Special Olympics Club will be hosting its first-ever Polar Plunge against Michigan on Sunday to kick off rivalry week on campus. Credit: Courtesy of Anthony Shuman

The Special Olympics Club, in collaboration with Buckeye Buddies and Phi Sigma Kappa, will give students the opportunity to make a splash in icy waters on Sunday during its first-ever OSU vs. TTUN Polar Plunge fundraiser. 

The event will take place at the Lincoln Tower basketball courts, with proceeds from participant donations going to Special Olympics Ohio to support its athletes and further its goal of inclusivity. While the state organization has hosted plunges annually throughout the state, the event marks the first held on both of the rival campuses at the same time.

Students are encouraged to either register individually or form a team in order to receive donations to help reach their $10,000 goal.

At the time of publication, the group raised $9,500. 

Riley Logan, a fourth-year in political science and president of the Special Olympics Club, said this fundraiser is only the beginning of what she hopes will soon become a campus tradition.

“We are super excited to bring this event to campus for the very first time and hope to continue it for years to come,” Logan said.

Check-in for the event will begin at 10:30 a.m., giving students an hour before jumping off the stage into a pool at 11:30 a.m. 

Logan said there are incentives for students to raise as much money as possible before the donation window closes on Nov. 25, including a free Polar Plunge towel for those who raise $50 or more and an Ohio State Plunge crewneck if donations total $250 or more.

Anthony Shuman, a third-year in biochemistry and Spanish and president of Buckeye Buddies, said the event will be a great way to celebrate the fundraising as well as mark the beginning of rivalry week on campus. 

“It’s really going to be a great opportunity to kind of put a capstone on this event and also kick off rivalry week with Michigan,” Shuman said.

Despite the rivalry between Ohio State and Michigan, Shuman said the Polar Plunge allows the two schools to come together and bring positive change into people’s lives.

“It’s great when we can come together and collaborate to raise awareness and raise funds for different organizations,” Shuman said. “I feel like a big part of the power of the rivalry can be used for so much good, and I think this is a great example of it.”

 Students can register for the event or donate here.