BIPOC Communities at Ohio State

Student organizations have served a variety of purposes at Ohio State University, including academic, honorary, social, service, leadership, religious, political, athletic, and cultural understanding. Some organizations are open to all, while others are application-based or require adherence to certain standards. The first student organization was the Alcyone Literary Society, established in 1874, within a year of the university’s opening. As of 2018, the Agricultural Education Society is the oldest continuously active undergraduate student organization.

As of 2018, there are over 1,300 student organizations at Ohio State University. Organizations must register each year in order to be recognized by the university and have access to funding and resources. Student organizations are managed by the Student Activities department, which is under the Office of Student Life.

As of 2018, the International House Learning Community is a residence community at Ohio State University, where students from all over the world live together to learn about other cultures. It was established in 1938 for male students, and was housed in the George Wells Knight International House building, but it became coed and moved out of the Knight House at some point after 1980. The Ohio State University, International House Learning Community Records contain minutes, a roster, an annual, and other administrative materials, dated 1938-1980.

The Ohio State University, Department of African American and African Studies Records contain materials including departmental organization files and audiovisual recordings dating from 1968 to 2018. Some of these recordings contain episodes of departmental radio broadcasts from WOSU, namely the programs Black Studies Beat and Black Studies Broadcast Journal, many of which were hosted by departmental chairs Dr. William E. Nelson and Mary Ann Williams.