Tyvis Powell at the CareSource Football ProCamp in Columbus, OH in July 2023. Credit: Courtesy of Tyvis Powell
The bright-eyed excitement of a diverse freshman class arriving on campus for the first time is palpable — in this moment, the sky’s the limit.
This translates into a correspondingly diversified group of alums, hailing from every corner of the professional sectors. Now, some of these former Buckeyes will share the insights they gained from their time spent at Ohio State.
Take Tyvis Powell, a former Ohio State football safety and the Defensive MVP of the 2015 National Championship, attended Ohio State from 2012-2015. At present, Powell said he works for 97.1 The Fan, a sports radio show based in Columbus.
For Powell, being a student-athlete at Ohio State allowed him to develop a stronger sense of personal responsibility.
“The main lesson that I learned was to always take accountability,” Powell said. “Oftentimes, there are a ton of excuses that you can make in life to get out of obligations. I like to make the excuse to do the obligation.”
Since graduating, Powell said he has reflected on the true significance of being a Buckeye for life.
“I believe OSU had the biggest impact on my life because of all the lessons I learned, the people I met, the experiences I witnessed,” Powell said. “I think it has all helped mold me into the individual that I am today. Now that I’ve graduated, I’m realizing how strong this Buckeye family is.”
Writer, director and artist Jim Kammerud — best known for his influential work on “Space Jam” with Michael Jordan and “Space Jam: A New Legacy,” featuring LeBron James — also spent formative years at Ohio State from 1981-1985.
Kammerud said his journey at Ohio State truly began after his friend Jeff Smith — another notable Ohio State alum, best known for writing and illustrating the comic book series “BONE” — introduced him to The Lantern, where he eventually drew cartoon strips.
Kammerud said this experience was fundamental in strengthening his work ethic.
“The reason I’ve succeeded as an artist is because The Lantern forced me to learn how to be creative on demand, to perform on a daily deadline and learn to deal with the pressure,” Kammerund said.
After landing a job in Newport News, Virginia in the ‘80s making maps of car accidents, Kammerud said he returned to Columbus to join forces with fellow Ohio State alum Marty Fuller — who attended Ohio State from 1979-1983 — and Smith by establishing an animation company called Character Builders Inc. in 1986, which has since ceased operations.
“Eventually, that grew into something I’d only dreamed of, writing and directing Disney movies we would make from Columbus, Ohio with our friends,” Kammerund said.
Randall Engle, a psychologist and research professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology, said he primarily attended West Virginia State University — a small, historically Black university located in Institute, West Virginia — where he received his bachelor’s degree in psychology. He went on to earn his Ph.D. from Ohio State in experimental psychology in 1973.
In 2020, Engle said he achieved one of the highest honors in the field of psychology by being elected to the National Academy of Sciences. Additionally, he currently has a substantial five-year grant from the United States Naval Academy for his research in the working memory capacity.
Engle said he attributes Ohio State for fostering his deep love for psychology and research.
“I think the biggest thing I got, in retrospect, was an appreciation for psychology as a science,” Engle said. “Love of the pursuit of new knowledge — I clearly got that at Ohio State.”
Stepping away from psychology, students aiming to pursue careers in law and public service may recognize the name of Ohio Representative Ismail Mohamed.
Mohamed, who earned his bachelor’s degree in political science from Ohio State in 2013 and his law degree from the Moritz College of Law in 2017, said he currently serves as a member of five central Ohio committees.
One such committee is the Civilian Review Board, which reviews government conduct and analyzes complaints against the Columbus Division of Police; notably, Mohamed was appointed to this position by Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther.
Mohamed is also the first Somali-American who is a practicing attorney in the state of Ohio, having immigrated to central Ohio from Somalia in 2005 at a young age.
During his time at Ohio State, Mohamed said he joined a few student-led clubs, including the College Democrats, which eventually led him to pursue a career in politics. This, in conjunction with the support Mohamed received from faculty members, solidified his passion for public service.
“Certainly, OSU was an institution that prides itself on freedom of speech and expression,” Mohamed said. “It’s a great institution where a lot of great professors and educators came from, and it was a place where I could grow.”
The bright-eyed excitement of freshman year may fade. Even so, there is much success to be found at and beyond Ohio State; whether students study political science, draw cartoons for The Lantern or win a National Championship, there is a unified pride in being a Buckeye.
