Ohio State is home to more than 1,200 student organizations. These organizations cover academic, volunteer, religious interests and more. 1 Day for the K.I.A. is one such student organization, with a mission to give back to the families of those who have served and sacrificed for the U.S.

1 Day for the K.I.A., composed of students who are military-affiliated, will host a 24-hour endurance run in the spring from April 9 to 10 to honor military servicemembers who have ties to the OSU community and Columbus area.

K.I.A. is an initialism, meaning “killed in action.” 1 Day for the K.I.A. began in 2013 and hosted its first run that same April.

Through the Living Legacy Scholarship, which is funded by the run proceeds and donations, 1 Day for K.I.A. is able to provide funds to OSU students who are the child or sibling of a service member who was killed in action, listed as a prisoner of war, listed as missing in action, or permanently disabled due to their service.

Lynsie Schwerer, a fourth-year in atmospheric science and member of the public affairs team for 1 Day for the K.I.A., spoke about how funding began for the scholarship.

“We started … by having a 24-hour endurance run in the spring. People are performing an ultramarathon and running as much as they can for 24 hours,” she said. “That was kind of symbolic in the fact that those who serve overseas or even here domestically in the United States — the amount of sacrifice that that takes, the amount of endurance that that takes — we hope to represent that by doing something as challenging as a 24-hour endurance run.”

The endurance run is meant to commemorate more than 900 OSU alumni who were killed in service. One hundred percent of the funds raised go directly toward the Living Legacy Scholarship.

Nick Faltas, a third-year in logistics management and member of 1 Day for the K.I.A., said the scholarship has a real impact.

“I believe that the scholarships existence sends a message of both recognizing that it’s not only the service members, but their families as well who are affected and suffer,” he said.
“There are people — not just in the organization, but whoever volunteers, donates or even shares the message — who recognize that pain and want to do something of our own to give back and say thank you.”

Registration is now open for the spring 2016 24-hour endurance run.