COLUMBUS -- The Ohio State University announced today a five-year grant of more than $4.5 million from the Columbus, Ohio-based Nationwide Foundation, in support of a variety of programs and initiatives:

· College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences:

-- Ohio 4-H Center, creation of centralized program space $2,000,000

-- Center for Education and Economic Development (CEED) $300,000

-- Leadership Education and Development (LEAD) Program $100,000

· Max M. Fisher College of Business: Innovation Fund $1,000,000

· WOSU Stations: Digital format support $500,000

· Student Affairs:

-- Nationwide Living-Learning Community on Diversity and Public Service: DiversityTranscript and Certificate of Diversity Leadership ** $325,000

· Frank W. Hale Jr. Black Cultural Center:

-- Martin Luther King Jr. Lounge $250,000

· Critical Difference for Women Program:

-- Nationwide Re-Entry Scholarship for Women ** $100,000

"Nationwide has long been one of the university's most treasured community partners," said Ohio State President William E. Kirwan. "I am very pleased by this generous grant, which reflects our strong alliance, and I look forward to future Ohio State-Nationwide collaborations."

Nationwide's long tradition of support for Ohio State includes past grants to the Fisher College of Business; the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences; the Department of Athletics; WOSU Stations; the Wexner Center for the Arts; the Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute, including creation of the John L. Marakas/Nationwide Insurance Enterprise Foundation Chair in Cancer Research, currently held by Professor of Internal Medicine Michael Caligiuri, M.D.; and numerous other programs across campus.

"Nationwide is pleased to add a new chapter to its long history of supporting Ohio State," said Nationwide Chairman Dimon R. McFerson. "This gift represents the largest single grant that Nationwide has provided the university to date. It allows us to further our mutual heritage in agri-business, as well as to provide new support to other vital components of Ohio State."

This grant is part of Ohio State's ongoing fund-raising efforts following the success of its five-year, $1.23 billion "Affirm Thy Friendship" Campaign, which concluded on June 30, 2000.

The Nationwide Foundation is the charitable arm of Nationwide, a Fortune 500 company and one of the country's largest providers of diversified insurance and financial services. Nationwide and its more than 30,000 employees have a long-standing tradition of generous philanthropic support.

** All namings are subject to approval by The Ohio State University Board of Trustees.

Contact: Roger Addleman, University Development, (614) 292-3647 or addleman.1@osu.edu

or Elizabeth Stelzer, Nationwide, (614) 249-1025 or stelzer@nationwide.com

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