The Lantern — Commencement Edition 2026

THELANTERN CommencementEdition2026

CAMPUS

On page 4 On page 7 On page 13

Professor placed on leave after assaulting journalist Wexner’s name on campus

Reflecting on the 2025 Michigan game

E. Roe Stamps IV announced as Spring commencement speaker

Audrey Coleman Managing Editor of Design

This story was originally published April 16, and updated for the commencement edition.

Ohio State’s 2026 spring commencement speaker will be E. Roe Stamps IV, philanthropist and founder of the Stamps Scholars Program.

Stamps established the Stamps Scholars Program, an initiative that works to provide students with scholarships at over 30 universities across the world, according to an Ohio State press release. At Ohio State, around 50 students are awarded a Stamps Eminence Scholarship through the program.

He is also the co-founder of venture capital firm Summit Partners, a Boston-based private equity firm, according to the release.

“It is a true honor to deliver the 2026 commencement address to The Ohio State University’s graduating class,” Stamps said in the release. “Ohio State is an extraordinary institution, and through the Stamps Scholars partnership with the university, our family has had the privilege of getting to know many remarkable Buckeye students. I look forward to being on campus and celebrating alongside the graduates as they mark this important milestone and begin the next chapter of their journeys.”

Stamps received his undergraduate degree from Georgia Institute of Technology and an MBA

from Harvard Business School.

Additionally, Stamps is a former Lieutenant in the United States Navy Reserve, as stated on the scholars website.

In 1984, Stamps co-founded Summit Partners with Steve Woodsum, until he transferred operations across several partners in 2001. In over 550 companies, Summit Partners has over $44 billion in assets, according to the company website.

Outside of the Stamps Scholars Program, Stamps has connections to the University of Miami, the Make-a-Wish Foundation of Southern Florida, Miami Lighthouse for the Blind and is a trustee emeritus of the Georgia Tech Foundation, the press release said.

“We look forward to welcoming Roe Stamps to our university to share words of wisdom with the Class of 2026,” President Ravi V. Bellamkonda said in the release. “Roe is a champion for the transformative power of higher education, and he has been an extraordinary partner in building a tradition of excellence at Ohio State. His lessons on service and creating impact will be of great value to our graduates as they prepare to take their next steps.”

Stamps will be awarded an honorary Doctor of Public Service degree, with Tahlman Krumm Jr. and Edgar Lampert receiving the university’s Distinguished Service Award.

Key details of Carter’s inappropriate relationship

Davis Beatty, Audrey Coleman and Lauren Savitsky Managing Campus Editor, Managing Editor of Design and Lantern Reporter

This story was originally published April 21, and updated for the commencement edition.

Former President Walter “Ted”

Carter Jr.’s inappropriate relationship with a podcaster led him to involve several top university officials in schemes to help produce podcast episodes, and further her personal business, according to a report the university released April 21.

Carter abruptly resigned on March 7, after just two years into the role, citing an inappropriate relationship with a person the report identified as Krisanthe Vlachos, host of “The Callout” podcast, a military and veterans podcast.

Newly-released details contained in the report of Ohio State’s investigation of Carter’s inappropriate relationship show the lengths to which Carter went to help Vlachos.

They include Carter’s efforts in getting Les Wexner’s funding and assistance for an app Vlachos wanted to develop, the use of Ohio State employees for Vlachos’ gain, the role of one Ohio State administrator in helping Vlachos and potential state ethics law violations. The report also shows several university officials balked at helping Vlachos, and put limits around her access to Carter’s office.

The following is a summary of the key details of the 46-page report.

Misuse of authority

Over Carter’s two years serving as Ohio State’s president, he used his authority to make over-the-top efforts to advance Krisanthe Vlachos’ business interests, the report found.

The investigation said that Carter asked at least 14 separate university employees to assist Vlachos with her personal and professional endeavors. The individuals involved often described these requests as unusual, since he rarely contacted them other-

wise.

The reports lists the names of university employees contacted by Carter, including Chris Kabourek, whose recent resignation was revealed in the investigation to be connected to Vlachos’ and Carter’s inappropriate relationship.

Carter’s pursuit for Vlachos’ advancement included possible employment at the university, space for her business on campus, university support for her podcast and assistance for other related business projects.

For example, the report shows Carter asked Elizabeth Parkinson, the senior vice president for marketing and communications, to help produce Vlachos’ podcast. The report states members of Parkinson’s communications team did this on two separate occasions.

