Hello, Buckeyes! My name is Kristina Johnson and it's my
great honor to be able to introduce myself to you
as the 16th president of The Ohio State University.
Welcome to the new school year. I am so happy to have you back on campus.
My wife Veronica and I are thrilled to join this wonderful community
and experience the excitement of Ohio State.
Although we are just beginning our Buckeye journey,
this university has always held a special place in my heart.
My grandfather was a member of the Ohio State class
of 1896 and played right guard on the football team. Growing up, we were
told that he met my grandmother on the Columbus campus. I visited for the
first time more than four decades ago. I was here to play lacrosse at nationals,
and I have returned many times since to see
friends and engage with colleagues always finding the work being done
at Ohio State in research and education inspiring,
and basking in the sheer spirit of Buckeye nation.
Now, as a member of that nation I have the privilege of working alongside you
to advance our amazing land-grant mission
and to uplift lives through education, scholarship, research, and patient care.
The university's motto, "Education for Citizenship,"
has never been more relevant as we face two challenges of daunting proportions -
The Covid 19 pandemic and a crisis of racial injustice
across our country. Citizenship is required if we are going to
contain a virus that has caused such loss,
grief, and financial uncertainty for so many.
Our health professionals and scientists have been at the front lines of this
battle, treating patients and developing
therapeutics and vaccines. But every one of us has a role to play
in stopping the spread. I have signed the "Together as Buckeye's
Pledge" so together we can make your return a
safe one. The pledge is based on the best possible
guidance from public health authorities in the scientific community. So please
remember to wear your mask, physical distance, limit the size of
gatherings, and follow all campus requirements. It is
the fastest way to fully reopen Ohio State
and to get our student performers back on stage
and our student athletes back to competition. In fact, it is the only way
to continue doing the things we love on our campuses, learning in classrooms,
reuniting with old friends and making new ones,
conducting research and cheering on our teams and much, much more.
If each of us follows these guidelines, we will not only take care of ourselves
but of each other as a community should. After
O-H, after all, comes I-O. So please think about what we owe to each other
during this time of Covid. Citizenship is also required if we are
going to make a difference in terms of the racial injustice
provoking such anger and frustration across our country.
Bigotry has no part in the culture of any university.
But at Ohio State, we're going to explore what more
that we can do as an institution to end inequities,
to equalize outcomes, and to build an even more
supportive and kind community. We have established an anti-racism task force to
help us think this through, and I will regularly share updates on
the conversations they sponsor and the action steps they develop. As
president, I know very well that my first
responsibility is to ensure that our Buckeye family can
learn, teach, and work in an environment in
which we are all safe and healthy and free from
intimidation and fear. I will do everything within my power to
ensure that is the case. In times of upheaval, I always try to
think about my own guiding principles and double down on them, and I urge you
to do the same. For me, it's all about optimism, kindness
and a commitment to community. Right now, all three are so important.
So please allow the optimist in me to make a prediction:
By working together as Buckeyes, we will emerge from this challenging moment
stronger than ever. I wish all of us a wonderful semester,
and Go Buckeyes!