[Francis Soto] Welcome one and all to the 2021ODI Homecoming Couch Concert.
I promise you're in for quite a show tonight.
A special welcome goes out to all our ODI alumni who are streaming us tonight around the world.
We weren't able to be together for Homecoming just yet, so this is the next best thing.
My name is Francisco Soto and I'll be your MC.
Now tonight, not only will we be listening to some great music, but I'll be taking you on a journey throughout OSU campus to some of my favorite spots, like the Thompson Library Gallery.
I'm a fourth year Morrill Scholar studying exercise science education with a minor in Spanish for business. This makes me extra proud to tell you we are celebrating MSP's 40th anniversary this year.
Originally known as a Minority Scholarship Program, MSP has changed names but continues today as the university's primary diversity and merit scholarship. Geared to academically talented students engaged in diversity based leadership, service and social justice activities, MSP has provided generations of students with the tools to change the world.
Tonight, we'll be joined by members of our ODI affiliated alumni societies. These groups keep our alumni community connected and provides support to our current ODI scholars.
Let's hear from our alumni who are making it happen.
[Jevon Collins] Welcome home, Buckeyes. I am Jevon Collins, interim president of the Black Alumni Society at The Ohio State University.
We understand that homecoming looks different again this year, but we're excited to commemorate our alma mater and our University. The Ohio State University.
The Black Alumni Society connects our alumni to the community and to the university while supporting current and future students.
We want to thank everyone that's been a part of the Black Alumni Society as this upcoming May, 2022, marks our 40th anniversary.
We invite you all to log on to learn more about the Black Alumni Society and get involved.
We look forward to growing our society and continuing to connect and support the university.
[Daniel Rodriguez] Hi, Buckeyes. Welcome to the Couch Concert.
My name is Daniel Rodriguez, and it is a proud privilege to welcome you and to wish you a very happy homecoming. On behalf of the Latinx Alumni Society, we're happy you're here.
The Society was founded in 2018 and serves to enrich, connect and empower Latinx alumni across the country and across the world.
We have a wide variety of ways to keep involved. You can attend an upcoming event, join us at an upcoming board meeting, or volunteer your time and talents on our board as an officer.
This past year, we were thrilled to host some engaging virtual events, including a conversation on Latinx, Hispanic identifiers, as well as a dialog on culturally competent representation in the media.
These past 18 months have shown us the importance of staying connected, even if it looks a little different.
We want you to know that you are wholly supported by your Latinx alumni and by Ohio State.
So please, we ask you to get involved with us and stay connected and share your feedback and share your talents with us.
Send us an email at Latinxsociety@osu.edu or find us on Facebook.
[Ralph Smithers Jr.] Hi, Buckeyes. My name is Ralph Smithers Jr., and I entered the Minority Scholars Program in 1984 and graduated from The Ohio State University in 1989.
Back then, it was called the Minority Scholars Program, but now it's the Morrill Scholars Program. And I would like to invite all of my colleagues who were in the program in the 1980s and beyond to become part of the Morrill Scholars Alumni Society and be active and involved and helped rekindle those friendships and pay it forward.
Contact the Alumni Association for more ways to get involved with the Morrill Scholars Alumni Society. Go Buckeyes!
[Christopher Smith-Hughes] Greetings. My name is Christopher Smith-Hughes. I'm the vice president for the Young Scholars Program Alumni Society.
I just want to welcome you all to OSU Homecoming and the ODI Couch Concert. I just wanted to talk to you a little bit about the YSPAS. It is an opportunity for our alumni to share experiences, expertise and energy with current students of the Young Scholars Program.
We just really encourage people to get involved. It's just really a good opportunity for you to give back to OSU and to the Young Scholars Program. I think that type of energy and experience that we can give to our current students will be a good boost for them, and everything that they can learn from us, and we can learn from them.
