President Gee poses for a photo at the University Founder’s Day event, hosted by the Archives and Ohio Staters, 2012
It is rare for a president of a University – let alone one who leads one of the largest in the country – to have such a close relationship to the student body. Yet E. Gordon Gee, who officially leaves office today, made such a connection. He was a rock star of sorts for students, who often asked for photos with him as he made his rounds around campus. And he was willing to do so; in fact, he began a tradition of taking photos with new graduates and their families after Commencement ceremonies.
During his first term, the annual convocation ceremony for incoming students was started, as was his annual State Tour, in which he traveled to individual counties to meet with prospective students, current students and former students where they lived.
Throughout both terms, Gee could be spotted in some of the most unexpected places for a University president to be: mingling with partygoers at a fraternity, serving as a partner for a student in a dance class, leading a flash mob to celebrate the opening of the Ohio Union, or – our favorite – talking to students about University history at the annual Founder’s Day Tea that the Archives and Ohio Staters, Inc. host.
To mark his last day as OSU president, we present below a photo gallery to show how it was so easy for students to love him, and why we’ll all miss him.
Gee helps students move into the dorms, 1992
Gee hits a pinata during a student celebration, 1993
Gee at the Velcro wall event on the Oval, 1993
Commencement, 1996
Gee works with students in a glassblowing class, 1997
Gee with students, 2010
Gee speaks at the University Founder’s Day event, 2012
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