Ohio State welcomed its freshman class of Buckeyes — the largest class in university history, with an estimated 9,000 students — at Convocation Monday, the commencement ceremony.
After the Ohio State University Marching Band completed its round of lively songs as the freshmen arrived, Melissa Shivers, senior vice president for Student Life, opened the assembly with a lesson on how connected Ohio State is as a community.
“If you chant ‘OH-‘ you will undoubtedly get ‘IO’ in response,” Shivers said. “There is something very comforting about that. It means we are connected and part of a larger and stronger unit. It means we are a family. The other thing about the ‘OHI-O’ chant is that you just can’t do it alone.”
Shivers said that in times of division, a strong community is important.
“Showing respect and human kindness is becoming increasingly important and expected as we find ourselves in a time when, unfortunately, there is much that can divide us,” Shivers said. “With six campuses, tens of thousands of students, faculty and staff – not to mention more than half a million alumni around the world – we are also a very large family. It is always easy to find a fellow Buckeye community member.”
According to Shivers, the data shows that students who are involved on campus are more successful in their studies and in life.
“Students who participate in extracurricular activities are significantly more likely to connect with other Ohio State University students and faculty, feel a part of the Ohio State community, and report developing into leaders during their time at Ohio State University than their peers who do not participate,” Shivers said.
Shivers also said that those who are involved on campus, particularly as leaders in organizations, are three times more likely to be considered for a job and are rated by prospective employers as 18 percent more career-ready.
After Shivers finished her speech, Sabrina Durso, president of the Council of Graduate Students, took the microphone. Durso encouraged students to continue research and improve their teaching skills in her speech and also touched on what the Council of Graduate Students can offer the Buckeyes.
“We are the officially recognized Graduate Student Government of Ohio State, representing over 11,000 graduate students and more than 200 degree programs,” Durso said. “We offer tens of thousands of dollars in travel and continuing education grants each year, we host an annual research symposium for hundreds of Ohio State graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, and we actively participate in the shared governance of this university, providing our voice and engagement to ensure that the graduate student experience at Ohio State is the best it can be.”
Durso said that as a research assistant in the English department, she had experienced the “curiosity that exists in the minds of students.”
“I have witnessed all of you being able to have productive discussions that come from listening and learning from people who hold different views than you,” Durso said. “The magic is that these discussions are informed by compassion and empathy and can lead to innovative research, impactful engagement and valuable experiences that last long after the semester is over.”
Durso introduced university president Ted Carter Jr., who was to give the crowd advice about Ohio State’s opportunities, improving security resources and promoting civilized discussion.
“Ohio State’s size, scale and scope, along with our affordability, provide you with opportunities that few schools can offer and an advantage that will last a lifetime,” Carter said.
Carter further addressed the issue of safety, saying the university is “committed to creating a safe and supportive campus environment.”
“Safety is our top priority,” Carter said. “It is an area we will always focus on and something we should all keep top of mind as we begin the semester. The University has resources to assist you in this area. I hope you will learn about them and use them as needed. I also hope you will learn about and abide by the laws and University rules and standards that are designed to keep us all safe and ensure that we can learn and discover what we all came here to do.”
Carter said Ohio State will not only challenge students academically, but also provoke difficult discussions or disagreements.
“You will also be challenged to engage with new ideas and new points of view, to think critically and sometimes to respectfully disagree,” Carter said. “One of Ohio State’s great strengths is the incredible diversity of backgrounds and perspectives we bring together. It gives us the opportunity to broaden and deepen our understanding of the world. This diversity also means that events around the world and near us affect members of our community differently and profoundly. So when we share our views, it is important to do so with grace and respect.”
Carter said the university is launching a new program called Listen. Learn. Discuss. – a “centralized resource that helps us develop skills that promote civilized discourse while providing us with the opportunity to put it into practice.”
The second to last speaker at the gathering was Molly Ranz-Calhoun, president and CEO of the Ohio State Alumni Association. Ranz-Calhoun encouraged students to make their time at Ohio State meaningful.
“Get involved,” Ranz-Calhoun said. “As the president and Dr. Shivers have mentioned, we have student organizations. Learn a new skill, learn an instrument or a new language. You will meet people who share your passions and you will form close friendships that will last a lifetime. Take advantage of the academic resources available to you, delve deeper into topics that interest you outside the classroom, attend a guest lecture or participate in a research project.”
Ranz-Calhoun said Ohio State’s alumni network is always available to support new Buckeyes.
“From the moment you step foot on one of our wonderful campuses, you become part of this incredible Ohio State family with more than 600,000 alumni around the world ready to support and celebrate you,” Ranz-Calhoun said. “As you begin this chapter of your Ohio State story, you will quickly discover what it means to be a Buckeye for life.”
The meeting concluded with remarks from Bobby McAlpine, President of the Undergraduate Student Government (USG).
McAlpine said his first year at Ohio State was filled with personal challenges, including the loss of his grandmother and best friend, as well as battling Type 1 diabetes. Fortunately, McAlpine said, the Ohio State community helped him through that difficult time.
“It was the people at Ohio State, the culture, the family at Ohio State that kept me afloat,” McAlpine said. “During this time of pain, my friends from the undergraduate student government and Morrill Scholars community stood by me, made me meals, took me outside. They offered me a shoulder to cry on.”
McAlpine said Ohio State’s sense of family can help students overcome stressful situations.
“It’s no secret that we are entering a very volatile time, not only in our country but at colleges and universities and higher education across the country,” McAlpine said. “We are entering a major election year, we are in the midst of multiple geopolitical conflicts, we are just coming out of a pandemic that has literally brought our world to a standstill. I came here today to tell all of you that you have now joined a family. We may disagree at times, we may not always agree, but at the end of the day, we know we are a family. That’s what’s special. That’s what’s special about Ohio State.”
