Eddie George returns to The Ohio State University

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At a research-scale combustion unit at Ohio State University, engineers are testing a clean coal technology that harnesses the energy of coal chemically, without burning it. Here, doctoral student Elena Chung (left) and master's student Samuel Bayham (right) display chunks of coal along with pulverized coal (bottle, center) and the iron oxide beads (bottle, right) that enable the chemical reaction. Photo by Jo McCulty, courtesy of Ohio State University.

The Ohio State University today announced that Eddie George has returned to his alma mater to serve as assistant vice president for business advancement. George will work with multiple internal and external university constituencies to increase awareness of health and wellness initiatives, support the efforts to engage alumni and friends in the life of the university, assist with fundraising, alumni relations, and communications for Ohio State, and work with student-athletes as determined by the athletics director.

“Eddie brings such a breadth of talent to the university, and his entrepreneurial spirit, business experience and leadership skills are great assets to our ongoing work,” said E. Gordon Gee, president of The Ohio State University. “Having Eddie return to our team is a great coup for the university.”

George will also support personalized medicine initiatives, sports business education and work with student-athletes on personal and professional development. He will report to Jeff Kaplan, senior vice president and executive officer to President Gee.

“Eddie’s unique accomplishments – at Ohio State and beyond – enable him to extend the reach of our efforts to new and existing university partners and alliances in powerful ways,” said Kaplan. “His commitment to the well-being of young people will make him a strong mentor for our current students, and his work with alumni and friends across the country will be a powerful asset.”

During the past decade, George has built multiple businesses around developing healthy people and healthy places. As an entrepreneur and radio and television personality, George continues to make an impact in the communities where he does business and beyond.

George, a 2001 graduate of Ohio State, earned his bachelor’s degree in landscape architecture. He is also a graduate of the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, earning his MBA in 2009.

“It is such an honor and privilege to be able to work for Ohio State, which gave me so much and helped me grow personally and professionally.” said George. “I am grateful to have the opportunity to apply what I‘ve learned from my academic and football journey while at the university, along with the work I’ve been doing in the world of business, to support the transformative initiatives happening at my alma mater.”

While at Ohio State, George was awarded the Heisman Trophy (1995). He was drafted in the first round of the National Football League, where he led the Tennessee Titans to Super Bowl XXXIV in 2000. In 2011, he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

About The Ohio State University
Founded in 1870, The Ohio State University is a world-class public research university and the leading comprehensive teaching and research institution in the state of Ohio. With more than 63,000 students (including 56,000 in Columbus), the Wexner Medical Center, 14 colleges, 80 centers and 175 majors, the university offers its students tremendous breadth and depth of opportunity in the liberal arts, the sciences, and the professions.