Sept. 23, 2021 — Grad School

GRAD SCHOOL EDITION

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Thursday, September 23, 2021

CAMPUS

The Council of Graduate Students works with university administration to address problems students face due to COVID-19.

ON PAGE 3

How to get into graduate school AUBREY WRIGHT Senior Lantern reporter wright.2257@osu.edu When planning an education beyond a cap and gown earned in the ‘Shoe and undergraduate diplomas hung on their walls, students may find themselves lost, but faculty at Ohio State are ready to help.

Pre-professional advisers and staff in Graduate and Professional Admissions are available through each step of the graduate and professional school application process, from narrowing down programs to find the best fit, preparing personal statements and discovering options for funding.

“If you’re a student at Ohio State, you’re getting a firm foundation in your undergrad and you can do anything,” Tiffany Halsell, assistant director of the Office of Graduate and Professional Admissions, said. “Please always feel like you can reach out and ask questions.”

Students can research online, get in touch with current students and reach out to advisers to explore prospective programs, Halsell said. Ohio State has over 260 graduate and professional programs, adding to the many options across the nation, she said.

Halsell said while researching programs, students should consider alternatives to their potential field of study and consider a career they can see themselves having in their 20s and onward.

“It’s always giving yourself grace and just doing exploration and research before you apply,” Halsell said.

Katie Watkins, program director of Undergraduate Studies and pre-health adviser for the College of Pharmacy, said in an email she encourages students to create a spreadsheet or document with a broad list of schools they’re considering.

Students can add columns for important factors they’re considering, like GPA minimums, average standardized test scores, focus area and other pieces of

information, Watkins said. When students need to select a university, they can use the information to scale down their list and eliminate programs that do not match up with their values and academic record.

“Remember it costs money to submit every application and for a lot of students, especially pre-med,” Watkins said. “You are probably going to apply to 15 to 20 schools, so you must start broad and narrow down.”

When applying to their chosen programs, students should always know their deadlines, Halsell said. Most applicants should have a CV or resume and three letters of recommendation with contact information.

Most graduate programs will not have an interview process, so personal statements are crucial, Chris Adams, a pre-law adviser and director of Student Services and Programming for the John Glenn College of Public Affairs, said in an email.

When an application asks for a general statement, Adams said he recommends that students divide their statements into three sections: before, during and after.

Adams said the “before” should include a student’s motivations to apply for a specific program, like a class, family member or another event in their life.

The “during” part of their statement should describe what the student will do in the program and contribute to the school’s community, Adams said. This includes classes, faculty members they will work with and potential research projects.

Adams said the “after” section should focus on how the program will help a student achieve their career and personal goals.

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Advisers are available for each step of the graduate and professional school application process, from narrowing down programs to find best fit, preparing personal statements and discovering options for funding.

“Ultimately, the most important thing to do with a personal statement is be yourself. This is your chance for the admissions committee to learn something about you that isn’t reflected in your transcripts or resume.”

”

CHRIS ADAMS Director of Student Services and Programming for the John Glenn College of Public Affairs

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GRAD SCHOOL FROM 2

“Try to be as specific as you can, even if you’re not totally sure of a future career path,” Adams said. “Remember, nobody will revoke your admission for changing your mind down the road, so it’s usually better to try to point to some specifics, rather than submitting a vague statement.”

Halsell said funding for doctorate programs is easier to come by than funding for graduate school, but applicants should always seek programs that

offer partial funding and financial assistance like stipends. Ohio State, like many other universities, offers many scholarship and fellowship opportunities.

Another funding option that Halsell herself took advantage of is finding a place of work that sponsors a master’s program.

With Ohio State’s faculty and staff tuition assistance, Halsell said she was able to receive her Ph.D. for a significantly discounted rate, paying about $100 per class, and her previous

job with a utility company helped cover her master’s degree.

To offset financial burden and secure funding, students might consider applying to graduate or research assistantships, Katy Scott, a pre-law adviser for the School of Environment and Natural Resources, said in an email.

