Class Gift History
Graduating seniors have donated Class Gifts to The Ohio State University for 150 years. Their legacies are scattered across campus and impact students in visible and invisible ways.
Landmarks
Many campus landmarks originated as class gifts. During the 19th century, classes focused on campus beautification. They gave the William Oxley Thompson statue in front of the library (1923-38), the Mirror Lake fountain (1929-30), the seal on the Oval (1988), polished welcome signs, trees, and artwork.
The first officially recognized class gift was a group of elm trees on the Oval, planted in 1891 and nicknamed the “Five Brothers”. The elms have since been replaced by five red oaks that now stand in their place alongside a commemorative plaque.
Several class years (1906 – 1914) worked together to raise the money needed to install the bells in Orton Hall that still chime throughout the day.
The Long Walk, from the Ohio State seal to Thompson Library, across the Oval was restored to its current state by the class of 2004.
Access and Affordability
In the 1960s, the focus and purpose of class gifts shifted. Gifts started to bolster accessibility and inclusion on campus. Many are reflective of historical contexts, local and global. Campaigns encouraged students to donate towards student financial aid and student support services like Career Counseling (1975) and the Young Scholars Program (1990).
The Classes of 1972 – 1975 dedicated a significant amount of funding to ensure that every building on campus was accessible to students.
The Class of 1986 raised enough funds to create an endowed scholarship for students in the College of Veterinary Medicine.
Current State
In the 1990s, students started to give to the areas of campus that meant the most to them, personally, instead of rallying around a single beneficiary. The total impact of class gift giving was spread across campus based on each individual’s interests and values. A student might choose to support an initiative in their college, a unique scholarship fund or an athletic team.
The current iteration of the Class Gift Council began in fall 2021. Since 2021, Class Gift Council has raised funds for the Wellness Center, LGBTQ+ programming, the Student Advocacy Center and the Scarlet & Gray Advantage Scholarship.
The Department of Student Philanthropy is actively recruiting students to chair the Class Gift Council for the 2024-2025 school year. If you are a 3rd or 4th year student, you are eligible to join the Class Gift Council. If you are interested in learning more or ready to get involved, please contact Kristen Van Gundy (vangundy.48@osu.edu).
List of documented class gifts
1878-94: Gateway on High & 15th
1886: Sword of 1886
1890: Book Plate
1891: Five Brothers Elm trees
1892: Nike of Samothrace statue (replica is still in Thompson Library)
1892-1903: Gateway on High & 15th
1901: Chinese Pagoda and Browning Amphitheater by Mirror Lake
1903: Tower Clock at University Hall
1904: W.O. Thompson portrait for the library
1905: Sundial in the Sphinx Plaza by Thompson Library
1906-14: Orton Hall bells
1911: Painting valued at $150,000
1912: Mantel in the library
1915-16: Student loan program
1917: Athletic trophy room
1918: Relief fund for orphans in France after WWI
1919-20: Electric strikers for chimes in Orton Hall
1921: Flagstaff for the administration building
1922: Piano for Pomerene Hall
1923-28: W.O. Thompson statue in front of the library
1924: Life Insurance policy for scholarships
1929-30: Mirror Lake fountain
1932-34: Student loan fund
1936-1938: Electric organ fund for WOSU
1939-41: Graduate gateway fund
1942: Flag pole
1943-44: Victory bell
1945: Flag pole
1946: Shelter house by Olentangy River
1947: Redwood and concrete benches on Oval
1948: Fireplace in Ohio Union Alumni lounge (which you can still see in our current Union)
1949: Bandstand by Mirror Lake
1950: Iron Lung for the Hospital
1951: Equipment for rehabilitation center
1952: Printing press for Hospital
1953: Campus entrance signs
1955: Building Name plaques
1956-59: Signboard for Mershon Auditorium
1957: 5 beds for University Hospital
1960: Bronze OSU seal on the Oval in front of Thompson Library
1961: Centennial Memorial
1962: Centennial Memorial
1963: Art collection for Fine Arts gallery
1964: Globe in the Ohio Union
1965: Dr. Fawcett’s portrait
1966-68: Memorial Scholars funds
1969-71: Money for short-term loans
1972-75: Making the campus buildings accessible
1975: Funding for the Career Counseling Center
1976: Clock on West Campus
1977: Scholarship fund
1978: Solar-powered clock
1979: Vehicle for disabled students
1980: Historic landmark signs
1981: Benches by Mirror Lake
1982: Money to the library to purchase books
1983: Atrium in the Ohio Union
1984: Shelter house
1985: Sculpture at the Wexner
1986: Endowed scholarship
1987: Ohio Union Mall renovation
1988: Seal on the Oval
1989: Constructed a plaza at the hospital
1990: Young Scholars program
1991: Flagpole
1992: Open to wherever seniors wanted to donate
1993: Open to wherever seniors wanted to donate
1994: Open to wherever seniors wanted to donate
1995: Open to wherever seniors wanted to donate
2004: Restored the Long Walk on the Oval
2005: Beautification of Mirror Lake
2006: New benches on the Oval
2007: Seal in the Ohio Union Great Hall
2009: Block “O” fire pit outside of the Ohio Union
2010-11: Rain garden in Cunz Hall
In addition to raising funds for the class gift, we are also dedicated to preserving the rich history of class gifts on campus. If you have any documentation or information on class gifts that we could include in our archives, please contact Kristen Van Gundy (vangundy.48@osu.edu).
References
Azzoni, T. & Moore, M. (2000, February 6). Class of 1911’s gift sold at bargain price. The Lantern. https://www.thelantern.com/2000/02/class-of-1911s-gift-sold-at-bargain-price/
Bowen, B. (2007, May 21). 2007 class gift does not get student ‘seal’ of approval. The Lantern. https://www.thelantern.com/2007/05/2007-class-gift-does-not-get-student-seal-of-approval/
Lasick, M. (2006, April 27). Seniors give Oval benches as class gift. The Lantern. https://www.thelantern.com/2006/04/seniors-give-oval-benches-as-class-gift/
McKeever, D. (2009, May 12). Wings of glory. The Lantern. https://www.thelantern.com/2009/05/wings-of-glory/
Ohio State University Libraries. (n.d.) Class Gifts. OSU Archives Subject Files. https://library.osu.edu/sites/default/files/collection_files/subject_files/Class%20Gifts.pdf
Ruibal, S.A. (2015, February 10). Orton bells ring in 100 years. The Lantern. https://www.thelantern.com/2015/02/orton-bells-ring-in-100-years/
Seal of approval. (2007, May 22). The Lantern. Retrieved October 18, 2022, from https://www.thelantern.com/2007/05/seal-of-approval/
Stross, M. (2010, January 24). Class of 2010 gift will be a rain garden. The Lantern. https://www.thelantern.com/2010/01/class-of-2010-gift-will-be-a-rain-garden/
Travis, Camille. (2011, April 12). Rain makes class of 2011’s garden grow. The Lantern. https://www.thelantern.com/2011/04/rain-makes-class-of-2011s-garden-grow/
Wynalek, L. (2010, April 19). OSU fought to get Union painting back. The Lantern. https://www.thelantern.com/2010/04/osu-fought-to-get-union-painting-back/