Hello! My name is Jack Dougherty, and I am a fourth-year student at The Ohio State University majoring in Industrial & Systems Engineering with a minor in Business Management. As a Columbus native growing up in Worthington, Ohio, I have been surrounded by a community of current and former Buckeyes my entire life. I am a third-generation student at Ohio State and have seen firsthand how this university has the power to bring friends and families together under one shared experience. What makes this university truly special, however, is how many different communities it unites under this shared experience of being a Buckeye. One of my favorite mottos from Ohio State is the mantra, “once a Buckeye, always a Buckeye”, because it reminds me of how integral the university is in the identities of so many of its alumni. On campus, I am the President of the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers, an organization dedicated to advancing the social and professional networks of Industrial Engineering majors. In this role, I frequently communicate with alumni to discuss ways in which they can leverage the success they have found in their career positions to support the development of our current students’ future careers. Witnessing how so many alumni are eager to give back to the students at this university inspired me to look for ways in which I can reciprocate their generosity and help pay it forward to alumni in need of a helping hand.

Unfortunately, many of our alumni and their families experience a myriad of hardships throughout the course of their lives. While Ohio State has dedicated many resources to promote the financial success of its students after they graduate from the university, unexpected natural disasters and other hardships can be financially debilitating for families in our Buckeye community. Just this past August, Ohio experienced a near-record amount of rainfall, bringing flooding and tornadoes which severely damaged properties across the state. While I hope that you personally have been lucky enough to avoid the worst of the storm damage, the same cannot be said for all our Ohio State alumni. This is a perfect example of where Buckeyes Helping Buckeyes comes in to support the Ohio State community. Your support can help the fund continue to provide one-time financial grants to members of our Ohio State community to help families recover from unexpected financial hardships they couldn’t prepare for. A contribution can help a family to rebuild their home, cover unforeseen medical expenses, and prevent emergencies from becoming life-altering hardships. I hope you will join me in helping your friends and neighbors in their times of need by supporting the Buckeyes Helping Buckeyes Fund.

Thank you!