooms and

events spaces, including the illustrious Ballroom and the ever popular napping grounds of the
Main Lounge. If you are staying at Weatherford Hall, MU will be right across the street. It would
take barely 1 min to walk to MU and enjoy food, drinks and a variety of games including
bowling, pool and video games at the basement of Memorial Union.

Types of Housing Arrangement

1. Off-Campus

Each semester, off-campus housing requires landlords and tenants to come up with formal
written tenancy agreements, which could be a time-consuming and frustrating process. The most
common housing arrangement that I have witnessed is share housing in which tenants have their
own bedroom and share the rest of the premises. The average rent per person is around 400-600
dollars a month. The location of these off-campus housing is pretty much close to the campus
where you can either ride a rented bike or take a bus that drops you off to the nearest destination.
This could be your ideal choice if you want to live independently from the campus rules and be
close to the city area with grocery stores.

2. On-campus (I chose this option)

There are 20 residence halls in various areas all over OSU campus. Freshmen are required to
spend a year in the dorm in order to nurture friendship and cultivate independence. Many types
of rooms are offered such as single, double and triple rooms. In most residence halls, you share
sinks, bathrooms and toilets with other residents of the same gender on the same floor. During
the housing application process you are given three choices of your room preference but for
students from College of Business, we are limited to choosing only between Weatherford Hall
and Polish Hall. I would highly recommend staying at Weatherford because it is literally right in
the center of campus which is very convenient for you to attend class on time, visit Dixon
Recreation Center and enjoy food at Memorial Union that are all 2 mins walk from Weatherford
Hall. Moreover, you could choose your roommate if you have a friend that would like to share a
room with or you could also apply for a roommate that would match with you based on your
preference, hobbies and interests.
Pros and Cons of On-campus Housing from my own experience

Pros:
● Opportunity to immerse yourself into American culture
● No need to cook as residents are required to purchase meal plans that can be used in all
dining halls and coffee shops with a discount
● Each semester, there is no need to renew a formal written tenancy agreement with a
landlord
● Living in close proximity to almost all facilities (My dorm is just across Austin Business
hall and Dixon Recreation Center and a minute’s walk to the library)
● Free wifi
● Residents can watch free movies anytime via Beaver Movie Channel (BMC)
● Washers and Dryers available in the basement

Cons:
● No privacy because you need to share a bedroom with someone else, unless you choose a
single room, which is extremely expensive
● Public bathrooms and toilets can be inconvenient at times
● Rooms are incredibly small
● Students’ parties often go on into the wee hours of the night!
● If you move in mid-year, you will have no right to choose which bed/table you want (In
terms of bunk-bed, the upper one is normally less desirable)
● More expensive than off-campus housing
● Not much storage space (only a small closet and desk drawers)

Payment methods

I recommend opening a bank account to obtain a debit card so that you don’t have to carry
around a big amount of cash and in the US, it is becoming a cash-free society and almost all
transactions can be conducted by debit or credit cards. In my case, I did not open a bank account
as I was already carrying an SCB Planet card in which I was able to exchange money through the
mobile application and withdraw money from the nearest ATM or simply use the card to swipe.
But it was quite troublesome for me when it comes to paying for the bills that were up to
$5000(hall and food subscription plans) since the ATM was allowing me to only withdraw
$1500 per day, so multiple withdrawals had to be made.

All payments at OSU are done electronically at ONID site. You can pay either by a debit or
credit card, but using a credit card requires you to pay an extra 50 dollars transfer fee per one
transaction. In my case, since I did not have a bank account with local banks, I had to pay the
bills in cash.

Shopping

There are no shopping malls or department stores in Corvallis. However, this city has several
supermarkets such as Fred Meyer, Safeway, Walgreens and Winco.
I would highly recommend using Amazon, an online shopping site- it has all sorts of products
you are looking for and they are sent directly to your door free of charge. 6 months Prime
Membership trial is available free for students; this means that your products will arrive in just
two days and you can also enjoy reading free books from Amazon Kindle or watch free movies
at Amazon Movie.

If you have friends that have a car, I would recommend that you visit the outlet which is an hour
drive from Corvallis.

