Audrey J. Coleman

The Lantern •

From memes to memorials: Gen Z learns to navigate Sept. 11 legacy

Twenty-five years ago, the United States was facing the reality of what would become known as the worst terrorist attack in history, both American and worldwide.

With anniversaries, memorials and other tributes to the nearly 3,000 victims of the Sept. 11 attacks, the date in the second week of September becomes more than a typical day. And yet, some people in younger generations spend time poking fun at the attacks, sometimes more often than posting a photo in remembrance.

Using the photo of f...
The Lantern •

President Bellamkonda receives 3% raise, trustees discuss dorm renovations and a new major

The Ohio State Board of Trustees gave the university’s new president a raise and a bonus Thursday, while addressing multiple topics that include a new major within the Salmon P. Chase Center and dorm renovations.

Read below to find out what occurred at the public session.

President Bellamkonda receives a raise

University President Ravi Bellamkonda received both a raise and pay bonus at the meeting. The Board approved a 3% raise — $42,000 — and a $420,000 performance award, pushing Bellamkonda...
The Lantern •

Les Wexner attends medical board meeting for the first time since May 2025

Les Wexner appeared at the Sept. 1 Medical Center Board meeting, after being absent from meetings for over a year, according to previous Lantern reporting.

Wexner announced that he would be stepping down as chair of the medical board on Aug. 20, though he would still remain on the board itself, as stated in a Lantern article. Robert Schottenstein, a former board member and owner of M/I homes, replaced Wexner as president, CEO and chairman.

The only meeting Wexner attended in 2025 was in May. H...
The Lantern •

Two former Ohio State faculty among the missing in Nepal flash flooding

Two former Ohio State faculty members are missing following deadly floods along the Nepal-China border on Aug. 26.

Hanumantha Rao and Vasundhara Unnava, known as Rao and Vasu, are among the many people missing in the area. The flooding was sparked by a glacier collapsing near the northern border shared with China’s Tibet region, according to NBC News.

The pair were both faculty in the Fisher College of Business. After working at the university, the two most recently worked at the University of...
The Lantern •

College Road to close until late October, project set to finish in spring 2027

College Road — the road behind the Ohio Union, campus side, — will be undergoing construction until spring 2027, with updated closures, shifting pedestrian access and updated Campus Area Bus Stops stops. The sidewalks leading to Ohio Union have been affected, pushing foot traffic to different directions as well.

The project began on June 15, according to Ohio State’s Facilities Design and Construction website. The first phase of work closed one lane of traffic on College Road between 12th Avenu...
The Lantern •

New partnerships enter Ohio State Dining Services adding fresher, healthy options

There’s something new cooking inside Sloopy’s Diner — and it’s not just the food.

In preparation for the new school year, Ohio State Dining Services formed a partnership with two new vendors, Blenz Bowls and Hellenic Greek Kitchen, bringing new concepts into Sloopy’s Diner, according to previous Lantern reporting.

Blenz offers build your own acai bowls and smoothies, with an emphasis on fresh fruit flavors and a tropical feel. Including flavors like pineapple, coconut and pitaya, Blenz also of...
The Lantern •

Former President Ted Carter breaks silence to deny legal claims attached to resignation scandal

Walter “Ted” Carter Jr. has denied nearly every claim filed in a lawsuit against him, except for one of the most obvious — that he served as Ohio State University’s president.

Carter also admitted to three other claims in the suit filed by Vet Mentor AI, an app developer that in July claimed the former president intentionally disrupted its business relationships and purposely excluded it from business deals: his resignation date, that he attended a line worker rodeo and that he spoke at it.

He...
The Lantern •

BuckID system launches mobile wallet feature

Ohio State’s BuckID system — the official ID of the university — launched a feature that allows students to add their BuckID to a mobile wallet.

Launched on Tuesday, the new feature functions the same as the physical card, allowing students access to residence halls, dining location payments and entry into other facilities across campus. The card can be added to a student’s preferred mobile wallet platform, such as Apple Wallet and Samsung devices, though not every student is eligible to partic...
The Lantern •

New and improved: Changes coming to Ohio State dining services

Menu changes, more delivery robots and new food options are among several changes Ohio State Dining Services will bring to multiple locations across campus this semester.