The report also states Carter used the authority and influence of his position to secure benefits for Vlachos and her business by leveraging his extensive professional relationships and the university resources at his disposal.

For example, Carter asked Kabourek and Rob Lowden, the vice president and chief information officer, to help build and find funding for an app Vlachos wanted to build for veterans, details of which are explained later in this report.

After one such meeting, on Aug. 26, Lowden emailed Kabourek and said

“Clearly not a tech angle. I just simply don’t see what an investor will get out of this.”

Who is Vlachos?

Vlachos was listed in the report as the person with whom Carter had an “inappropriate relationship,” leading to his resignation.

“The Callout” podcast she hosted is meant to connect the military and veterans with energy and utility jobs using AI. Per prior Lantern reporting, the podcast had 146 subscribers on YouTube.

The report states Carter and Vlachos first met in Washington, D.C. at a veterans and energy forum in March 2023, when Carter was president at the University of Nebraska System.

In the report, witnesses often described Vlachos as “persistent,” “unprofessional” and, above all, “weird.”

She reportedly would contact people

unexpectedly, use contacts to her advantage and would copy individuals in emails. Carter was often namedropped and used as a leverage point, according to the report.

Vlachos was also known to come up with presentations and ideas on the fly, with one employee commenting in the report, “I have first-year students who could do a better job of presenting.”

She was reported to be very demanding, make odd requests or outof-pocket comments, such as asking to house-sit for professors, making references to living out of her car. The report also states she did not follow standard professional courtesies.

TED CARTER continues on page 5.

Ohio State professor on administrative leave after assaulting journalist

Trevor Voigt Campus Senior Writer

This story was originally published Feb. 11, and updated for the commencement edition.

An Ohio State professor was placed on administrative leave following a physical confrontation with a cameraman attempting to interview former Ohio State President E. Gordon Gee.

Luke Perez, an assistant professor at the Salmon P. Chase Center for Civics, Culture and Society, is seen on video tackling Mike Newman, an independent documentarian, in a hallway at Smith Laboratory. Gee was there to speak in Perez’s class, “Profiles in American Leadership.”

“We are aware of the incident, and it is very concerning,” University Spokesperson Ben Johnson said in an email. “The faculty member involved has been placed on administrative leave pending a full OSUPD investigation and thorough review of the facts.”

When contacted, Perez responded that all media inquiries should be sent to Johnson or Chris Booker, another Ohio State spokesperson.

Newman was attempting to film and interview Gee, following his presentation to Perez’s class.

Gee, who now serves as an Ohio State consultant, was inside Smith Lab around 5 p.m. Monday, when he was approached by two creators — Newman and DJ Byrnes, who runs a local Substack-based newsletter, “The Rooster.”

The two men were unaffiliated with each other but were both attempting to interview Gee following his guest lecture in the class, Byrnes said.

“We knew he was going to be in Smith Lab at this certain time and so we basically show up after the class,” Brynes said. “We’re out in the hallway. We introduce ourselves. Gordon Gee, to his credit, he understood what it was. He said, ‘I’ll answer your questions, I don’t want to be followed out to my car.’”

JOURNALIST ASSAULT

continues on page 6.

What to know from the Carter files

Continued from page 2.

Ohio State employees refused to work with Vlachos and provide university resources

Despite Carter’s connections and efforts, other university employees largely stood firm on boundaries and policies in place, resulting in obstacles to Vlachos

Specifically, Vlachos was never hired as a formal university employee, received university funds and her access to university buildings outside WOSU was limited.

Addi-

tionally, she was held accountable to pay her balance with WOSU’s contract and individual employees attempted to raise concerns about Vlachos.

Vlachos obtained a BuckID to gain access to the WOSU building, in compliance with university guidelines, but her request to receive access to University Square South, or USS, where Carter’s office was, was denied.

Vlachos used her BuckID 1,745 times on 95 separate days between July 8, 2025 and Jan. 13 to enter WOSU.

Carter also attempted to give Vlachos access to his office in USS through the garage. This was stopped after Hannah Bechtold, senior director for administration and operations at the President’s Office, spoke with Carter and pushed Vlachos to enter through the main entrance.

After Carter was in an Oct. 23, 2024 podcast episode, he asked Ben Johnson, assistant vice president for media and public relations, to further assist

Vlachos on her podcast.

