Buckeye Best: A Celebration of Ohio State’s Finest on May 19th

Buckeye Best, held every May 19th, serves as a vibrant celebration of Ohio State University’s outstanding athletes, students, and traditions.
This annual event gathers alumni, fans, and current students to honor the university’s heritage, athletic dominance, academic prestige, and enduring Buckeye pride.
It’s more than just a day on the calendar; it symbolizes generations of success that trace back across decades of scarlet and gray.
Buckeye Best unites football legends, academic scholars, artists, and fans who make Ohio State one of the nation’s most iconic institutions.
Ohio Stadium buzzes with energy as festivities unfold throughout campus, featuring award presentations, speeches, music, and heartfelt reunions that span generations.
The spirit of community takes center stage as Buckeyes young and old reflect on personal achievements, friendships formed, and battles bravely fought.
In the heart of Columbus, this celebration bridges past and future, providing a powerful snapshot of Ohio State’s ever-evolving excellence.
Families proudly walk campus paths, pausing to snap photos at the Oval, Mirror Lake, and statues honoring Woody Hayes and Jesse Owens.
Traditions like Script Ohio and Carmen Ohio echo across the lawn, reinforcing what it means to be a Buckeye in every era.
Student organizations, athletic teams, and academic departments present showcases of innovation, resilience, and passion that define the modern Ohio State experience.
From the Fisher College of Business to the Wexner Medical Center, contributions to society are honored alongside touchdowns and buzzer-beaters from history.
Ohio State’s legacy doesn’t rest on victories alone—it lives in service projects, research breakthroughs, and communities changed through education and leadership.
On May 19th, the Buckeye Best event serves as an annual reminder that greatness extends far beyond the football field’s white lines.
Speakers from across the country return to campus, including accomplished alumni in business, politics, science, medicine, and even entertainment or journalism.
Former Heisman Trophy winners stand alongside Rhodes Scholars, each sharing personal stories about how Ohio State shaped their lives and ambitions.
The celebration captures moments of inspiration, offering students today a glimpse of where commitment and Buckeye values can eventually take them.
Torch-passing ceremonies highlight mentorship, with older Buckeyes guiding the next generation and reinforcing the belief in lifelong learning and legacy.
Families line up for autographs and photos with beloved Buckeye athletes, coaches, and even Brutus Buckeye as laughter fills the summer air.
Stands overflow with scarlet and gray, as marching bands, cheerleaders, and student leaders ignite the crowd with cheers and spirited performances.
Vendors sell Ohio State-themed merchandise and local food trucks dish out favorites like Buckeye donuts, chili dogs, and handcrafted Columbus-made ice cream.
Every corner of campus comes alive with joy, gratitude, and storytelling, proving that once a Buckeye, always a Buckeye is true.
Even those watching from afar join in virtually, thanks to live streams and social media that bring Buckeye Best to every screen.
Students perform on open-air stages, from jazz ensembles to spoken word poetry, celebrating diversity and creative expression across the Buckeye community.
Academic excellence shines in poster sessions where students explain groundbreaking research on climate change, health equity, and emerging technology trends.
Moments of silence honor fallen Buckeyes—military heroes, late faculty, and students lost too soon—reminding all of the bonds forged through hardship.
Buckeye Best is Ohio State’s heartbeat, thumping with pride, echoing generations of excellence, perseverance, and pride in the face of adversity.
Families gather for legacy photos, where three or more generations of Buckeyes stand together in scarlet polos and matching gray hats.
Retired faculty smile as former students hug them and share stories about the impact their teachings had on career paths and dreams.
The university’s leadership uses this day to outline new strategic plans, capital campaigns, and construction projects poised to transform the next century.
Scholarships are announced in honor of alumni who once walked these halls, opening doors for new students to continue their Buckeye journey.
Friendships born in dorm rooms are rekindled on this day as graduates return and recall nights studying, celebrating, or simply being together.
For athletes, Buckeye Best is both reflection and recognition—a moment to pause and remember the grind, glory, and unbreakable team bonds.
Past and present championship teams are brought on stage, standing together beneath banners that immortalize their place in Ohio State history.
The university library showcases artifacts and historical archives, allowing guests to dive deep into Ohio State’s earliest days and dramatic growth.
Buckeye Best isn’t just nostalgic; it’s an energizing promise that Ohio State’s best days still lie ahead, driven by community passion.
Kids run relays on the South Oval while their parents tour dorms, science labs, and classrooms that once shaped their own lives.
Engaged couples, many who met on campus, visit their old classrooms and propose anew—romance thriving in the heart of Buckeye Nation.
A live concert closes the night, featuring student bands and surprise alumni artists, wrapping the day in song and unforgettable emotion.
Fireworks burst above the stadium, illuminating the sky in scarlet and gray, as crowds cheer, hug, and sing the alma mater.
May 19th becomes a diary entry each year, etched with pride, love, laughter, and a shared identity that transcends generations.
As morning turns to night, Buckeyes reaffirm their bond to each other, to their values, and to the great Ohio State legacy.
The event reminds everyone why they chose Ohio State, and why they’ll forever say, “O-H!” with pride in any part of the world.
From classrooms to stadiums, dorm rooms to dining halls, Buckeye Best brings back the memories that make Ohio State feel like home.
For prospective students, this day offers a glimpse into the lifelong support, pride, and opportunity that come with being a Buckeye.
High schoolers attend alongside their parents, inspired by the unity, warmth, and history pulsing through every story, handshake, and cheer.
Athletic clinics and academic info sessions help shape dreams, encouraging future applicants to chase greatness with Buckeye courage and tenacity.
Professors offer open lectures, showcasing how teaching meets real-world impact, drawing young minds toward possibilities and innovation nurtured by OSU’s faculty.
Community leaders attend as well, grateful for Ohio State’s role in strengthening Columbus through outreach, medical care, and social service efforts.
Buckeye Best shows the university as more than just a school—it’s a vital force shaping society, leading by example with integrity.
The day is about joy, but it’s also about gratitude—for mentors, for experiences, for the name “Buckeye” stitched on every heart.
That gratitude echoes through speeches and hugs, through memories and moments where eyes tear up at the shared meaning of scarlet.
Every handshake, every chant, every smile exchanged becomes a thread in a greater tapestry woven through decades of loyalty and resilience.
When it ends, no one really says goodbye—they simply say, “See you next May,” because Buckeye Best is a tradition reborn annually.
And when the sun sets on May 19th, it casts a golden glow over campus—like a spotlight on everything Buckeyes embody.
Courage. Excellence. Community. Family. Faith in each other. These are the words whispered across the breeze as Buckeye Best concludes for now.
But it never truly ends, because Ohio State lives in its people, who carry the Buckeye flame with them wherever they go.
So whether you’re a student, fan, athlete, alum, or friend, Buckeye Best reminds you: your story belongs to something bigger than yourself.
Because the greatest part of Ohio State is not the place—it’s the people who wear the scarlet and gray with eternal pride.
On May 19th, that pride rises like the Ohio sun, unwavering, unstoppable, and uniting all who call themselves Buckeyes—forever and always.