In the depths of the Great Depression, a group of student leaders and University administration saw a great need to improve campus spirit. Their solution was to create a unique organization of “Thinkers, Believers, and Doers in and about The Ohio State University.” This group, unlike others that failed in the thirties and during the Second World War, has prospered throughout the last 75 years, making unparalleled contributions to the physical and cultural growth of The Ohio State University.
The founders, young, active men with a tremendous interest in all aspects of campus life, began meeting in 1933. They believed in leaving their community a better place than they found it and exemplified that belief by a lifelong commitment to the University. They were: Edward S. “Beanie” Drake, Charles W. Ebersold, John B. Fullen, Howard L. Hamilton, James C.B. Handley, Fred J. Milligan, William F. North, Leo Gordon Staley, and Oscar L. Thomas.
The founders called their organization Ohio Staters. They met informally into 1934, but as projects accumulated, they realized the need for more continuity and structure. Toward the end of that year, Fred Milligan was asked to draft a constitution that was subsequently adopted. It called for an organization of forty-five men: thirty-six students and nine members of the faculty and administration. Today, the membership is set at fifty men and women: thirty-six students and fourteen members of the faculty and staff or alumni.
As early as the 1934-35 school years, the group's projects began to involve significant financial commitments. Looking forward to even larger undertakings, the organization decided to file with the State of Ohio as a non-profit corporation. The Articles of Incorporation were prepared by Fred Milligan and filed on March 2, 1935. The incorporators were Charles W. Ebersold, Howard L. Hamilton, and Fred J. Milligan. As far as it is known, Ohio Staters, Inc. is the only local student organization to be incorporated.
After the constitution was adopted, the group expanded rapidly to full strength. Ohio Staters, Inc. began taking on projects of all shapes and sizes. These projects impacted many aspects of University life, including (but not limited to): physical campus improvements, spirit and traditions, Ohio State history, entertainment and the arts, travel opportunities, recruitment of future students, educational growth, and service towards the surrounding community.
Since its beginning, Ohio Staters has been financially independent. To provide the needed funds for projects, all Staters throughout the years have participated in fundraising efforts. True to the founders' principles, these projects have been University oriented and have provided a service to the members of the University family. Before World War II, it was the travel bureau, which organized trips for students to away football games and holiday excursions, and immediately after the war it was the Marching Band records sold at football games. In 1958, Staters initiated its longest-running fundraising project: the sale of seat cushions at football games. To this day, seat cushions, the Marching Band CDs, and ponchos provide the majority of the organization's operating funds.
Many of Ohio State's memorable programs and traditions were started by Staters during the 1950's. To promote Buckeye spirit, train trips to the Michigan football game and the Rose Bowl were organized, and the student cheering section, Block O, was resurrected to the independent organization it is today. Campus tours were arranged for new freshman students, and the Rally Wagons, which were two large trucks equipped with a PA system, became the premier way to gain campus publicity. Ohio Staters also sponsored the Ted Mack Original Amateur Radio Hour. Due to the high quality of the show, which was also successful in raising funds for cancer research, it was taken to New York for a screening for Ted Mack's Television Show. One of the most lasting and worthwhile projects of the organization also began in the 1950s. In conjunction with the classes of 1950 and 1951, Staters initiated the Student Leadership Endowment Fund, which made annual awards to student leaders. This award was combined with the Beanie Drake Fund in 1974, and continues to be awarded to involved student leaders today.
The 1960s saw a continuation of strong projects within the organization. The Distinguished Speaker Series, which brought many notable figures to speak on campus, was started, and numerous concerts were booked to fill St. John Arena and the Mershon Auditorium. The entertainers ranged from Louis Armstrong to Simon and Garfunkel, and Staters continued to bring in popular acts until the early 1970s when a separate campus entertainment organization was established. Other projects were geared toward physical campus improvement, such as the addition of campus signs and maps, and travel, with a holiday excursion to New York City.
The 1970s were a time of great change for Ohio Staters. In 1973, Maureen Malone Dargusch became the first female member to be admitted to the organization, and just two years later, Staters elected their first female president. The Twilight Jazz Series was started, and continued to bring popular outdoor music performances until the 1990s. Another notable project was the All-American Buckeye Grove, in which Buckeye trees were planted in the grove to honor Ohio State's All-American football players.
In 1985, Ohio Staters, Inc. celebrated its 50th Anniversary. A reunion weekend was held in October to allow Staters, past and present, the chance to connect with one another, as well as reflect on the many contributions that had been made to the University. The fun-filled weekend included a football game, a banquet, and the dedication of the Browning Amphitheater Outdoor Performance Center. The Performance Center was financed primarily by contributions from Stater alumni, with generous help from the University, the Browning alumni, and the active Staters group. All told, Stater alumni and active students contributed over $140,000. The 64 percent of living alumni who contributed was almost unprecedented in university group solicitations, and reflected the life-long dedication of Ohio Staters to the University. The Performance Center was the single largest gift Staters had given to the University, and it has since become a prominent University landmark
In addition to the Outdoor Performance Center, other physical improvement projects such as the addition of bus stop signs and the cleaning of trophies and monuments occurred during this decade. The Freshman Leadership Forum and the World's Largest Buck-I-Robics were also successful Stater projects that took place during the 1980s. Additionally, Staters' involvement with the Ohio Wheel Chair Games began in the 1980s. By coordinating hundreds of volunteers, preparing meals, and providing awards, Staters demonstrated their commitment not only to the University, but to the larger community as a whole.
Activity continued into the 1990s with a number of successful projects, including the large undertaking of the planning designing, and fundraising for the University Museum. Ohio Staters once again solicited alumni, current Staters, and members of the University to create the initial displays and remodel a room in University Hall to house artifacts that would otherwise never be put on display for the University community. The museum first opened in 1999, was relocated, and reopened again in 2007. Staters also organized and produced an Off-Campus Housing Guide entitled “Gimme Shelter,” which served as a resource for students moving out of the residence halls and into an off-campus home or apartment.
Staters has continued to be a thriving and productive organization into the new millennium. “Light Up the Lake,” a project which hangs seasonal lights around Mirror Lake, has become a new annual tradition for the Ohio State community. Similarly, Becoming A Nut, a program designed to teach first year students the history and traditions of Ohio State, has become an event that reaches over 200 freshman every year. Other projects from this decade include the re-founding of the Sportsmanship Council, which works to promote sportsmanship in and around the Ohio State community, and Buckeye Bikes, which is a free bike-share program for Ohio State students.
In 2002, the organization expanded with the formation of the Ohio Staters Alumni Society. The Ohio Staters Alumni Society is comprised of former students, faculty and staff members of Ohio Staters who wish to continue to serve the University, as well as reconnect former members who have long since gone their separate ways since attending Ohio State.
Jack Fullen's original motto, “Thinkers, Believers, and Doers in and about The Ohio State University” still describes Ohio Staters, Inc. today. As the organization approaches its 75th Anniversary, it is a wonderful time to reflect on the many ways Staters have bettered their University, as well as envision its promising future as an unequaled student service organization for many years to come.