Though the communications team helped film a second podcast episode in Page Hall and did not charge Vlachos for the work, Johnson advised Carter that the team could not keep assisting Vlachos, according to the report.

Though some requests were honored, such as finding a venue for a performance that had been cancelled through the National Veterans Memorial and Museum in Columbus, employees largely enforced WOSU contract policies and safety measures pertaining to building and resource access.

REPORT continues on page 8.

Aftermath of journalist’s assault

Continued from page 4.

Byrnes said that what followed was a “normal five-minute interview, nothing crazy.” Gee answered Byrnes’ questions and ended the interview before Newman could ask any questions of his own.

“They must have mistakenly thought we were together,” Byrnes said.

Byrnes said that Newman then attempted to continue the interview before things escalated.

It was then that, according to Byrnes, Perez stepped in front of Newman to block him from approaching Gee.

“Perez jumps in front of him, and [Newman] backs up, and then Perez just attacks,” Byrnes said.

A video posted to social media shows Perez blocking Newman, who takes a step forward with his camera equipment before Perez strikes the camera and wrestles Newman to the ground.

“I told you not to put that [camera] in my face,” Perez is heard telling Newman.

Perez then said that Newman put his hands on him, which the video does not show.

Following the incident, Byrnes, with his camera, followed Gee, Perez and Christopher Green, Chase Center associate director, to an elevator, where Byrnes continued to ask questions before Green placed himself between Byrnes and the threshold of the elevator.

“You are not going to ask for favors. You are not going

to enter the elevator,” Green said in the video.

Byrnes then attempts to enter the elevator before Green said he was being assaulted, Byrnes moved into the elevator and Green repeatedly asked Byrnes to leave.

“This is unwise,” Green is heard saying to Byrnes in the video. “You’ve committed assault several times.”

The group then left the elevator, where they were joined by Lee Strang, Chase Center executive director, before reentering the elevator and descending.

Will Les Wexner’s name be removed from Ohio State?

Reegan Davis Lantern Reporter

This story was originally published Feb. 25, and updated for the commencement edition.

Ohio State has received about 500 requests to review Les Wexner’s name on campus buildings as of April 22.

Introduced in 2022, Ohio State has a portal to formally submit requests to review the names of university buildings through a Qualtrics form, Chris Booker, a university spokesperson, said in an email.

Here is what university policy says.

Wexner, founder of L Brands and chairman of the Wexner Medical Center, has been under public and judicial scrutiny for his longstanding ties with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

So far, Ohio State has consistently rejected any attempts to remove Wexner’s name off campus.

In a January interview with The Lantern, former Ohio State President Walter “Ted” Carter said he does not have plans to remove Wexner’s name from campus buildings, according to prior Lantern reporting.

“I don’t want to speculate because we don’t know what’s coming or what’s going to happen, right?” Carter said. “There is a process for any kind of name changes. So we’ll follow all

the processes that we have, but I don’t anticipate anything there.”

Ohio State also denied Steve Snyder-Hill’s request to remove Wexner’s name from the football complex in the Woody Hayes Athletic Center. He is an Ohio State alumnus and a plaintiff in a class-action lawsuit against Ohio State for its handling of sex abuser Dr. Richard Strauss.

Snyder-Hill has since resubmitted his request in documents obtained by The Lantern.

Here is the current process.

After a request is submitted, the university follows a five-step process to determine if a name will be modified

or removed, according to a university website.

The request is first sent to a Standing Advisory Committee for the Review of University Space and Entity Names to determine if the request provides evidence of “misconduct or other inappropriate behavior harmful to Ohio State’s reputation for excellence and its values of integrity and inclusiveness,” according to the website.

After this first review, the request is then evaluated by Trevor Brown, the university interim provost, who will determine if the request should advance to further review.

If the request advances, the com-

mittee will look at all of the facts surrounding the name to determine if the request should advance in the review process.

In this stage, the committee decides if the reviewed name will be removed, modified or if any action will be taken. They will then issue a recommendation to Ohio State President Ravi V. Bellamkonda, according to the website.

Bellamkonda will review the recommendation with Brown to determine the decision of the request.

“The President’s decision is final, except that if the President decides to remove a name or otherwise modify it, the matter must be advanced to the Board of Trustees for approval,” according to the website.