“Schools will often offer these positions and will cover all or part of your graduate school tuition as part of the assistantship,” Scott said. “And sometimes they offer

Council of Graduate Students work to improve quality of programs

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Nick Messenger, president of the Council of Graduate Students, said Ohio State graduate students are facing several challenges, including delayed paychecks and approval of contracts, as well as being able to finish their degrees on time.

JESSICA LANGER Campus LTV Producer langer.42@osu.edu The pandemic rocked the country, and Ohio State graduate students felt its repercussions and are now unsure if they will be able to finish their degrees, find childcare and get their paychecks on time.

Nick Messenger, president

of the Council of Graduate Students, said the organization is working alongside University President Kristina M. Johnson and other administrators to resolve challenges graduate students are facing and create new initiatives to diversify enrollment and provide more resources to graduate students.

“I think a lot of universities across the country have these

same challenges, but I think we have a new leadership team at Ohio State that is really going to be unique and really effective at actually solving some of them,” Messenger, a third-year Ph.D. candidate in agricultural, environmental and development economics, said.

Throughout the summer 2020 semester, GRAD COUNCIL CONTINUES ON 5

stipends as well.”

Prospective graduate and professional students are encouraged to reach out to advisers and Ohio State’s Graduate and Professional Admissions at the “Belong@OSU” webinar series, an 8-week information series detailing the graduate school application process, Halsell said.

“No question is a stupid question, because sometimes you just don’t know. We’re here for that,” Halsell said.

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Messenger said graduate students struggled with technological limitations and understanding of Workday, a platform used to manage student-employee data.

Messenger said due to unfamiliarity with how to input contracts or new positions into the Workday software, many graduate students have dealt with their contracts not getting approved before a deadline, or their paychecks not coming in when expected.

“I think this is still a challenge we’re going to move forward — how do we process graduate students to Workday in a way that makes sure that they’re paid on time and paid correctly and that their tuition and fee waivers are posted correctly?” Messenger said.

Messenger said the council is working to diversify graduate student enrollment. He said Johnson’s Race, Inclusion and Social Equity Initiative — in which the university will hire 150 diverse, tenure-track faculty in the coming years — will help encourage graduate students of diverse backgrounds to attend and feel supported while studying at Ohio State.

“We’re going to have to really do the work as an institution to support those graduate students once they’re here to enable them to be successful, to enable them to receive their degree and to build a culture of university that is inclusive and supportive,” Messenger said.

Messenger added that Johnson and the council are working on an initiative to reduce the time it takes for a graduate student to receive his or her degree by providing resources to help students complete their research, combat mental health barriers and develop their professional skills.

“We really want to partner with the president and think about, ‘How do we try to support students in completing — especially our Ph.D. students — completing that degree as close to five years as we can get them?’ ” Messenger said.

However, due to the pandemic’s impact on university finances, graduate students,

specifically those whose research required data from human subjects and data abroad, might require a fifth-year to finish their research but cannot be funded by the university beyond their current contract, Messenger said. As a result, some students might not be able to complete their degrees.

Messenger said the university is addressing this concern and the initiative to reduce the time it takes to get a degree will help prevent similar cases in the future.

The council also looks to prioritize affordable housing and childcare options for graduate students with families, Messenger said. Johnson has spoken with the organization about supporting students struggling financially and is conversing with the council to enact changes.

University spokesperson Ben Johnson said in an email that through collaboration, the council and the university were able to create a Carmen Canvas orientation module for incoming graduate students.

Messenger said the module, which launched in early August, includes resources for students with a video from Melissa Shivers, vice president for the Office of Student Life, on what the university can provide for them. He said the module was well received by students, and the council is working to provide the module for every student in the graduate school.

Messenger said these initiatives represent the groundwork the council is hoping to lay, and the organization will continue to collaborate with the university to address any future concerns.

“At the end of the day, this is a leadership group here who has been very upfront that they’re dedicated to graduate students and improving graduate education and that experience at Ohio State,” Messenger said. “So, we’ve been really able to be very candid about the problems with them, very blunt and say, ‘You know here’s what we think is wrong from the student perspective,’ and they’ve listened to that.”

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Grad students adjust to return of in-person classes ASHLEY GRIMMER Senior Lantern reporter grimmer.17@osu.edu The return of in-person opportunities this year has provided graduate students with better class experiences, study routines and engagement in learning.

