Each semester, Ohio Staters, Inc. sponsors numerous projects seeking to improve the welfare of Ohio State students and promote the traditions of the university. Currently, OSI is working on the projects listed below. Check them out to see how Ohio Staters, Inc. is working hard to make Ohio State an inclusive, enjoyable and tradition-filled University for all!
Brutus EvOHlution
Brutus EvOHlution will depict an artistic timeline highlighting the evolution of Brutus the Buckeye. Through this creative display, Buckeyes can explore how Brutus has transformed over the years, reflecting on the growth, spirit, and change that each student experiences throughout their own Ohio State journey.
Buckeye Bucket List
This project compiles memorable and key aspects of campus culture into a bucket list, giving students an easy way to engage with the university’s rich traditions and opportunities.
Colonel Converse Memorial
This project creates and installed a biographical plaque to commemorate Colonel Converse, the namesake of Converse Hall. Colonel Converse was an early professor of Military Science at Ohio State who helped establish the ROTC program nationally by co-authoring the Ohio Plan, along with Pres. Thompson, Gen. Edward Orton Jr., and OSU alumnus Ralph D. Mershon which laid the groundwork for the National Defense Act.
Hang on Sloopy
Hang on Sloopy installed hammock posts around mirror lake as an alternative to using trees. This also promotes student wellness through creating more spots for students to hammock and encouraging spending time outdoors.
In the Swing of Things
In the Swing of Things is a project to install swings around campus.
The university is planning to place swings on residential campuses so we are focusing on locations around academic campus. We received an invoice with prices to know an estimate of the cost. We are now looking at possible locations and determining how many swings we want to install.
Jesse Owens’ Oak
The Jesse Owens Tree project honors the legacy of Ohio State alumnus and Olympic champion Jesse Owens by planting a sapling grown from the last known tree planted in his honor after the 1936 Olympic Games. The original tree near Thompson Library was never identified, but this new sapling was grown from the final verified tree near Rhodes High School in Cleveland. This oak will ensure his legacy continues to thrive on campus. A commemorative plaque will mark the site.
Little Free Libraries
Little Free Libraries is a campus-wide construction project intended to promote literacy and readership across the university in the form of book exchange installations. We have already finished a library on the second floor of the Union and are currently in the process of installing one in Denney Hall! This project is being undertaken with support from the English Department and the College of Arts & Sciences
Pandemic Heroes
Pandemic Heroes aims to honors the strength and resilience of the Buckeye community, healthcare personnel, and essential workers during the pandemic while acknowledging its lasting impact on campus life. The project envisions a plaque installation inside Jesse Owens North.
Scarlet Stride
The ScarLit Stride will be a nighttime 5K designed to unite the Ohio State community through fitness, school spirit, and celebration. Illuminated in lights, the race invites students of all fitness levels to come together for an exciting evening run that showcases Buckeye pride and promotes welfare.
University Redesign Museum
This new project, scoped by Eli Burgett, aims to switch out the display cases in University Hall with an updated display! The new displays would showcase Ohio State’s athletic history and improvements in diversity.
Wish Upon a Beloved Buckeye
Wish Upon a Beloved Buckeye is a project to install a buckeye statue on the South Oval to commemorate OSU students and faculty who passed during their time here. This buckeye statue will be installed when the South Oval is repaved and will include a way for those passing by to leave donations and/or wishes. We recently got sculpture designs and a cost estimate from Columbus artist Virginia Kistler!
Zumba in the Shoemba
We want to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the first Group Fitness class at Ohio State by hosting a large fitness class in the ‘Shoe. We are coordinating with Rec Sports and Facility events to find a date in the spring. Student instructors will lead participants in a Zumba class, and there will be giveaways and an opportunity for photos on the field and with Brutus!