ˌoʊˌɛsjˈuː wʌz dˈɛzɪɡnˌeɪɾᵻd ˈɔːɹɪɡənz ˌɛndʒɪnˈɪɹɪŋ jˌuːnɪvˈɜːsᵻɾi baɪ ðə stˈeɪt bˈoːɹd ʌv hˈaɪɚɹ ˌɛdʒuːkˈeɪʃən ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈoːɹtiːn, wɪððə ɡˈoʊl ʌv pɹəvˈaɪdɪŋ ðə jˌuːnɪvˈɜːsᵻɾi ɐ dɪstˈɪŋkt kɜːɹˈɪkjʊləm ɐmˌʌŋ ˈɔːɹɪɡən jˌuːnɪvˈɜːsᵻɾiz.
OSU was designated Oregon's engineering university by the State Board of Higher Education in 1914, with the goal of providing the university a distinct curriculum among Oregon universities.