[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 7]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 8543]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




             TRIBUTE TO THE OREGON INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. GREG WALDEN

                               of oregon

                    in the house of representatives

                         Wednesday, May 5, 2004

  Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to share with you and 
my colleagues my distinct pride in a winning institution in my 
district, the Oregon Institute of Technology (OIT). Located in Klamath 
Falls, Oregon, OIT is nationally recognized for its high standards and 
results-oriented approach to education. The school motto, ``First 
Hired, Highest Paid,'' is no idle boast. A few years ago I had the 
honor of serving as commencement speaker during an OIT graduation, and 
nearly all of the graduates I addressed had been offered high-paying 
jobs.
  Ably led by President Martha Anne Dow, OIT pursues excellence in 
every aspect of the college experience, from research and technology 
application to career-oriented instruction and competitive athletics.
  Mr. Speaker, it is in the realm of athletics that OIT most recently 
demonstrated its championship mettle when the men's basketball team won 
the NAIA Division II National Title. Seeded 16th, the OIT Hustlin' Owls 
were not favored to win, but when the final buzzer sounded they had 
proven themselves to be the best team in the nation among NAIA Division 
II teams. Their series of upset victories may have surprised some 
sportscasters, but it was no surprise to the fans of OIT who have come 
to expect great things from the Hustlin' Owls under the phenomenal 
coaching of Danny Miles.
  Coach Danny Miles, a NAIA Hall of Fame coach, took over a losing 
basketball program at OIT thirty-three years ago and never looked back. 
Racking up 734 career wins, Danny ranks 17th on the all-time career 
victory list. It is no surprise that this year he was named NAIA Coach 
of the Year, an honor that he shares with his able staff: Mike Pisan, 
Doug Kintzinger, Jarrod Davis, Milijia Mitrovic, and Aristide Agnimel.
  Although Coach Miles is proud to have won the national championship, 
he is even more proud of the fact that he, his staff, his team, and the 
OIT fans won the James Naismith Award for sportsmanship. This was not 
just a victory of superior athleticism and coaching; it was a victory 
of strong character.
  I join the OIT family in my pride over senior Kevin Baker's winning 
the tournament's Most Valuable Player award. Baker was also joined by 
teammates Florian Houget and Todd Matthews on the All-Tournament team. 
It goes without saying that a championship performance involves every 
team member, so I also want to share with you my pride in Hustlin' Owls 
Michael Nunes, Jared Hall, Levell Hesia, Joe Billings, David Michaelis, 
Matt Johnson, Elijah Page, and Alex Carlson, each of whom contributed 
so much to their team's winning effort.
  Mr. Speaker, for those who are familiar with the story of the Klamath 
Basin in my district, you know the story of a strong, proud people who 
live their lives with heart and determination. It is no surprise that 
the bond between OIT and the Klamath community is so strong. They share 
the character of winners who never, ever give up. We can all find 
inspiration from OIT's achievements, many more of which I expect to 
recognize in the future.

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