Finally, the Board of Trustees will make the decision to modify or remove the name.

Wexner’s name appears on Ohio State’s medical buildings, including branches around Ohio, the Wexner Center of the Arts — which is named after Wexner’s father, Harry L. Wexner — and the Wexner Football Complex within the Woody Hayes Athletic Center. He has donated over $200 million to the university over 30 years, according to the medical center.

Carter’s resignation investigation report

Conintued from page 6.

The role of Chris Kabourek

Kabourek, former senior vice president for administration and planning and senior advisor to Carter, was Vlachos’ primary point of contact at Ohio State, the report said.

Kabourek assisted Vlachos in obtaining the contract with WOSU. In a text message, she asked Kabourek to help with production costs and a work space at WOSU “where [she] could be completely immersed in my process.”

In a separate discussion, Kabourek said that as a public university, Ohio State is heavily restricted on subsidizing outside entities, but “would welcome a chat to discuss further.”

On June 26, 2025, WOSU signed a $93,000 contract with Vlachos for podcast production services for

50 episodes and the ability to use a desk at WOSU.

He met multiple times with Carter, Vlachos and other university employees in an attempt to gain more assistance in developing an app that would link veterans with training programs needed for employment paid for by available government funding.

Kabourek drafted Vlachos’ app into a project plan, including a $20,000 university contract of university private donations for a pilot of the app.

In addition, Kabourek assisted in working with JobsOhio and OH.io, a startup designed to transform Columbus into a major AI and tech hub, to obtain partnerships with Vlachos for her podcast and app. This included meetings, emails and text messages working with her and the businesses.

ARTS & LIFE

On page 11 On page 15

Loss of Buckeye Donuts employee Football baptism event

“Performative males” infiltrate the South Oval at September competition

Helena Hennessy Arts & Life Senior Writer

This story was originally published Sept. 16, 2025, and updated for the commencement edition.

Acrowd of contestants and bystanders formed on the South Oval Sept. 15 to compete for the title of most “performative male.”

The event was advertised on YikYak by Sophia Barski, a third-year in sociology. Barski said she made the poster for the event on Canva Pro and posted it Sept. 13.

“This was so fun,” Barski said of the crowd, which garnered about 100 people. “I did not expect this many people to show up, and people kept coming at it [and] kept going. It just got more fun as it went on.”

Barski said she hosted the event to create a fun and accessible activity for students.

The crowd was in a huddle with the competitors filing into the middle oneby-one to make their pitches. Audience members threw tampons into the circle, which the participants used as microphones.

The trend of “performative males” rose to fame on TikTok — according to a New York Times article, it is an aesthetic that men develop which profits off insincere emotional awareness. While the purpose of the meme is for these men to speak on their adoration for women, the joke of it is that it is blatantly inauthentic.

The article states the “performative male” aesthetic has many notable characteristics, such as drinking

matcha, caring for the environment, carrying tote bags and listening to female music artists.

Douglas Urbina, a second-year in chemical engineering, said he participated in the competition to have fun and meet new people.

Many of the competition’s participants chose to stay “performative” even after the event, which had about 20 competitors, concluded.

“I love women so much. I actually was a woman,” Urbina said. “This is a lifestyle.”

Garrett Wright, a second-year in mechanical engineering, said he, too, carries a deep admiration for women.

“I’m 6 feet, 7 inches tall, but I spend most of the time on my knees worshipping women,” Wright said.

At the end of the event, attendees were asked to clap for their favorite “performative male.”

Despite the event being labeled as a competition, Barski said there was no official winner — at least, not out of the male competitors.

“I didn’t really keep track of the [winner], but I think really today the real winners are the women who made this all possible,” Barski said. “As the creator of this event, as a woman, I’m glad you showed up today … In case you’re wondering about the early drop, loser lesbians are next.”

Ohio State professor Victor St. John reflects on “Love Is Blind” experience, marriage and newfound friendships

Grayson Newbourn and Helena Hennessy Managing Arts & Life Editor and Arts & Life Senior Writer

This story was originally published March 4, and updated for the commencement edition.

For10 seasons now, the hit Netflix dating show “Love Is Blind” has asked contestants the question: could you fall in love with someone without ever seeing their face?

Victor St. John, an assistant pro-

fessor in the John Glenn College of Public Affairs, sought to find out after his friend suggested he check out the application.

