Bobby McAlpine has spent his college career representing fellow Buckeyes through Undergraduate Student Government. But this year, the fifth-year ODI Scholar (MSP) is representing The Ohio State University in a new way—as a 2024 Homecoming Court member.
McAlpine is best known as Student Body President in USG, where the city and regional planning major is currently serving his second term. However, through his Homecoming Court fundraiser, the Cincinnati native is sharing a lesser-known side: his type 1 diabetes, a diagnosis he received in high school.
“While [diabetes] been a challenge, it has also shaped the person I am today. It has made me more resilient, determined, and committed to making a difference,” McAlpine wrote in his Buckeye Funder description. “That’s why I’m using my platform on Homecoming Court to support research for type 1 diabetes, in hopes of finding better treatments and, one day, a cure.”
In his time with USG, McAlpine was named the Steen Shaver Assembly Member of the Year and fought for increases in mental health resources and diversity initiatives like Ohio State’s first annual Black History Month Gala.
As McAlpine put it: “I’m passionate about leading my peers and building strong communities.”