Ohio State first-year students “Get on the Bus” for a special Columbus welcome

Members of The Ohio State University class of 2016 – all 7,000 of them – will experience Columbus through a pep-rally style program on Monday (8/20) designed to introduce students to the City of Columbus on their first full day on campus. The goal is to help the students see that Columbus is more than the place where they go to college; it is a global community with a wealth of opportunity.

Students will be transported from campus to Nationwide Arena, where they will see a high-energy multi-media production featuring key community and business leaders and Ohio State alumni.

WHAT: Ohio State is mobilizing 7,000 first-year students to Nationwide Arena for a unique welcome to Columbus.

WHO: Dr. E. Gordon Gee, Mayor Michael B. Coleman, Columbus business and community leaders, Ohio State University alumni.

WHEN: Monday, August 20.
Ohio State President E. Gordon Gee, Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman and Columbus Partnership CEO Alex Fischer will be available for interviews at 1:45 p.m., prior to the program.

Media should arrive by 1:15 p.m. and meet inside the 24 hr. security area; you will be escorted to the suite level to set up for the 1:45 p.m. availability.

The program will begin about 2:15 p.m. Students begin leaving campus on busses at 11:45 a.m., following Convocation at St. John Arena (100 busses will make two trips to transport students) and begin returning to campus at about 3:30 p.m.

WHERE: Nationwide Arena, 200 W. Nationwide Blvd.