“One of the things I quickly noticed was that [the application] really forced you to think about yourself in a very introspective way, in terms of just what your romantic history has looked like and what you want for yourself, kind of in that department,” St. John said. “In many ways, it was cathartic, kind of going through it, so I filled it out. Before you knew it, I filled out several questions and then submitted the application.”

A show known for its drama, viewers watch as contestants converse in pods, separated by physical walls as they work to lower their emotional barriers. Upon finding their romantic connec-

tion, couples propose to each other before meeting face-to-face, then go on a trip together to test their physical connection and decide whether or not to go through with marriage.

Once he received the call that he was cast on the Ohio season, St. John said he had a mere 48 hours to pack a bag and have final conversations with his loved ones before beginning the experiment.

“I don’t think there was necessarily an immediate preparation you can do,” St. John said. “I think it was more so, if we’re gonna say preparation, just kind of years building up to that moment.”

LOVE IS BLIND continues on page 12.

Buckeye Donuts and Ohio State community mourn loss of general manager Eric Bretschneider

Antonia Campbell Arts & Life Editor

This story was originally published Dec. 12, 2025, and updated for the commencement edition.

Eric Bretschneider, longtime general manager of popular campus restaurant Buckeye Donuts, passed away after a “short, difficult, and intense battle with cancer,” according to an Instagram post posted in honor

of Bretschneider by Buckeye Donuts Dec. 6.

Bretschneider, 44, had been with Buckeye Donuts — located at 1998 N. High St. — since 2003, starting off there working the night shift while studying computer science at Ohio State, the Instagram post said. He became general manager seven years later in 2010.

Jimmy Barouxis, owner of the 1998 N. High St. location, went on ABC 6’s

Good Day Columbus Dec. 6 to share some of his memories with Bretschneider. Barouxis said it was the Ohio State community that led Bretschneider to stay at Buckeye Donuts for over 20 years.

“He could have done anything … he was a brilliant guy, but something connected him to the donut shop,” Barouxis said. “It was the people that he met there, it was the customers that he served there on a daily basis, it was the

employees that he worked with … he just fell in love with the community as a whole and became part of the fabric of the Buckeye Donuts and the campus community.”

Graduating from Ohio State in 2005 with a computer science degree, Barouxis said Bretschneider had passions for computers and engineering, and was an active member of Columbus’ gaming community.

“He had a passion for computers and taking them apart and putting them back together … he loved engineering projects,” Barouxis said. “He had a passion for gaming; he absolutely loved gaming and loved Dungeons and Dragons. He was well-known in the Columbus gaming community for that. He was considered, I guess what’s called, a Dungeon Master, which is a big deal in that community.”

Buckeye Donuts’ Instagram post honoring Bretschneider received much support, with the post receiving over 7,700 likes, as well as 229 positive comments as of April 22.

“Absolutely devastated,” one user commented. “[Bretschneider] was a legend and we love him so much. Nothing but the fondest of memories working with him in college and learning so much about the real world. Buckeye Donuts means the world to so many and [Bretschneider] has been a huge part of that for us.”

Barouxis said after working together for 22 years, Bretschneider’s generosity and willingness to help people is what he remembers him by the most.

“We were together, side by side, in the trenches across many rivers together, but I just remember the one thing for sure … his kindness and his gentleness, and he was a very giving person,” Barouxis said.

Buckeye professor’s experience on “Love is Blind”

Continued from page 10.

St. John, who described himself as a more shy and introverted person, had never planned to be on reality TV — instead, he said he had always planned on following a more traditional route, living “by the books.”

“The fact that I’m in this space now is new, but one thing about myself, for sure, is that I will embrace what’s happening in the moment and I won’t run away from it,” St. John said. “So while that’s happening now with all the love and support, I’m gonna dive right in and see where everything kind of goes and how everything coalesces.”

In his years of romantic experience, St. John said he had unconsciously accomplished all the preparation he needed.

“We’re always kind of shifting and changing and growing as individuals, especially if you’re just reflective and introspective in different ways,” St. John said. “I think the preparation

was happening years prior, too. So when that moment came up, it was like, ‘Hey, just be yourself.’”

After arriving at the pods in California, St. John hit it off immediately with Christine Hamilton, a speech language pathologist from rural Ohio, connecting over their Christian faith and shared values. By the end of episode one, St. John and Hamilton were happily engaged, and at the end of the season, they had tied the knot, and are still married as of April 22.