If you want to connect with us, you can reach us at yspas.osu@gmail.com. And you can also find us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
[Francis Soto] As we keep this party rolling here in Pomerene Hall, I want to take a few minutes to hand the mic over to the man who runs ODI, Dr. James L. Moore III, vice provost for diversity and inclusion and the chief diversity officer here at Ohio State.
A South Carolina native, Dr. Moore has authored more than one hundred and fifty peer-reviewed academic journal articles, co-edited five books, and obtained more than 28 million dollars in grants and gifts during his distinguished career.
Dr. Moore. The floor is yours.
[Dr. James L. Moore] Welcome. students, alumni, friends and colleagues.
My name is James Moore, and I am the vice provost and chief diversity officer at The Ohio State University. We have found a great seat for you at this year's Homecoming ODI Couch Concert. We are so looking forward to when we can meet face to face again. But for now, we'll get together this way.
Last year, we celebrated ODI’s 50th anniversary. This year, we are pleased to be celebrating 40 years of our flagship diversity merit scholarship, the Morrill Scholarship Program. Once known as the Minority Scholarship Program, this program is one of the crown jewels of ODI. It attracts some of the university's finest undergraduate students, including two of our last three Rhodes scholars, as well as the university's only ever Truman scholar.
Despite some tough circumstances in 2020, I hope you know, we had a terrific year at ODI. We had a record number of graduate students participate in our PhD Boot Camp Program, and a record turnout at our annual National Conference on Diversity, Race and Learning.
Our Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation Program won the university's highly coveted Distinguished Diversity Enhancement Award here at The Ohio State University.
And we also had a big moment as we inducted our first ever class to the ODI Hall of Fame. These were 11 individuals and one group who have contributed exemplary and sustained leadership to the ideals of diversity, equity, inclusion and community engagement.
It was a great way for us to honor some of the giants whose shoulders we stand on to do the work we do.
I'd like to thank Dwight Bailey for providing us with the cool jazz tonight. And a special shout outn goes out to the alumni groups, the Black Alumni Society, the Latinx Alumni Society, YSP Alumni Society. And last but not least, the MSP Alumni Special Interest Group.
I strongly encourage you to get involved and support the work of these amazing alumni groups.
I look forward to seeing each one of you next fall.
Now let's settle in for some jazz tonight with Dwight and his band.
I'm sure you will enjoy it.
[Jevon Collins] We invite you all to enjoy the concert, and go Buckeyes.
[Christopher Smith-Hughes] Enjoy the concert, and go Buckeyes.
[Daniel Rodriguez] And without further ado, disfruta el concierto, enjoy the concert.
[Francis Soto] Thanks for still rocking with us tonight. Right now, you'll find me an historic Hale Hall, home of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion here at The Ohio State University.
Now, who's ready to hear some music? With us tonight is Dwight Bailey and his band, who will be playing some smooth R&B and jazz. Dwight has toured the world, playing bass for some of the world's top gospel artists, including Bobby Jones, Douglas Miller, as well as Dr. John and the Blind Boys of Alabama. He's done it all.
Can't wait to hear what he has in store for us tonight.
Take it away, Dwight.
[Dwight Bailey} Good evening. And thank you for that warm introduction, Francisco.
My name is Dwight Bailey. I have some wonderful friends with me today, musicians that I like to introduce.
Mr. Robert Mason on keyboards,
Mr. Eddie Bayard on saxophone.
My good friend, Mr. Reggie Jackson on drums.
And I'm Dwight Bailey.
We like for you all to sit back and enjoy, have a good time, or get up and dance, have fun, whatever you feel led to do.
[Jazz Music plays]
Thank you so much for joining us this evening.
We hope you had a fantastic time, and we hope to see you in the future.
Back to you, Francisco.
[Francis Soto] This night was fantastic. Thanks so much. Dwight Bailey Band, for keeping us moving all night, Vice Provost Moore, and our alumni society leaders for the continued support of all ODI Scholars. A special happy 40th anniversary to all my MSP alumni.
I now invite you to join me in the singing of Carmen Ohio.
Thanks again for joining us.
Good night. And say it with me. Go Buckeyes.