University Christian Center (UCC)

The UCC is a bible-based campus ministry at Oregon State University and its goal is to help
anyone in need and to connect with God. It organizes many trips for international students to
Portland, Multnomah Waterfall, Pacific Beach, Woodburn Outlet Mall, and many more. The
great thing about UCC trips compared to the ones organized by OSU is that they are FREE!!!
UCC is also a place to get to know many American and international friends. If you are
interested in joining their activities, please contact Campus Minister Josh Schutzman via
facebook for more information.

Thai Student Association (TSA)

I was surprised to not have found any Thai students in my first week at OSU. I personally feel
that making friends with the foreigners could be quite tough at first so I wanted to interact with
some Thai people at OSU. Later, I then found out that one of my classmates was a Thai student
and after I got to know her more, I discovered that they have a club called Thai Student
Association (TSA) and not only there is a club for Thai people but for almost every culture and
background including Indonesian Student Association (ISA), Malaysian Student Association
(MSA) and etc.
There was a weekly meeting on Tuesday where they would discuss on the events that are coming
up and who would look after each department. TSA also hosts sporting events within the club
and collaborates with other clubs such as basketball tournaments, volleyball tournaments,
dodgeball tournaments etc.

TSA has become a family to me. The club has students ranging from freshmen to MBA and
other alumni at OSU and they would look after each other and be ready to give any advice if
anyone ever needed it. We still keep in touch and would meet when we have a chance every once
in a while. I would say that TSA has made my exchange period at OSU a more enjoyable and
exciting experience.

Cost Breakdown for One Semester (in Thai Baht)

List Cost

Air Ticket (Round Trip) 70,000

Accommodation Fee Including Meal Plans 150,000

Transportation 7,000

Shopping 30,000

Mandatory Health Insurance 36,000

Air ticket(Travelling) 20,000

Textbook 1,500

Miscellaneous Expenses 75,000

 TOTAL 389,500

COVID-19 Pandemic

According to the situation of the COVID-19 Pandemic, Washington, a state right above Oregon
was the first state to encounter the outbreak. As it became more serious Oregon State University
has started to alarm students with daily updates on the situation not only in the local areas but
throughout the nation. OSU did a great job in keeping everyone informed of the situation.

The solution from OSU

As the outbreak began towards the final week of the semester, OSU has decided to change all of
the final exam into an online exam, given the same amount of time and inspection for plagiarism.
Some courses even made the final exam an option and the student’s grade will be determined
based on their current score accumulated. Dixon Recreational Centre and other gathering
locations began to close down and automatic hand sanitizers were implemented in every location
on campus. Restaurants nearby also started to close down and accept only take away.

My solution

Initially, I had plans to travel around the USA before making a return back to Thailand but all
plans had to be cancelled as many airlines had started to cancel their flights. On the upside, I was
lucky that OSU used a tri-semester system where each semester is for only 3 months and my
exams were finished before the situation became worse. I then decided to reschedule my flights
and requested a refund for other flights so that I could fly back to Thailand at the earliest. I tried
to avoid having to make a layover in countries that COVID-19 were highly spreading like China
and Korea so instead of taking a shorter route traveling back to Thailand from the West side
through China like I did on the way to Corvallis, I flew to via the East side to JFK airport (New
York) to make my first lay over and took another flight from JFK to Doha. Then, without any
layovers I flew directly back to Bangkok with a total duration of 30 hours starting from Portland.

The week that I was flying back to Thailand, I did not need to hold a ‘Fit-to-Fly’ form like my
other BBA friends who were travelling a week later from when I did. But for those who required
the form, OSU had a health centre that was able to issue it.

Travelling back to Thailand was not an issue for me, I just had to protect myself at all times.
Buying face masks, sanitizer, protective gloves and wet tissues were a big problem at the time.
As people became more worried and terrified of the outbreak, they started to panic and bought
out the store, but I was lucky enough to get hold of a few face masks and hand sanitizer to keep
it with me. I have also purchased some wet tissues to clean the handles and windows on the
flight.

Once I have arrived in Bangkok, the final procedure that I had to do at the airport was go through
a check-in procedure: filling out my personal information, passport information, countries I have
visited in the last month, medical issues and where I will be staying and the rest were just a
regular process by going through immigration.