Valentine’s Day kicks off a day of giving in the name of Buckeye love

For Jim Smith, president of The Ohio State University Alumni Association, Buckeye love has a special meaning. Smith earned a master’s degree at Ohio State and also met his wife, Polly, at the university. Now Smith hopes fellow Buckeyes will join him on Valentine’s Day for the first-ever day of giving.

“On a day where passion is on people’s minds, it’s an opportunity to give back to their beloved university,” Smith said.

The day of giving is a 36-hour event for alumni, students and supporters of Ohio State to come together and donate to a favorite program or college. Starting at 8 a.m. on Feb. 14, the website supporting the Buckeye Love day of giving will go live, enabling supporters to donate to a list of colleges, schools and departments.

“When Buckeyes come together we can do great things,” Smith said.

There will also be an opportunity to multiply any gift. Donors have set up a series of challenges for matching opportunities. For example, Smith and his wife will be doubling donations for an hour during the campaign.

The day of giving is part of a month-long campaign for #BuckeyeLove. The #BuckeyeLove campaign is an effort to pay forward through good deeds. They can be as simple as carrying groceries for someone who needs help or treating a colleague to a cup of coffee.

Joyce Wagner, a project manager in the Office of Human Resources, has shared her own #BuckeyeLove, buying dinner for some fellow alumni. Wagner is not just a graduate – she has also worked at the university for more than 30 years. She plans to donate to scholarship funds on the day of giving.

“If there is even the slightest thing I can do to help someone else down the road not have to struggle the way we did – it’s so important,” she said.

This is the first year for the day of giving, but the goal is for it to become an annual tradition.

“I really hope this is the beginning of something that lasts a long time at Ohio State,” Smith said.

For questions about the day of giving or the #BuckeyeLove campaign visit the #BuckeyeLove website.