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#ThisisOhioState

August 30, 2014

Check out this year’s game day television spot: #ThisisOhioState. Catching a game in the Shoe this season? Check the scoreboard for points of pride about Ohio State.


A 30-second television spot only begins to tell the Ohio State story. Here are 30 facts about this great university.

1. A long Buckeye heritage: We’ve officially called ourselves Buckeyes since 1950, when the university’s Athletic Council formally adopted the term, but the name dates back to before the turn of the century.

2. Ohio State started small: On Sept. 17, 1873, a mere 24 students met at the old Neil farm just 2 miles north of Columbus. Today, nearly 64,000 students are earning a world-class education at Ohio State.

3. #BuckeyesGive: The new Office of Volunteer Relations — among the first of its kind in the nation — will make it easier for alumni, faculty, staff and friends of Ohio State to find volunteer opportunities of interest.

4. Record number of Fulbright Scholars: Dozens of students and faculty take their research and studies abroad as part of the prestigious program. Ohio State was the nation’s top producer of Fulbrights in 2013-14. 

5. Green power champs: Ohio State officially uses more green power than any other school in the Big Ten. In 2013-14, Ohio State used nearly 134 million kilowatt-hours of green power, avoiding carbon dioxide emissions equivalent to more than 19,000 passenger vehicles per year.

6. Creating a cancer-free world: The James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute already is home to nearly 300 cancer scientists working to eradicate cancer. When its new, state-of-the-art facility opens this fall, it will mean more cancer survivors. 

7. Buckeye student-athletes lead: Ohio State placed a conference-high 88 student-athletes on the 2014 Big Ten Distinguished Scholars list, recognizing their 3.7 or higher grade point averages. Thirteen of those Buckeyes posted perfect 4.0 GPAs.

8. THE wasn’t always a thing: In 1870, state lawmakers established the Ohio Agricultural and Mechanical College. In 1878, the college's name was changed to The Ohio State University.

9. Improving food security and economy: By finding ways to enhance food safety, the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center has the potential to save as much as $532 million in economic losses to Ohio and prevent as many as 492,000 Ohioans from contracting a foodborne illness.

10. Tops in global education: One of only four universities to receive the 2014 Senator Paul Simon Award for Comprehensive Internationalization, Ohio State is an education destination for more than 6,000 international students and offers scores of study abroad programs and learning opportunities for students.

11. Record support: A record 233,185 donors have supported fundraising efforts benefiting the work of students and faculty.

12. Rivals and partners: We’re fierce on the field — but team players on the big issues. Earlier this year, Ohio State and the University of Michigan teamed up for high-tech materials and job creation.

13. Home of invention: The slow-moving vehicle sign, Drumstick and feline leukemia vaccine all started here.

14. Engineering a new auto age: Ohio State’s Center for Automotive Research is a leader in research focusing on energy, safety and the environment, with opportunities for students from all kinds of disciplines to study and compete in Motorsports Student Projects, like the Buckeye Bullet and OSU EcoCAR.

15. Changing lives in Ethiopia: Through its One Health initiative, the university’s seven health sciences colleges are working with educators and researchers in Ethiopia to improve the survival rate of cervical cancer patients; control and prevent the spread of rabies; and improve food security and safety.

16. An “island campus” in the Midwest: Ohio State’s Stone Laboratory on Lake Erie is the oldest freshwater biological field station in the United States.

17. Gridiron greatness: Ohio State boasts the only two-time Heisman Trophy-winner in college football history. Archie Griffin is the president and CEO of Ohio State’s Alumni Association. In 2013, he was named the Rose Bowl’s All-Century Player. 

18. A storied, sustainable stadium: Ohio Stadium is one of the most recognizable landmarks in college sports. The Shoe was built in 1922 and renovated in 2001. It’s also the largest stadium in the county to achieve zero waste, diverting more than 90 percent of “trash” from landfills through recycling and composting.

19. No. 4 in Peace Corps rankings: Ohio State is a top producer for the Peace Corps, with more than 80 graduates currently serving around the world. More than 1,706 Buckeyes have served overseas since 1961.

20. A great school for veterans: The Pat Tillman Foundation selected Ohio State as a university partner in its Tillman Military Scholars program, which provides educational scholarships for veterans, active-duty service members and their spouses. There’s a full range of support services for veterans.

21. Brutus hasn’t always smiled: The 1968 version of the mascot used to change emotion — smiling or frowning – depending on how the Buckeyes were playing.

22. Nurturing first-generation students: The Young Scholars Program is a recipient of the prestigious Magrath Community Engagement Award. Focusing on high school students in Ohio's largest urban school districts, the program has produced more than 800 first-generation college graduates since 1988.

23. Oscar-winning alumni: Grads of Ohio State’s trailblazing Advanced Computing Center for the Arts and Design have gone on to work at studios like DreamWorks and Pixar, where they've helped create animated blockbusters, including Brave, the Ice Age series and Life of Pi. 

24. Faculty who are film rock stars: Filmmaker Mitchell Rose and choreographer Bebe Miller, both from the Department of Dance, worked with 50 filmmakers in 23 countries to produce the crowd-sourced film Globe Trot. It’s won five festival awards.

25. #BuckeyeLove happens here: Legend has it that an uninterrupted, hand-in-hand stroll along the Oval’s “Long Walk” with your beloved guarantees you’ll remain in love forever.

26. Collaborating around the world: Through its three Global Gateways and projects like the Global Innovation Initiative, Ohio State is fostering faculty exchanges, collaborative research and goodwill around the globe.

27. Foliage fact: Ohio’s buckeye tree is one of 13 recognized members of the genus Aesculus. Seven are native to North America, one to Europe and five to Asia.

28. Making a difference across Ohio: Our five regional campuses and 88 extension offices throughout the Buckeye State are delivering on the university’s land-grant mission.

29. Social savvy: Ohio State is ranked No. 9 in the nation for universities using social media. Check out the shared experiences of Buckeye Nation @OhioState. Like Ohio State on Facebook, and check out our Instagram account for daily doses of Buckeye pride. 

30. More than 500,000 living alumni: And they are proud. Evidence: the 14,000-plus O-H-I-O photos Buckeyes around the world have sent – so far.