St. John acknowledged that while every viewer of the show may not share the same religious views, the environment remained unlike any he had ever experienced.

“I feel like when you talk about faith, sometimes folks are like, ‘I don’t want to hear that stuff,’ but that’s kind of one of the pieces that I’m like, ‘They didn’t show any aspect of that,’” St. John said. “That would have been cool to kind of see it flowing through the entire space. Even folks who don’t

consider themselves spiritual in any sort of way. It was just right. It was interesting.”

Since the show’s wrap on filming, St. John has remained close with several of the men of the ensemble — particularly Jordan Faeth, an account executive specializing in data security and Haramol Gill, a former emergency medicine physician at the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center.

SPORTS

On page 2

2026 Spring commencement speaker

On page 3 On page 9 On page 10

Details on Ted Carter’s departure

Performative male contest “Love is Blind” professor

Ryan Day silences critics as Ohio State beats Michigan 27-9 to snap four-game skid

Reilly Cahill Sports Senior Writer

This story was originally published Nov. 29, 2025, and updated for the commencement edition.

WhenOhio State fell to Michigan 13-10 on Nov. 30, 2024, chants of “fire Ryan Day” broke out among Buckeye fans as they headed for Ohio Stadium’s exits, who had just witnessed the team’s fourth straight loss to Michigan with Day at the helm.

A year later, as snow swirled around him at Michigan Stadium, Day once again had the home team headed for the exits, crushed with disappointment.

This time, however, they were clad in maize and blue.

Day let out an emotional fist pump as the game clock wound down on a 27-9 Ohio State victory that provided the redemption he was seeking and richly deserved.

After Ohio State’s 2024 loss to Michigan, Day led the Buckeyes to the national championship and has won 16 straight games. But there was still unfinished business, baggage he carried and could not shed until the day the Buckeyes broke a four-game losing streak to their biggest rival.

That day is today.

“It’s one of those moments that you want to just grab on for a while and just enjoy it because just to see the joy on everybody’s face, is really what this thing is all about,” Day said.

The Buckeyes’ victory boosted Day’s career record to 82-10, which ranks as the highest winning percentage in college football history. Day reflected on the impact of those previous four losses to Michigan.

“You could see it in my face the last couple of years, you just feel like you’re letting everybody down and that’s just not a good feeling,” Day said. “So you work like hell to get your guys prepared, and that’s all you can do and that’s exactly what happened here.”

Earlier in the week, Day emphasized the importance of not letting what happened in the past impact how they play. Linebacker Sonny Styles,

who had a team-high six tackles, thought the team executed in that phase.

“Before this game we talked about not caring about what happened in the past, saying this team’s different and going out there to play for the love of your brother, not for the hate of the other team and I thought we did that today,” Styles said. Styles expressed his excitement for getting the win for Day, who was previously 1-4 against Michigan.

“[I’m] so happy for him, coach Day is an amazing leader, he’s an amazing coach,” Styles said. “I think a lot of people had stuff to say about this game when it comes to him and I think he proved a point today.” Day broke one drought in Ann Arbor on Saturday, and he will now have the chance to break another in Indianapolis on Dec. 6.

The Buckeyes will return to the Big Ten Championship for the first time since 2020 and face Indiana at 8 p.m. for the title.

“This is the No. 1 goal in our program, and so to get this checked it now gives us an opportunity to get to No. 2, and that’s in Indianapolis next week, and we’re already fired up about that in the locker room,” Day said.

PHOTO Ohio State Athletics 2026 photo gallery

Jaloni Cambridge (22) and Cassandre Prosper (8). Ohio State lost to Notre Dame 8373 in the second round of March Madness March 23.

Someone is Looking for You!

