From doing community service with the Cleveland Cavaliers to getting an inside look at one of the largest greenhouse operations in North America, a contingent of students, faculty and staff from The Ohio State University spent two days engaging with northeast Ohio partners and learning about the university’s impact in the region.

Ohio State President Walter “Ted” Carter Jr. led the university’s state tour this week to stops in Cleveland, Oberlin and Medina, among others. The state tour is an opportunity for university representatives to meet with business leaders, community members and alumni outside of Columbus and highlight the shared connections in Ohio.

Carter, who was joined by Ohio State First Lady Lynda Carter, spoke at Green Circle Growers, the first stop on the tour, which is an expansive greenhouse operation that has workforce and research partnerships with the College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

“Lynda and I just couldn’t be more excited to be here along with some of our faculty and, most importantly, these phenomenal students that came up to be with us here on a two-day tour visit of northeast Ohio,” Carter said. “The agricultural mission of Ohio is so important. One in eight people in the state of Ohio work in the ag and food industry. It’s an industry that has over $124 billion in economic impact. So it’s important for us to be here.”

Partnerships and impact are themes Carter mentioned often during the tour. He also visited Patterson Fruit Farm and Sandridge Crafted Foods. Both are family-owned and operated companies led by Ohio State alumni, with university research partnerships embedded in their culture.

The state tour also highlighted the university’s efforts to give back to the community. The Office of Student Life joined staff from the Cavaliers, representatives from Coca-Cola and members of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics to aid the Children’s Hunger Alliance.

Working on the court at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse, they teamed up to pack 2,300 weekend meal boxes (or the equivalent of 13,800 meals) to distribute to more than 50 partners across the state. The students who participated in the project said it was among the highlights of the trip.

“Honestly, it was amazing, just being a part of a cause that was bigger than all of us,” said Anthony Koulianos, a fourth-year neuroscience major.

On day two of the tour, the university helped open the Lake County Fair. The 169th year of the county fair celebrated the agricultural roots of the region – aided by Ohio State University Extension in Lake County and university-supported 4-H programs.

Carter, students and university staff toured livestock areas, visited the poultry show and helped lead the national anthem.

The state tour also helped the university connect with the future. The Office of Strategic Enrollment Management hosted a pep rally at Mentor High School in one of the largest school districts in Lake County.

About 200 people attended the pep rally, including current Mentor students and staff as well as prospective students from area high schools. Members of the Ohio State Marching Band celebrated students from the region who will be joining Ohio State in the fall. Carter spoke to the crowd about the value of a college degree and the university’s commitment to affordability, noting that 58% of Ohio State graduates leave school without debt.

“We not only want our students to come, learn, grow, become critical thinkers. We also want them to be successful,” he said. “We also want them to know that there are great opportunities within the state of Ohio.”

Kimmara Yarbrough, a fifth-year nursing major, said the state tour helped her understand the passion people in Ohio have for the university.

“I think Ohio State has the craziest school spirit I’ve ever seen in my life,” she said. “Seeing alumni that excited to come back, and even people who didn’t come to Ohio State, they just saw us there and they wanted to say, ‘Hi.’ Their children were like, ‘I want to go there. I want to see Brutus. I want to see the drum major.’ So it just goes to show that the community we build at Ohio State and the spirit that we have here really drives what we do.”