While some graduate students prefer online classes, Sydney

Robbins, a second-year pharmacy student, said she believes there is a correlation between in-person classes and academic success.

Robbins said she took all of her classes online last year except for a lab which only met in person every other week. This year, Robbins is attending classes fully in person.

“I think there’s a lot more student engagement,” Robbins

said. “I think people are a lot more interested in what we’re learning.”

Building better relationships with professors, meeting students in her classes and cohort and being away from distractions at home are all reasons Robbins said she thinks in-person classes are better for learning.

“When you’re in person, a professor is looking at you,”

Robbins said. “They know when you’re on your phone. So, it makes you both pay attention more and actually know the material.”

Anitra Karthic, a first-year medical student, said she has the option to be in person for all her courses this year, but has yet to attend an in-person lecture.

Karthic said she watches her lectures online via Zoom while many of her classmates

attend class in person because she finds her room a better and less distracting work environment.

“I’m in the comfort of my room and sitting at my desk,” Karthic said. “I get easily distracted in a lecture hall because I sometimes look at what everyone’s doing on their laptop screens and for me, at least, that’s very distracting.”

Despite not attending in-person lectures, Karthic said she believes live classes, whether in person or on Zoom, have helped her create a sense of routine.

“It’s really forced me to create that routine and forced me to create a structured schedule every single day,” Karthic said. “I’m not pushing things back, I’m not trying to cram everything at the last minute, so it definitely has helped me manage my time.”

Karthic said she is also appreciative of the many other in-person opportunities that have returned this year, such as attending club meetings, office hours and study groups at the library.

“Last year was definitely very, very tough, but I think coming into this year it’s really made me appreciate the opportunities to do stuff in person,” Karthic said.

“I think it’s definitely given me a greater appreciation for those sorts of things. I’ve definitely tried to take advantage of that inperson time with my classmates and, you know, faculty as much as possible.”

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More in-person opportunities are available this year for grad students and have provided them with better class experiences, study routines and engagement with learning.

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OSU graduate and professional schools by the numbers PAIGE CIRTWILL Senior Lantern reporter cirtwill.1@osu.edu

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The graduate programs at Ohio State with the highest enrollment are arts and sciences, engineering, nursing, education and human ecology, and social work.

Economic recovery from the pandemic has begun, and graduate students have more employment prospects than they may have a year ago.

While people with graduate degrees earn more on average than those with lower-level degrees according to Social Security, end salary depends on the industry, among other factors, Scott Kustis, director of industry connections with the Arts and Sciences Center for Career and Professional Success, said in an email.

“Meet with a career coach; get a mentor; explore as many professional development opportunities as possible while in school; develop a professional

network; join student chapters of professional industry groups,” Kustis said in an email.

The graduate programs at Ohio State with the highest enrollment are arts and sciences, engineering, nursing, education and human ecology, and social work, according to Ohio State’s analysis and reporting website.

Arts and Sciences Ranked No. 1 in graduate student enrollment, arts and sciences graduate programs include master’s and Ph.D. programs in areas of study such as psychology, chemistry and political science. As of the autumn 2021 semester, there are around 2,300 graduate students enrolled in arts and sciences programs, NUMBERS CONTINUES ON 9

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NUMBERS FROM 8

only a handful fewer than autumn 2020, according to Ohio State’s latest enrollment report.

While there are many fields within the college, overall, they did not suffer the same drops in enrollment as bachelor’s and community college programs did due to the pandemic, Brad Hershbein, senior economist and communications adviser at the W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research, said.

“People who are going into graduate programs generally are a little bit further ahead in life,” Hershbein said. “They tend to be a little bit higher income and otherwise somewhat protected against a lot of the forces that were reducing enrollment.”

Graduates with a master’s in psychology typically earn about $53,000 annually five years after graduation, while graduates with a master’s in physical sciences make about $59,000 and

graduates with master’s degrees in communication, journalism or a related field average about $68,000 per year.

When compared to the average annual earnings of graduates with only a bachelor’s degree in these fields, graduates with master’s degrees earn, on average, $15,000 more per year.

