This list of presidents of The Ohio State University includes all who have served as university presidents of The Ohio State University since its founding in 1870. The Ohio State University is a public research university in Columbus, Ohio. Founded in 1870, as a land-grant university and ninth university in Ohio with the Morrill Act of 1862, the university was originally known as the Ohio Agricultural and Mechanical College. In 1878, in light of its expanded focus, the college permanently changed its name to Ohio State University.
History The first president of Ohio Agricultural and Mechanical College is Edward Orton, Sr. who served from 1873 to 1881. During Orton's term, the university became Ohio State University, in 1878. Karen A. Holbrook took office in 2002 and was the first female president. E. Gordon Gee is the only president who served two terms after from serving from 1990 to 1998 and returning in 2007-2013. Michael V. Drake, former chancellor of the University of California, Irvine, assumed the role of university president on June 30, 2014. Drake also serves as the first African American president of the university. On June 3, 2020, it was announced that Kristina M. Johnson, the former chancellor of State University of New York, would be taking over as the 21st president. She was the first member of the LGBT community to openly serve in the position. After serving approximately two and a half years of her five year contract, Johnson resigned at the request of the university's board of trustees.
Presidents of The Ohio State University
The following persons have served as president of Ohio State University:
# Image Name Term start Term end Life President of Ohio Agricultural and Mechanical College (1873–1878)1 Edward Orton, Sr. September 17, 1873 June 20, 1881 1829–1899 Presidents of Ohio State University (1878–present)2 Walter Q. Scott June 21, 1881 June 19, 1883 1845–1917 3 William H. Scott June 20, 1883 June 30, 1895 1840–1937 4 James H. Canfield July 1, 1895 June 30, 1899 1847–1909 5 William Oxley Thompson July 1, 1899 November 5, 1925 1855–1933 interim George W. Rightmire November 6, 1925 March 1926 1868–1952 6 March 1926 June 30, 1938acting William McPherson July 1, 1938 January 31, 1940 1864–1951 7 Howard L. Bevis February 1, 1940 June 30, 1956 1885–1968 8 Novice G. Fawcett August 1, 1956 August 31, 1972 1909–1998 9 Harold L. Enarson September 1, 1972 August 31, 1981 1919–2006 10 Edward H. Jennings September 1, 1981 August 31, 1990 1937–2019 11 E. Gordon Gee September 1, 1990 December 14, 1997 1944– acting John Richard Sisson December 15, 1997 June 30, 1998 1936– 12 William Kirwan July 1, 1998 June 30, 2002 1938– interim Edward H. Jennings July 1, 2002 September 30, 2002 1937–2019 13 Karen A. Holbrook October 1, 2002 June 30, 2007 1942– interim Joseph A. Alutto July 1, 2007 September 30, 2007 1942– 14 E. Gordon Gee October 1, 2007 June 30, 2013 1944– interim Joseph A. Alutto July 1, 2013 June 29, 2014 1942– 15 Michael V. Drake June 30, 2014 June 30, 2020 1951– 16Kristina M. JohnsonAugust 24, 2020May 7, 2023 1957–actingPeter MohlerAugust 22, 2023December 31, 20231973–17Ted CarterJanuary 1, 2024March 9, 2026 1959–18Ravi V. BellamkondaMarch 12, 2026Present1968–
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