Generous Buckeye community exceeds goal: More to benefit as we continue
Time and Change: The Ohio State Campaign was the university’s most ambitious in its history.
After its private phase launched in 2016, then its public phase in 2019, Buckeye supporters made it a rousing success.
More than 800,000 donors generously stepped forward to contribute to the campaign, which drew to a conclusion this spring. If you were among those who gave to the College of Education and Human Ecology between 2016 and spring of 2025, you played an indispensable role in the unprecedented amount raised.
The college’s remarkable alumni and friends contributed a total of $89.3 million, far surpassing our original goal of $60 million.
“Your generosity has propelled us beyond our initial goal, creating opportunities that transform lives today and safeguard dreams for tomorrow,” said Don Pope-Davis, dean of the college.
Gifts for immediate use spark instant change, for instance by paying tuition for deserving students. Others, like bequests, shape the future, ensuring that programs and people will continue to thrive. Large, endowed gifts grow steadily, their impact unfolding year by year. A fraction, typically 4.5%, is available annually to fuel progress.
“We have much to celebrate, and much yet to do,” Pope-Davis said. “You ensure that we continue to build, to dream, to strive — because a university education is a living legacy, and together, we make our students, our alumni, stronger with every step forward. The future is waiting. Let’s keep going.”
Gifts of all sizes make a difference
Alicia Willis has been a senior instructional design specialist with the Curriculum and Training team at the college’s Center on Education and Training for Employment (CETE) of 12 years.
She designs and develops instructional programs, provides curriculum recommendations and consults on curriculum and instructional design projects.
Willis uses automatic payroll deductions to give monthly to several university funds. The process allows her to donate amounts she can afford while keeping her monthly income stable.
“I give monthly to a CETE fund for collaborative events at the center for our associates,” she said.
“Typical uses of the fund are for staff appreciation, employee recognition and events,” said Traci Lepicki, associate director of Operations and Strategic Initiatives for the center.
“In the future, we aim to grow it to support strategic initiatives aligned with our mission, such as workforce transformation, expanding community partnerships and integrating artificial intelligence in education and training.”
Like Willis, many at CETE contribute, and anyone can give if they wish, to the Center on Education and Training for Employment Fund.
“I also give to the college’s Homeless Youth Research Fund to support OSU’s services to homeless youth in the community,” Willis said.
Natasha Slesnick, whose work is supported by the fund, is a professor of human development and family science and associate dean for the Office of Research. Since arriving at the college in 2004, she has studied the needs of the city’s little-recognized population of homeless young people ages 14-24.
“Many experience homelessness through no choice or fault of their own,” Slesnick said. “I founded Star House, the 24-7 drop-in center for youth experiencing homelessness. There, they receive guidance in finding permanent shelter and other essential resources.”
“The fund supports us in engaging young people experiencing homelessness in research and innovative initiatives at Star House, all aimed to end their homelessness and its intersecting challenges,” she said. “The fund helps drive forward creative solutions while empowering youth themselves to participate in finding those solutions.”
Benefits of current use funds and endowments
Alumnus Rick Postle and Rosemary Postle have given to the college for years.
The couple created two funds to support the Hospitality Management program:
- The Rick and Rosemary Postle Endowed Scholarship Fund, for undergraduate students majoring in Hospitality Management
- The Rick and Rosemary Postle Scholarship Fund, a current-use fund to support any student majoring in Hospitality Management
At the college’s recent scholarship celebration, where donors were invited to meet with their student recipients, Rick Postle explained his and Rosemary’s reasons for giving.
“When we support the college and Ohio State, we are investing in the future of today’s and tomorrow’s students who will become leaders in boundless career opportunities in education, business, healthcare and physical fitness, government and beyond,” he said.
“Their success is our shared success, built on the back of philanthropy.”
“First, we feel it is our responsibly to help others,” he said. “Second, as third-generation Buckeyes, we appreciate the foundation for success that OSU has provided our family.”
“Third, we admire the leadership of EHE – emanating from the dean’s office to the classrooms. And finally, we are continuously impressed by our students.”
Postle, currently the founder and CEO of Capitol Dough, Inc., a restaurant investment company, graduated from Ohio State’s Fisher College of Business. He adopted the Hospitality Management program, he said, because he has spent 50+ years in the restaurant industry.
His formative years were in Columbus with Wendy’s, where he ascended to its president in the United States and Canada. He also was instrumental in the growth of Panera Bread, for which he was the company’s first president.
Today, he gives his talent to the college as well by serving his second term on the Hospitality Management Advisory Board. He is also the college’s representative on the university’s Alumni Advisory Council and an ex-officio member of the Education and Human Ecology Alumni Society Board of Governors.
“I guess you could sum up our giving philosophy in four small but powerful words: ‘We love Ohio State.’ Add to that, the foundation of our giving is, ‘We invest in people.’”
How scholarships make a difference in students’ lives
Donovan Tabon, currently a talent coordinator for Chick-Fil-a, was awarded the Rick and Rosemary Postle Scholarship during the 2023-24 academic year. “I received my Certificate in Hospitality and Retail Leadership thanks in large part to the Rick and Rosemary Postle Scholarship,” he said. “I was able to balance my work and personal life while continuing my education without having to worry about finances.”