Engineering With the second-highest enrollment, the graduate program currently has 1,700 engineering graduate students at Ohio State.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, while engineering students with a bachelor’s degree can expect to earn around $75,000 five years after graduation, graduates with a master’s in engineering earn almost $88,000 per year.

Hershbein said degrees that were in demand before the

pandemic will probably still be needed going forward, so engineering students will likely find it relatively easy to get a job.

Nursing Enrolling 1,067 students, the third-largest graduate program this semester is nursing.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, health professionals with a graduate degree make on average almost $20,000 more per year than those with only a bachelor’s.

Graduate students in health care fields have another advantage as the demand for people trained in health care fields is high, Hershbein said.

According to projections from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, five of the 20 fastest-growing industries from 2019 to 2029 will be in the health care and social assistance sectors.

Education Ecology

and

Human

The education and human ecology graduate program enrolled 1,024 students this semester, and on average, graduates with a master’s in education make around $10,000 more than their peers with only bachelor’s degrees, according to the analysis and reporting website.

The education market is expected to grow at a rate of almost 4 percent annually until 2025, according to a report from Research and Markets. Demand for skilled labor in education is increasing, as well, particularly in K-12 education.

Social Work The fifth-most popular graduate program at Ohio State is social work, with 1,013 students

enrolled. Enrollment in social work also had one of the highest growth rates between autumn 2020 and autumn 2021 semesters at around 14 percent, according to the analysis and reporting website.

While the earnings gap between a bachelor’s and a master’s in social service professions is smaller than the others at around $8,500, Hershbein said these professions were in high demand before the pandemic.

“A lot of those jobs got lost during the pandemic because a lot of it takes place in person,” Hershbein said. “There’s just not a lot of funds that were distributed because of a lot of cutbacks.”

The demand for these professions should bounce back once funding is reestablished, Hershbein said.

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ARTS&LIFE

New exhibit at the Wexner Center for the Arts reimagines abstract art ON PAGE 11

Ohio State fans come together through music on football game days KATHLEEN JONES Lantern Reporter jones.6245@osu.edu

Whether it’s the marching band performing on the field or a DJ spinning discs at a bar, students can find music all over campus every football Saturday.

Ohio State students are exposed to a wide variety of music on game days, bringing them together with songs they know and a game they love. Mike Dow, a DJ for Midway’s block parties and a 2015 Ohio State graduate, said the music scene around campus on Saturdays has changed over the years, but that music always plays an integral part in enhancing the game day experience.

“It’s a lot more hip-hop now,” Dow said. “I think everyone in the party mode, you know, at any bar or club, is listening to a lot more hip-hop than they used to back then.”

Dow said music is important to sports and game days because the two elicit similar energy from people.

“Having that full sensory overload type thing, right?” Dow said. “People are trying to push everything to the max, you know.

People are trying to party, so music is an important part of the party soundtrack.”

Although songs such as “Mo Bamba” by Sheck Wes, “Old Town Road” by Lil Nas X and “Trap Queen” by Fetty Wap are all songs Dow said he has either partied to as a student or played

as a DJ, the game day musical experience also includes classics such as “Seven Nation Army”

by The White Stripes and “Hang on Sloopy,” performed by the marching band.

Christy Welder, a fourth-year in zoology who plays trumpet in the Ohio State marching band, said she sees music on game days from a different perspective than many other students. While some are at parties listening to music accompanied by flashing lights and pounding bass, Welder said she’s in her band uniform, gearing up for the long day ahead.

“Our report time is six hours before kickoff, so for those noon games, we have to be here at six in the morning,” Welder said. “We will run through all of our music for the day, including pregame, halftime, anything we might play in Skull Session.”

However, the same hits students may listen to pregame also tend to play in the stadium and serves as a way for band members to get excited before their performance, Welder said.

“They’re playing music and all that stuff until we actually go out,” Welder said. “Leading up to that, it just kind of gets you pumped up and getting ready to perform in front of all those people.”

In addition to tradition, the music of Ohio State game days can go hand-in-hand with superstitions.

