North Columbus News

President Walter “Ted” Carter Jr. outlined new strategic initiatives for The Ohio State University during his second State of the University address, delivered on Founders Day. Marking 152 years since the university’s first classes, Carter introduced the Education for Citizenship 2035 plan, which aims to guide Ohio State over the next decade.

Carter emphasized a commitment to academic excellence and investment in faculty. He announced a $100 million campaign designed to attract and retain leading scholars at Ohio State, with the goal of growing the university’s research activity to $2 billion. This effort includes support for artificial intelligence (AI) research and teaching, with plans to hire 100 additional AI experts on top of the existing 300 specialists.

“This is an approach that is so comprehensive, nobody else in the country is even attempting it,” Carter said. “On top of that, we will hire 100 additional AI experts that will complement the 300 that we already have here working on artificial intelligence. … We are making more and more achievements in this field.”

The university’s AI Fluency initiative is already underway, aiming to ensure all graduates achieve fluency in AI starting with current first-year students.

Three new scholarship programs were also announced to improve access for Ohio students. The President’s Scholars Program will provide full scholarships and academic support for students who achieve perfect scores on standardized tests. Another program, Buckeye Bridge—developed in partnership with Columbus State Community College—will cover tuition and fees for eligible transfer students from Columbus State. The Regional Campus Commitment program will pay tuition and fees for students from families earning up to $100,000 who begin their studies at regional campuses before transferring to Columbus.

Carter addressed workforce needs by setting a goal to double undergraduate enrollment in the College of Nursing, especially to serve rural areas in Ohio. Nursing graduates will be offered rotation slots, early job offers, and job guarantees at Wexner Medical Center if they choose careers at Ohio State. Enrollment expansion is also planned for the College of Veterinary Medicine.

A new Career Services Center of Excellence will be launched to strengthen ties with employers and expand opportunities for internships and experiential learning.

Carter stated his intention for Ohio State to become “the top university in the nation for veterans,” aiming to set a standard for postsecondary education and career transition services for veterans nationwide.

“I want to start off by telling you that the state of our university is strong,” Carter said. “Our academic programs are premier. ... We have some of the best scholars in the world right here. But we can still do better, and we can commit to that next level.”

He concluded by saying: “I’m very excited about our future. I’m excited that we have the opportunity to not only be the future of higher education, that we can change the trajectory for what higher education is in this country,” he said. “As I think about all the traditions that we have here in Ohio State, the greatest one is still Carmen, Ohio – our song that is 122 years old now. ‘Time and change will surely show, how firm thy friendship, Ohio.’”