Several students, alumni, faculty and staff at Ohio State will have a sandwich named after them at a campus eatery.

Thirteen winners of the new Sandwich Club Award will have a sandwich named after them in Sloopy’s Diner, located in the new Ohio Union. The winners were chosen out of more than 200 applications and had to meet several criteria, including school spirit.

“Students nominated had to be in good academic standing with at least a 2.5 [grade point average],” said Matt Couch, associate director for the Union. “But the common criterion for all nominees was that they had to have demonstrated dedication to OSU and the Union.”

The award, which will be given annually, is paid for out of the Union’s operating budget, Couch said. It is intended to honor students, faculty, staff and alumni for their contributions to OSU.

“We just love coming up with fun and creative ways to honor the people that have truly made a difference at OSU,” he said. “Wouldn’t you be honored to bring a friend into Sloopy’s and have them order something off the menu named for you?”

It’s also intended to be a different way for people to feel connected to the diner, said Tracy Stuck, assistant vice president for Student Life and director of the Ohio Union.

“Food is such an important part of being a central gathering place for campus,” she said. “We wanted to develop a program that would help students, staff, faculty and alumni connect with our offerings in a creative way.”

Winners will get to keep the award from March 2010 to June 2011.

They will also get a short bio on the Sloopy’s menu and one free meal per quarter at the diner for themselves and a guest.

There is a catch to the award, however: Winners, like this year’s, are not able to choose which sandwich will be named after them.

“I think a few of them will be humorously surprised,” Stuck said. “I relish the thought of the looks on their faces. Pun intended.”

Winners were already notified that they won and will find out which sandwich is named after them at an unveiling event March 16. To find out more about the award, visit ohiounion.osu.edu/sandwich.