Sabrina Scheetz, a fourth-year in industrial engineering, said she wakes up every football Saturday to “Carmen Ohio,” which she

COURTESY OF ED AND KAREN CROCKETT

Christy Welder (front right), a fourth-year in zoology, leads her row, T-Row, of trumpet players in a performance during the Ohio State-Oregon game Sept. 11.

sets as her alarm. Scheetz said she began this tradition with her roommate in 2019.

Scheetz said she forgot to set her alarm for the Ohio State football game against Oregon Sept. 11 and feels as though the loss is connected.

“The first game we had this

week, it was at night, so I didn’t set it for that just because it was at night, and I didn’t need to wake up for the game,” Scheetz said. “But every time I’ve had to wake up for the game, it’s been ‘Carmen Ohio,’ and that was the first time since I started doing this that I didn’t.”

Scheetz said playing the right music is a way to energize and unify crowds and that without music, game days would not be the same.

“I think it definitely sets the tone,” Scheetz said. “I mean, without music, I feel like game days wouldn’t be as fun.”

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New Wexner art exhibition aims to push the boundaries of abstract painting

SOPHIA TOBIAS | FOR THE LANTERN

The exhibition, entitled “jHΩ1:),” went on display at the Wexner Center for the Arts Saturday and will run through Jan. 2, 2022.

MORGAN GIBBS Lantern reporter gibbs.331@osu.edu Art and the digital age collide in abstract painter Jacqueline Humphries’ first large-scale museum exhibition at the Wexner Center for the Arts.

The exhibition, entitled “jHΩ1:),” which went on display Saturday and will run through Jan. 2, 2022, features over 30 of Humphries’ paintings, as well as her largest multipanel installation to date, according to a press release. Melissa Starker, spokesperson for the Wexner Center, said Humphries pushes

the boundaries of abstract painting through her inclusion of common elements of digital communication, such as emojis, emoticons and CAPTCHA, in her artwork.

“It’s this really beautiful combination of abstraction — which can sometimes be seen as a bit daunting — and things that everybody who uses a phone or a computer is familiar with,” Starker said.

Starker said the exhibition also features a variety of Humphries’ other works, including her paintings that explore the visual language of logos, fluorescent paintings displayed under black

light and a selection of protest paintings.

Regardless of the medium or subject, Starker said Humphries’ artwork is characterized by its engaging nature and the unique way it makes the viewer feel.

“It’s interesting because abstract expressionism is literally, you know, meant to be an explosion of raw emotion directly from the painter,” Starker said.

“There’s something about how Jacqueline approaches this that just feels more like it’s inviting the viewer in, as opposed to just presenting something for them to absorb.”

Starker said the Wexner

Center is known for its quirky architecture, which Humphries and guest curator Mark Godfrey took advantage of when they created their distinctive gallery setup for the exhibition. Daniel Marcus, associate curator of exhibitions at the Wexner Center, said visitors who are familiar with the center will be surprised by the ways Humphries and Godfrey have transformed the building through the exhibition setup.

“As you walk through the galleries, you are navigating the last seven years of her career and tracking the changes in her process and her shifting interests,” Marcus said. “But you’re also navigating

a dialogue with the architecture of the Wexner Center, and that is really key.”

Marcus said Humphries’ exhibit reimagines the building’s architecture in a way that makes it seem “magical” again to the staff.

“It really helps to have an artist working with us who can help us to see what we’ve got, and to see how challenging and provocative the architecture can be, for artists and for us and for visitors,” Marcus said.

Marcus said Humphries has found ways to keep creating abstract art in a digital world that is no longer defined by canvas

EXHIBITION CONTINUES ON 12

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EXHIBITION FROM 11

“For the entire span of her career — and it’s an ongoing process — she’s been trying to think about that problem, and to work within the framework of painting being quote-unquote ‘dead,’” Marcus said. “In some ways, I think she’s just proven that whole idea wrong.”

Humphries has created paintings in this exhibition that cause viewers to think about the way paintings are made and to question the limits of what painting can be, Marcus said.

“The thing to look for and to think about with this exhibition, at least I think, is how do these artworks engage, grab hold of the stuff of our digital lives and make use of them and show us the world of the screen in a way that we aren’t familiar with?”

Marcus said.