Dining Services made several expansions to multiple locations over the summer, bringing in new partners, more choices and renovated spaces. With over 30 locations across campus, students have the opportunity to find a new favorite menu item.

“[The decision was] definitely to appeal to students and to offer students a variety...
The Lantern •

CampusParc to change permit requirements for the 2026-27 year

CampusParc will be changing the rules behind its parking permit system for the upcoming year, requiring users to designate only one active license plate associated with the permit, beginning Aug. 1.

The system will now shift to only allowing one active license plate linked to the account, requiring those with multiple registered plates to switch the status when in use, an email obtained by The Lantern stated.

“Beginning with the 2026-27 permit year that starts on Aug. 1, parking permits will t...
The Lantern •

Ohio State professor involved in journalist assault pleads no contest to reduced charge

An assistant professor at Ohio State caught on video tackling an independent documentarian pleaded no contest to a reduced charge of disorderly conduct Wednesday

Luke Perez’s plea of no contest, according to Ohio Revised Code Section 2937.07, is an admission of the truth of the facts alleged in the case, not a definitive guilty plea. The plea means there will be no trial on an assault charge.

Perez was sentenced to serve a 30-day suspended jail term, two years of probation and associated fines...
The Lantern •

A Buckeye’s guide to campus dining: Fan-favorite locations for incoming freshmen to go to

When arriving on a new campus, stress can stem from navigating the walk between classes, surviving communal bathrooms, and most importantly, where to get the best food from Ohio State Dining.

With over 30 locations across campus, including regional locations, the decision of where to eat first can feel overwhelming. To narrow down some of the options, The Lantern polled current students on some of the best places to go to grab a bite to eat. The polls were collected via Instagram stories, with...
The Lantern •

Judge tightens supervision restrictions on man who plotted university hate crime

A federal judge has ordered additional restrictions on Tres Genco, a self-identified “incel” who pleaded guilty to plotting a hate crime against women at Ohio State in 2020.

The new guidelines, handed down by Judge Susan J. Dlott Thursday, follow a government request made May 26 to remove Genco from his home located two blocks away from campus, according to previous Lantern reporting. His home is within walking distance to the area of most of the university’s sorority and fraternity housing, ac...
The Lantern •

Government seeks to evict man convicted in university hate crime plot from his home, defendant responds

After the Ohio government requested to evict Tres Genco from his home on June 8, his legal team responded on June 17, arguing the request is unnecessary and influenced by emotions, rather than the law.

In 2020, Genco pleaded guilty to plotting a hate crime against women on Ohio State’s campus. He was released from federal prison on April 30. His current home, which he moved into mid-May, sits two blocks away from campus.

“This Court’s decision-making must be guided by the actual facts and the...
The Lantern •

Album Review: Niall Horan releases “Dinner Party,” kicking off the summer music season

Former One Direction star, and now solo artist, Niall Horan released his fourth studio album, “Dinner Party,” on Friday — just in time for summer nighttime listening and the season of weekend road trips.

Horan rose to fame in 2010 after appearing on season seven of “The X Factor,” which led to the formation of One Direction, one of the biggest boy bands of all time. After five albums and hundreds of concerts, the band disbanded in 2015 to pursue solo careers, according to a BBC article.

Follow...
The Lantern •

Sloopy’s Diner to undergo menu change entering Autumn semester

Campus-favorite Sloopy’s Diner will undergo a menu revamp for the new school year, adding more Mediterranean-styled dishes and smoothies, compared to its current American diner-style food.

Located inside the Ohio Union, Sloopy’s  is known for breakfast foods, like flavored pancakes and eggs, and classic diner options, including burgers, sandwiches and grilled cheese. With dine-in, carry out and GrubHub delivery robot options, the diner had held its ground as a go-to for students.

“Many of the...
The Lantern •

Ohio State student dies in car crash on I-71 Columbus’ North Side

An Ohio State student died in a car crash on I-71 on Columbus’s North Side early Thursday morning.