There IS a superior intelligence “out there” – and a loving one too. Your Creator wants you to acknowledge Him, and come to know Him and His ways. Don’t be deceived by evolutionism. All creation screams of intelligent design! The odds alone of DNA evolving are virtually nil. Evolutionism is the only “science” that denies the law of degeneration (entropy). God alone is the origin of life, and the true God wants/needs no one to take away life for Him – beware the “god” that does! What is unique about the Bible? It is the only book with fulfilled prophecy (Isaiah 46:9-10). Try (current situation) Psalm 83 and Zechariah 12; (reformation of Israel after nearly 1900 years) Isaiah 66:8, Jeremiah 16:14-15, Amos 9:9-15, Ezekiel 34:12-31, and Ezekiel 36; (suffering/crucifixion of Christ) Psalm 22 and Isaiah 53; (future situation) Zechariah 13:7 – 14:21; (timing of the 2nd Coming of Christ) Joel 3:1-2, 2Peter 3:8/Hosea 5:14 – 6:2. “No one knows the day or the hour!” you cry? The Word says: 1Thessalonians 5:1-6. “Too hard to read and understand” you say? Try the KJV/Amplified/Complete Jewish parallel bible (biblegateway.com). “It’s all in how you interpret it” you say? The Bible, despite numerous transcribers over hundreds of years, is remarkably consistent/coherent and interprets itself (2Peter 1:1621). Beware of modern, liberal translations from “the higher critics” which seriously distort the Word! Finally, if there is a God, why is there so much evil? We have rejected God, and now see what it is like to live in a world where God has permitted us (temporarily) to rule ourselves. Give up your lusts, and come to your Creator and follow His ways (Jude 1:18-25). All that this world has to offer is as nothing compared to what He has in store for those who love Him (1 Corinthians 2:9, John 14:15). Isaiah 55:6-7!

Ohio State women’s hockey enters the rink against St. Thomas Jan. 24. The Buckeyes won 5-0.

Ohio State Football players lead mass baptism at “Fall Kickoff” campus faith event

Jack Diwik and Liv Rinaldi Managing Sports Editor and Sports Editor

This story was originally published Sept. 8, 2025, and updated for the commencement edition.

Gee Scott Jr.’s face was filled with emotion as he stood on top of the small stage, speaking into a microphone.

Wearing a black shirt emblazoned with “Jesus Won” across the front, Scott joined current Buckeyes Caleb Downs, Sonny Styles, Luke Montgomery, Ethan Onianwa and Carson Hinzman before a crowd of 2,000 people.

He asked if anybody in the sea of

onlookers dared to come up and profess their faith and get baptized. After a brief moment of stillness, a young woman stood above the seated crowd and made her way up to the stage.

“Hallelujah,” Scott said.

For the second straight year, members of the Ohio State football team collaborated with nearly 20 student organizations to host the “Fall Kickoff: An Invitation to Jesus” on College Green Park in the courtyard by Curl Market to spread the Christian gospel from 6 to 9 p.m. The gathering blended worship, testimony and baptism to highlight the role of faith within the Buckeye program and the wider university community.

The event was first held Aug. 25, 2024, when Scott, TreyVeon Henderson, JT Tuimoloau, Emeka Egbuka and Kamryn Babb gathered before more than 1,000 followers of Christ. Based on registrations, the number of attendees was nearly double this year.

“I think it’s a testimony of the Lord’s heart for people,” said Babb, who joined his fellow Buckeyes on the stage. “It’s not about one person or a specific group of people, it’s about telling people about the gospel.”

The event started at 6 p.m. with a live band playing worship music while the crowd sang, held hands and raised their palms in the air. Scott and his teammates took to the stage an hour

later to share their testimonies with the gathered crowd and discussed how faith has affected their lives on and off the field.

When they finished speaking, a handful of members from the crowd made their way behind the stage to tubs of water where they were baptized before a cheering crowd.

“In the moment, I felt called to go up and get baptized,” said Tyler Schoeff, a primary education major. “It was kind of nerve-racking, but you just have to be courageous and listen to God.”

While the prominence of the players speaking was not lost on the crowd, Downs and his teammates stressed that they were not there as athletes; they were there to spread their message of faith and belief.

“No play we make on the field — no touchdown, no interception can compare to the kingdom of God,” Downs said.

Alanna Stevenson, a transfer student in communication, said she couldn’t have felt more connected to those players the moment they shared their faith with the crowd.

“It doesn’t matter if they’re under the big lights or not; they’re still going to praise Jesus’ name without any type of embarrassment or any insecurity,” she said. “It really just shows that they are just as normal as us. They’re just as much of a follower of Christ as we are.”

Many of the players who spoke said faith was a key reason they chose to come to Ohio State in their recruitment, citing last year’s gathering as an example of the strong roots that Christianity holds within the program.

Babb said he hopes to see the event become a tradition within the program.

“To see it going from generation to generation and class to class, it’s really cool to see,” he said.