Ohio State Connect: Best of 2022
Ohio State Connect: Best of 2022
From celebrating Buckeye love to groundbreaking innovations in health care, your top 10 stories have one thing in common: They show evidence of our caring community of Buckeyes. Sit back and revisit these inspiring stories that helped shape our year and encourage us as we embark on 2023.
1. A Buckeye love story 70 years in the making
Mary Hoffman and Raymond Cunningham were married on October 10, 2021 at 94- and 96-years young, and like every Buckeye couple, they share lasting memories of their time at Ohio State. However, it took Mary and Raymond nearly 70 years after they graduated to meet. Read why special connections like this energize team members of the university’s Engagement Center.
2. Days make $1 million gift to fund mental health research at Ohio State
The Nina and Ryan Day Resilience Fund will support innovative research aimed at breaking mental health stigma and promoting resilience.
3. Top-tier internships
Landing a stellar internship has the power to change your entire career path. Don’t believe us? Just ask these inspiring Ohio State students.
Five Buckeyes discuss how landing their internships not only provided them with real-world experience, but also opened their eyes to new possibilities and propelled them toward their careers.
4. James CEO reflects on legendary oncology career
Dr. William Farrar’s storied career, which included more than 20,000 cancer surgeries, was shaped by his boundless compassion for patients, families and everyone he served.
5. 16 and healthy one minute…
Gigi Humeidan was the last person you’d think would need a heart transplant — until she collapsed at a family gathering, and a race against time began to save her life.
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. Four Buckeyes recognized with Ohio State’s highest awards for philanthropy and volunteerism
Tireless work. Boundless generosity. A passion and drive to make Ohio State shine. That’s what we honor with our two most prestigious philanthropic accolades, the Everett D. Reese Medal and John B. Gerlach Sr. Development Volunteer Award. Find out what inspires this year’s honorees, George and Tina Skestos, Catherine Baumgardner and Georgie Shockey.
Reese Medal recipients | Gerlach Award winners
7. Helping families combat food insecurity
Growing up, Mary Rodriguez didn’t think much about her family’s simple meals of rice and sausage or rice and a fried egg. But in hindsight, she realizes that her family experienced bouts of food insecurity. Now she’s helping to make sure other families don’t experience the same. Read how her work at Ohio State and beyond is giving new American families a proper start and putting healthy food on their tables.
8. The Soundtrack of a Buckeye’s Life
“We owe our whole lives to Ohio State and the College of Engineering,” says Dorie Eisenman ’72. Read the story of how Dorie’s time on campus shaped her motivation to give back.
9. Team Buckeye: Riding for a Cure
Kendra McCamey, MD, has participated in Pelotonia since the inaugural event in 2009. Her impact as a volunteer is immeasurable and she pulls double duty as a rider.
10. Engineering sustainable mobility solutions
From a kid with a love of Lego sets to a professor and mentor on the EcoCAR Mobility Challenge team, Shawn Midlam-Mohler has always loved to build, design and create.
See how he’s striving to build more sustainable vehicle technologies, and how his mentorship is helping to fuel the next generation of engineering marvels.