Nigel Gore

Nigel Gore never imagined he’d be a member of Homecoming Court. In fact, he never imagined he’d be a Buckeye at all. The fourth-year public policy major from Solon, Ohio, sought a small, private-school college experience—until he earned a spot in the Morrill Scholars Program. 

“Being on Homecoming Court is full circle for me because I never imagined really weaving myself into the fabric of Ohio State, but once I forged those everlasting connections, I gained an appreciation for what this place is,” Gore noted. “It wasn’t until I found my community and curated the space that I wanted that I realized I could still have that small school feel at Ohio State.” 

Although Gore is a Chair of Undergraduate Caucus within Undergraduate Student Government, an ambassador at Center for Belonging and Social Change, and a member of the Phi Chi Theta business fraternity, he says ODI and MSP were instrumental in helping him create his Buckeye community. 

“There is a sense of connectivity that often happens among marginalized students in general, so once you bring us together, we are building off each other with resources, which is the coolest thing in the world,” Gore explained. “I’ve benefited from the connections as well as the opportunities to have a space to meet and engage in free thought with people who look like me.” 

As a Homecoming Court member, Gore hopes to help other students find connection and belonging through ODI. For his Homecoming Court fundraiser, he has chosen to pay forward to MSP. 

“College is beyond expensive, and I would not be at Ohio State without MSP,” Gore explained. “Currently, many of the rights and opportunities of diverse and marginalized people are being stripped away, but ODI programming and experiences are a reality that should always remain on this campus.” 

He encourages students to construct the Buckeye journey they want, not the one expected of them. 

“Don’t say yes to everything, and don’t feel like you have to fit into others’ opinion of what your college experience has to be,” Gore advised. “Ultimately, it’s about formulating the experience that you think is best for you.”