1888 Society | Buckeye Club | Ohio State University Athletics

Beginning with Ohio State Athletics’ first documented fundraiser in 1888, the Buckeye community has generously given countless student-athletes an opportunity to receive scholarships through private support.

Today, members of the 1888 Society establish endowed scholarships that provide financial support for student-athlete tuition, room and board, books, and more.

Endowments are investments in Ohio State Athletics that live on in perpetuity.

The initial gift is preserved as principal and each year the interest produced by this gift is used to pay the student-athlete grant-in-aid bill.

Scholarship Endowment Example

$150,000 x 4.5%	Commitment from donor* 7-year average of the endowment pool’s monthly market value per share
$6,750	Annual amount available for scholarship

*A minimum gift of $100,000 is required to establish an athletic endowed scholarship

The Ohio State Department of Athletics is a self-sustaining operation and does not receive any state or university funding.

With no funding for athletics scholarships, the department is responsible for annually paying the ever increasing grant-in-aid bill. With a projected grant-in-aid cost at $28.3 million for the 2021-2022 school year, scholarship costs make up a significant share of Ohio State Athletics’ annual operating expenses.

Building our scholarship endowments is necessary for Ohio State to remain at the forefront of collegiate athletics as the largest and most comprehensive athletics department in the Nation. By establishing your own endowment, you will be able to name a scholarship in perpetuity, while impacting the lives of those who don the scarlet and gray for generations to come.