‘We will be a top-ranked, consequential university’

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'We will be a top-ranked, consequential university'

100-plus days into his new role, President Bellamkonda reflects on Ohio State's strengths and future potential

More than 100 days into his presidency at The Ohio State University, Ravi V. Bellamkonda is even more excited about the university's potential to elevate its excellence and impact than when he and his wife, Lalita Kaligotla, first became Buckeyes.

"Lalita and I are humbled by the opportunity we've been given," he said. "To be able to serve this university and this amazing community of scholars, our city and the state of Ohio, it's a dream realized."

Since being named the university's 18th president earlier this year, Bellamkonda has met with students, faculty and staff, as well as alumni, elected officials, business leaders and others in the extended Ohio State community. Those conversations have given him a window into Ohio State's position as a powerhouse across academics, research, student outcomes, health care and athletics - and the opportunities for the university community to reach even higher.

"Our life-changing patient care, our academic excellence, our Buckeye student-athletes - I want to hear about it all," he said. "It reminds me that this university truly belongs to all of us. When we work together, our collective impact is transformative."

Looking ahead, Bellamkonda wants Ohio State to continue this path of what he calls "excellence at scale." That includes a $1.68 billion research enterprise, which he hopes to grow to $2 billion, as well as the university's top-ranked medical center and its newly opened hospital tower.

The achievements don't stop there. The university's programs in nursing, business and engineering are all top-ranked in the country. A top-30 national ranking in biomedical innovation is proof of Ohio State's real-world research impact.

That success doesn't happen in a vacuum, however. It is the university's people that Bellamkonda considers to be the greatest asset, he said.

"We have the greatest people," he said. "The people who work here are motivated by our land-grant mission and by a deep care and compassion for each other and the people we serve. They want to have an impact on this community. They give their best and believe that together, we will be a top-ranked, consequential university."

That land-grant mission includes making education accessible to citizens of Ohio, something Bellamkonda is passionate about.

Programs like the Regional Campus Commitment, which promises a tuition-free education to qualifying Ohio students with a family income of $100,000 or less and demonstrated need and who begin their education at one of the regional campuses, and the Ohio State Tuition Guarantee, which locks in in-state tuition, room and board for four years, make the quality education at Ohio State affordable.

Equally important, Bellamkonda noted, Ohio State offers access to excellence: Students who choose Ohio State can pursue a signature undergraduate experience defined by world-class academic programs and real-world learning opportunities that will prepare them to be successful professionals and engaged citizens.

That quality starts with a commitment to attracting and retaining top talent. Bellamkonda aims to elevate and celebrate Ohio State's current excellent faculty and their scholarship, including by ensuring more faculty are nominated for prestigious awards and recognition.

He also wants to make Ohio State a destination of choice for even more world-class scholars. The new Game Changer Scholars initiative is bringing two renowned academics to the university: Chief Judge Jeffrey Sutton, who will be joining the Moritz College of Law, and Kang Xu, a leading expert in battery technology who will join the College of Engineering.

And that's just the beginning. Bellamkonda also pointed to the Provost's Endowed Chair Matching Program, a $100 million investment in Buckeye faculty through new and existing endowed chairs. With the program, which will be supported by a combination of private philanthropy and matching university funds, Ohio State will strengthen its academic talent and culture, support groundbreaking research and advance innovation across disciplines.

Bellamkonda said those and other efforts represent a comprehensive commitment to retain and build a faculty with global impact.

"More than 50 of our active faculty are members in academies of medicine, engineering, science and inventors," he said. "You become an academic powerhouse by hiring the best and the brightest. We have done and will continue to do just that."

Members of the university community have taken note of Bellamkonda's commitment to inviting all Buckeyes to join a "relentless pursuit of excellence."

"Moving from his position of executive vice president and provost to president of Ohio State, Ravi brings with him a strong personal and professional understanding of our faculty, staff and students," said Valarie Williams, professor of dance and a member of the University Senate Steering Committee.

"His humanity coupled with his research profile allow him to lead with empathy and compassion. Working with him as Faculty Council Chair, I know that Ravi has our best interests at heart. He listens, contemplates and makes swift decisions. Ravi and Lalita are the right people at the right time to lead our university."

In sports, the Buckeyes continue to excel on and off the field. New Academic Progress Rate data shows that 20 Ohio State programs achieved a perfect single-year score. In the last academic year, 227 Buckeyes were named to the Academic All-Big Ten team.

"When I walk into a laboratory or a studio, I am blown away by what our students are achieving," Bellamkonda said. "And not just what they are doing, but how they are doing it - with joy.

"That joy sets this community apart. It gives me every confidence that we will move Ohio State forward together as the finest public university in the country, with impact in our state and around the world."

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