Ed Ray (b. 1944), the fourteenth President of Oregon State University, has overseen both historic growth on campus and a major recalibration of university ambitions. Trained as an economist, Ray spent thirty-three years at Ohio State University, where he served as chair of the Economics department before moving into central administration, first as Chief Information Officer and later as Provost. Ray came to OSU in 2003 and set in motion a strategic planning process that realigned university structures and goals. He also launched OSU's first comprehensive capital campaign, The Campaign for OSU, which raised $1.142 billion and resulted in a busy period of campus construction as well as the endowment of seventy-nine faculty positions and the creation of over 600 scholarship and fellowship funds.

In this, the last of four interviews, Ray provides insight into the development of OSU's two branch campuses during his presidency. Ray discusses the means by which a vision was crafted for both OSU-Cascades in Bend and the Marine Studies Initiative in Newport, and shares his thoughts on the paths that both efforts have traveled in recent time. The session then moves on to an examination of several disparate topics that have been hallmarks of Ray's years in office. In this, he describes the university's efforts to further internationalize its student body, and the partnership with INTO that has helped to propel this ambition. He likewise reflects on the work of OSU Statewide and the continuing vibrancy of the land grant mission at OSU. He then discusses the contributions that Sabah Randhawa has made to the university during his tenure as Provost, and shares his memories of the creation and organization of the OSU Board of Trustees.

As it nears its end, the interview shifts focus to the personal side of being a university president, with Ray providing a glimpse into his very busy schedule and reflecting on the sources of renewal that help him to manage the stress and fatigue of his job. The session concludes with Ray's thoughts on what the future of OSU might look like and the strong emphasis that he will be placing on the narrowing of achievement gaps within the student body.