Four of The Ohio State University’s most committed and generous supporters, including Catherine Baumgardner and Georgie Shockey, were recognized last week with this year's highest university honors for philanthropy and volunteerism.
Engaged with the university in a volunteer capacity for many years, Baumgardner served on many committees and the Alumni Advisory Council before being chosen to serve on the Alumni Association Board of Directors. She was elected to a two-year term as chair in 2019, and while ensuring the board remained remarkably productive throughout the pandemic, she led during transitions of the alumni association president and CEO and university president.
Baumgardner has loyally given to areas across the university for three decades, including creating a scholarship in honor of her parents, the Styrcula-Zavatsky Family Women & Philanthropy Scholarship Fund.
I hope to inspire others to give their time, talent and treasure, too, as they define their own Buckeye traditions and legacies. My Ohio State volunteer journey has been the ride of a lifetime, and I can’t wait to see what lies ahead. --Catherine Baumgardner
For more than 20 years, Georgie Shockey has dedicated her time and professional expertise to the Alumni Association and the College of Education and Human Ecology — she is a graduate of the college, with a degree in nutrition.
Shockey has been actively engaged in past and current fundraising endeavors. As a director on the Foundation Board, she continues to help inspire the organization toward new fundraising heights as part of Time and Change: The Ohio State Campaign.
A longtime generous contributor to student scholarships, she is also committed to Ohio State's efforts in the fight against cancer and to protecting the ice core samples in the Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center.
From my background in nutrition to supporting the future of ice cores that hold the secrets to climate and medical insights — it can all only be done at an institution as diverse as Ohio State. The power of giving and advocating for this university is very much a highlight for me, and I hope to continue to serve in this way for years to come. --Georgie Shockey