Police said the crash occurred at 2:10 a.m. north of Morse Road on I-71 North, according to The Columbus Dispatch. Ashton Krick, a rising third-year aerospace engineering student at Ohio State, was driving north when he went off the side of the road, hitting the base of a raised pedestrian walkway, the report said.

Krick was pronounced dead at the scene. It is unknown why Krick went off the road....
The Lantern •

University reaches $100 million settlement with nearly 300 Strauss survivors

The Ohio State University board of trustees voted to settle with the remaining plaintiffs in the ongoing Richard Strauss lawsuit, and will pay $100 million to end the years-long case.

The resolution was added to the agenda before the meeting on June 3, and is speculated to be the final settlement in the suit, which was originally opened in 2018, according to a university website.

“Ohio State and 279 of the 280 individual remaining Richard Strauss survivors involved in the pending litigation ha...
The Lantern •

Ohio State staff member killed in stabbing in Clintonville Sunday morning

An Ohio State alumnus and staff member is dead and another person critically injured after a stabbing allegedly involving the victim’s 17-year-old adopted son, according to Columbus police.

The crime was reported Sunday around 7 a.m., with two victims suffering from stab wounds when officers arrived at the scene, according to ABC 6 reporting. Mark Rayburn-Velco was pronounced dead at 7:58 a.m. after receiving life-saving treatment. The other victim was in critical condition, but is expected to...
The Lantern •

E. Roe Stamps IV touches on four key life lessons during commencement speech

Thoughtful decision making, joining a winning team and building on the momentum that carried students to graduation were among the key points E. Row Stamps IV delivered during his commencement address at Ohio State Sunday.

Speaking before an estimated crowd of 80,000, the philanthropist, co-founder of Summit Partners and founder of the Stamps Scholarship Program, opened his speech by congratulating graduates – before acknowledging the significance of the ceremony falling on Mother’s Day. He the...
The Lantern •

Commencement speakers and admin address teamwork and support at the university’s 442nd commencement ceremony

University President Ravi Bellamkonda, philanthropist and commencement speaker E. Roe Stamps IV and graduating student speaker Molly Ranz Calhoun emphasized the importance of teamwork, support systems and safeguarding the future during Ohio State’s 442nd commencement ceremony Sunday at Ohio Stadium.

Held on Mother’s Day, the ceremony honored the families, mentors and loved ones who helped graduates reach the milestone, with speakers repeatedly encouraging students to recognize the people who su...
The Lantern •

E. Roe Stamps to speak on life experiences and future goals during Spring Commencement

E. Roe Stamps — the 2026 Spring Commencement speaker — hopes to use his experiences in business, philanthropy and scholarship to encourage students to pursue their dreams.

Ohio State announced Stamps will be the commencement speaker Sunday, highlighting his work co-founding a private equity and venture capital firm and the Stamps Scholars Program. The program provides scholarships at over three dozen universities worldwide, according to an Ohio State press release.

“We expect you to offer that...
The Lantern •

President Ravi Bellamkonda works to continue university plans, AI fluency and student impact in new role

The ongoing strength of Ohio State’s academics, research, medical expertise and athletics will overcome and outlast any outside criticism and scrutiny of this institution, President Ravi V. Bellamkonda said Friday.

In an interview with The Lantern, Columbus Dispatch and Columbus Business First, Bellamkonda also said he plans to keep many of former President Walter “Ted” Carter Jr.’s key initiatives in place while working to make Ohio State’s bureaucracy more responsive and efficient. He also sa...
The Lantern •

Album Review: Noah Kahan’s fourth studio album ruins any chance of joy — in a good way

Hit folk-rock singer Noah Kahan released his fourth studio album, “The Great Divide,” Friday, after a four-year break from releasing music. While Kahan has been releasing music since 2019, his jump into true celebrity status wasn’t until 2022 with the release of “Stick Season.”

His recognizable strong vocals are paired with bass, guitar and drums, the typical instrumental lineup for borderline country artists. In Kahan’s newest album, there’s something extremely cathartic in every song.

Even t...
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