OVERVIEW

The Evergreen Scholar Program is a selective opportunity for students to experience Evergreen® companies, those rooted in Purpose, People-first leadership, and long-term thinking.

Selected students receive an all expenses paid trip to Phoenix, Arizona (October 20–23, 2026) to participate in Tugboat Institute’s® Fall Exemplar Visit, where they will get first hand exposure to one Evergreen company and learn directly from leaders who are building a 100+ year business. They will also compete in a Student Business Case “Hackathon” to give back fresh ideas to their hosts for the week.

For many students, this will be an introduction to a model of business that is often overlooked: one focused not on short-term exits, VC funding rounds, or hyper-growth, but on long-term responsibility to people, customers, and communities.

WHAT YOU’LL EXPERIENCE

As an Evergreen Scholar, you will:

• Travel to Phoenix, Arizona (all expenses covered)
• Engage with 100+ CEOs leading Evergreen companies
• Attend Tugboat Institute’s Fall Exemplar Visit: two and a half days of executive presentations, activities, and meals at Stotz Equipment, 2024 Evergreen Company of the Year®
• Participate in a Student Business Case “Hackathon” with fellow scholars
• See how the Evergreen 7Ps come to life inside a real organization
• Build meaningful connections with leaders and fellow students

APPLIED LEARNING: STUDENT BUSINESS CASE “HACKATON” 

As part of the experience, you will participate in a collaborative hackathon where you will:

• Work in teams with students from other universities
• Address a real business opportunity identified by Stotz Equipment
• Share innovative, thoughtful ideas grounded in the Evergreen 7Ps
• Receive real-time feedback from Evergreen leaders on your team’s proposed ideas

WHO SHOULD APPLY

We are looking for students who are:

• Thoughtful about the kind of leader they want to become, and the leaders they choose to work alongside and learn from
• Motivated to engage, ask questions, and contribute in a real-world setting
• Interested in Evergreen companies and inspired by a desire to support purpose-led, people-first businesses in their future work

PROGRAM DETAILS

• Location: Phoenix, Arizona
• Cost: Fully funded (includes travel, accommodations, and program participation)
• Program Dates: October 20–23, 2026
  • Arrival: Tuesday, October 20
  • Program begins Tuesday at 4 PM
  • Full participation required: Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday until 1 PM

• Two students from Oregon State University will be selected to join peers from Cornell, Washington University, and Kellogg, with two students from each institution forming a cohort of eight.
• Application Deadline: Monday, June 15, 2026

HOW TO APPLY

Please include the following information and documents in your application:

• Name
• Email address
• Major (or program of study)
• Resume
• How do you personally hope to benefit from your involvement in the Evergreen Scholar Program?

Email Applications to Ted Paterson, Ted.Paterson@oregonstate.edu

Application Deadline: Monday, June 15, 2026

WHAT IS AN EVERGREEN COMPANY

Evergreen companies represent a distinct approach to business that prioritizes Purpose, people, and long-term impact over short-term gains.

These are Private, Purpose-driven companies led by leaders committed to building organizations that last for generations.

The Evergreen 7Ps® principles define this approach in practice:

PURPOSE: Having a compelling reason for existing—a North Star above all else.

PERSEVERANCE: Having the ambition and resilience to overcome obstacles and keep pursuing the Purpose indefinitely into the future.

PEOPLE FIRST: Engaging a workforce of talented associates who excel as a team and are motivated by the Purpose and the culture, as well as the total compensation, in the belief that, by taking care of them, they will then take care of the customers, suppliers, partners, communities, and their families.

PRIVATE: Taking advantage of the ability of closely held private companies to have a longer-term view, greater confidentiality around strategies, and more operating flexibility than public or exit-oriented businesses.

PROFIT: Not mistaking profit as the Purpose of a business; but recognizing it is essential to survival and independence, and the most accurate measure of customer value delivered.

PACED GROWTH: Having the discipline to focus on long-term strategy, balance short-term and long-term performance, and grow steadily and consistently from year to year.

PRAGMATIC INNOVATION: Embracing a continuous-improvement process built around taking capital-efficient, calculated risks to innovate creatively within constraints.

WHAT IS THE TUGBOAT INSTITUTE 

Tugboat Institute supports and celebrates leaders of Evergreen companies. Our growing membership of 300+ CEOs and Presidents connect through intimate events, virtural forums, and exclusive content to share insitghts and inspiration on business, family, and and life.

WHAT IS THE TUGBOAT INSTITUTE FALL EXEMPLAR VISIT 

Each year, a Tugboat Institute member company opens its doors for a behind-the-scenes look at how an Evergreen company operates in practice. These experiences are known for their candor and practical takeaways for leaders of companies from all industries, ownership structures, and sizes—offering access rarely available in traditional business settings.

This year’s visit will be hosted by Stotz Equipment, a multigenerational family business and leading John Deere dealership based in Phoenix, Arizona. Led by CEO Tom Rosztoczy, Stotz is an example of an Evergreen company in practice.

QUESTIONS?

Email: Ted Paterson, Ted.Paterson@oregonstate.edu

Director, Center for Family Enterprise

Oregon State University, School of Business