As America approaches its 250th birthday, Morrill Act 250 frames this moment as a once‑in‑a‑generation opportunity for The Ohio State University to lead by renewing the land‑grant compact that shaped both our institution and the nation. Born of the Morrill Act and sustained through Extension, research, and broad access, Ohio State has long converted knowledge into public value for Ohio and beyond. Today, however, that compact must be made newly visible and credible—by demonstrating how Ohio State listens to the public, earns trust across political and cultural divides, expands digital and AI access, and aligns education and research with the real needs of communities and the state. This work offers a practical blueprint for how Ohio State can treat public trust as a measurable outcome, govern in partnership with its communities, and model what a public research university can be in America’s third century. In this way, Morrill Act 250 positions Ohio State not just as a beneficiary of the land‑grant legacy, but as a national leader in redefining what that legacy demands for the next 250 years.
Speakers:
- Stephen Gavazzi, Director of the Center for Human Resource Research at The Ohio State University
- David V. Rosowsky, Senior Advisor to the President at Arizona State University
- E. Gordon Gee, President Emeritus, The Ohio State University
This event is sponsored by The Ohio State University Department of History.