“I gained essential leadership, communication and customer service skills from the program. As a result, I have been able to step into a leadership position at my workplace and make a more significant contribution to my team. My professional development and future aspirations have been profoundly impacted by this scholarship.”
Tabon also received the Virginia Hutchison Bazler Scholarship the same year. More than one scholarship helps to augment coverage of students’ tuition.
Alumna gives for 70 consecutive years, longest in Ohio State history
Fern Ensminger Hunt graduated from the college with her bachelor’s degree in 1948 in human nutrition. She became a research staff member with the rank of instructor and enjoyed a joint appointment with Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center with the university. Soon after, she began part-time work for her master’s and, later, the PhD degree.
Upon receiving that degree, she was promoted to assistant professor, followed in due time by associate professor and full professor ranks.
From 1954, when she completed her master’s, she has given every single year in increasing amounts.
In fact, she is known as the one donor who has given for the most consecutive years in the history of the university. Seamless giving for seven decades.
Hunt was appreciated and admired for her teaching, research and service until her 1988 retirement. Today she continues to be an enthusiastic Buckeye.
One fund to which she has given annually in the past is the Jean S. Bowers/Fern E. Hunt Fellowship Fund. It was established in 1983 by alumni, faculty and friends of the two colleagues to honor them at their retirements. The fund supports graduate students in the Department of Human Sciences.
“I donate to scholarship funds to support students working toward a degree,” Hunt said, “because I know from experience how much even small gifts can help and encourage needy students. So, giving — when my education has enabled me to have enough to share — has been an easy decision.”
Scholarship provided grad student with gift of time
Abbey Bartosiak Ison, ’22 PhD Consumer Sciences, is a senior pricing analyst for Safelite Autoglass and helps create content for a successful food and lifestyle blog, What Molly Made. She also brings her expertise in consumer behavior-based marketing and social media strategy expertise to the college each academic year as a lecturer.
“The Bowers/Hunt Fellowship gave me the incredible gift of time and focus,” she said. “Before receiving it, I was working three jobs to make ends meet while also working on my dissertation. This fellowship provided the financial support I needed to fully dedicate myself to my research.”
“Because of this opportunity, I was able to finish my dissertation with clarity and energy and ended up winning the Distinguished Dissertation Award from the college for the Department of Human Sciences!”
Education leaders benefit from fund created by former dean, educator spouse
The late Professor Emeritus Luvern L. Cunningham and Lila Carol Cunningham created an endowed fund, the Luvern L. Cunningham and Lila Carol Cunningham Governance of Education Fund, in 2016, when the Time and Change Campaign began. The fund’s purpose is to support graduate students studying in the Educational Administration program.
Cunningham was recruited to the faculty in 1967 to lead the College of Education as dean. He had been a teacher, a school superintendent and faculty member at three other universities before arriving in Ohio.
He served as dean until 1973, when he stepped down to pursue new projects as a professor. He retired in 1989. Then, he and Lila Carol launched Leadership Development Associates to provide expert guidance regarding the governance and management of schools.
The pair had met when Cunningham was hired as a consultant to help solve problems of the New Rochelle, New York, school district. Lila Carol was president of that district’s board of education. She had a master’s degree in education from Columbia University Teachers College and an extensive career in educational projects.
Among her positions, she was a senior research associate with the Office of Government and Public Affairs, National Institute of Education, U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare. Her assignment was to monitor large-scale educational research and development projects. One of her most significant efforts, she said, was helping to clarify court-ordered monitoring in school desegregation cases.
In Columbus, among her various endeavors, she was a research specialist for Ohio State’s Mershon Center for Public Policy and National Security for several years, as well as director of St. Joseph Montessori School during a time of student population expansion.
She got involved with her husband’s graduate students based on her education background. “I started working with them, and I was impressed by their quality and commitment,” she said recently. “We saw they were mature, many with families needing support, so we felt that funds to help with their educational expenses would mean a lot.”
“We created the fund out of loyalty to the college and its mission,” she said.
The fund continues in perpetuity, thanks to the couple’s commitment to preparing future education leaders. Students currently may choose a master’s, PhD or EdD degree in Educational Administration.
“We wanted to give for sustained value,” she said. “That is a principle of ours, to sustain people.”
Educational administration graduate describes scholarship benefits
Hadley F. Bachman, ’23 PhD Educational Administration, received support from the Cunningham Scholarship in autumn of 2022 and spring of 2023. Since graduating, she has served as a consultant with the college’s Ohio Statewide Family Engagement Center grant.
“Luvern Cunningham’s commitment to productive dialogue and principled leadership through challenging times continues to inspire my work today,” Bachman said. “The scholarship I received through the Cunninghams’ generosity enabled me to explore the nature of educators’ efficacy beliefs for collaborating with families.”
“Following Dr. Cunningham’s example, I believe it is essential for educators and parents to communicate effectively and respectfully, even in times of disagreement, to improve the education and lives of children.”
“Their generous support not only made my studies at Ohio State possible, but it also laid the foundation for my ongoing work to strengthen family-school partnerships and create more inclusive, collaborative educational communities.”
No matter their individual focus, gifts to Ohio State all support Buckeye dreams, helping students, faculty and staff fulfill the college’s mission. They advance knowledge and create the next generation of leaders who contribute to making the world a better place for all.