Admission to “jHΩ1:)” is free for members and college students. More information about Jacqueline Humphries and her exhibition can be found on the Wexner Center’s website.

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Jacqueline Humphries, “Untitled,” will be featured in the exhibition. She said she hopes her pieces will cause viewers to think about the way paintings are made and to question the limits of what painting can be.

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MIRCO FROM 16

midnight to watch him compete in an Ohio State uniform.

Mirco said he’s enjoyed the range of backgrounds from which his teammates offer. He’s been with the Buckeyes less than a year, but his first taste of real, American football has lived up to his expectations.

Thursday, August 23, 2018 | The Lantern | 13

“It’s cool. I enjoy it. There’s guys from everywhere all over the country here,” Mirco said. “It’s a different culture. People don’t understand me that well, which is a bit tricky at times. It’s definitely good exposure. It’s something different. It’s something you don’t get to do every day back home.”

Buckeyes continue Big Ten play against Minnesota, Penn State

Make an

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The Ohio State women’s soccer team before the Ohio State-TCU game Sept. 12. Ohio State lost 4-1.

BRYCE HIRAYAMA Lantern Reporter hirayama.6@osu.edu The Ohio State women’s soccer team opened up Big Ten play with a 2-1 victory on the road against Maryland Sunday.

This week, the Buckeyes (6-3) return home to take on Minnesota (4-1-3) Thursday, followed by a road game Sunday to take on Penn State (6-2) in State College, Pennsylvania.

Graduate forward Emaly Vatne said the team is in good spirits following their Big Ten opening victory and has had a very purposeful week of practice leading up to Thursday’s matchup with Minnesota.

“We’re happy to be back home,” Vatne said. “We’re just taking it one game at a time.”

Minnesota is coming off a loss in its first game of conference play against Wisconsin by a score of 2-1.

Through eight games, the Golden Gophers have allowed just two goals, the fewest in the Big Ten, behind a conferenceleading .929 saves percentage.

Head coach Lori Walker-Hock said she’s

excited for the matchup as her team did not get the chance to play Minnesota last year.

“It’s kind of fun. It’s like a new team to scout,” Walker-Hock said. “They are playing a little bit differently than they traditionally have in the past.”

Walker-Hock also added that Minnesota is a hard-working team and while they are 0-1 in conference play, there is no easy win in the Big Ten. “Every Big Ten game is a challenge,” Walker-Hock said. “I think that’s what separates us from the SEC and ACC.” Following their home match against Minnesota, the Buckeyes continue their Big Ten schedule as they travel to take on Penn State.

Penn State also opened up Big Ten play with a loss, falling to Rutgers by a score of 2-1.

Rutgers is currently the No. 1 team in the Big Ten and is No. 16 nationally, so it is safe to assume that the Nittany Lions are looking to bounce back against the Buckeyes.

Penn State averages 2.25 goals per game, third-most in the Big Ten. Junior midfielder Payton Linnehan is second in the conference with six goals.

BIG TEN CONTINUES ON 15

impact from day one.

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Ohio State employs strange running back rotation through season’s opening weeks

MACKENZIE SHANKLIN | PHOTO EDITOR

Ohio State freshman running back TreVeyon Henderson (32) makes his way down the field during the Ohio State-Tulsa game Sept. 18. Ohio State won 41-20.

JACK EMERSON Sports Editor emerson.131@osu.edu Through three weeks, No. 10 Ohio State is yet to find its bell cow at running back.

Four different Buckeyes’ running backs have carried the rock so far this season, with three getting at least 20 or more carries.

While head coach Ryan Day has

seen encouraging things from the unit, he pointed to the depth at the position as a strength and something they’ll need all season.

“I think, especially as we get into the meat of the season, having depth at that position is critical, especially with the balance that we’re striving for,” Day said.

“Having those guys who have to get to that position gives us some strength moving forward.”

Running backs coach Tony Alford turned to redshirt freshman Miyan Williams to start the first two games of the season.

Williams churned out gamehighs in Weeks 1 and 2, rushing for 125 yards against the Golden Gophers and 77 yards against then-No. 12 Oregon.

Although he was Ohio State’s leading rusher heading into its Week 3 matchup against Tulsa,

Williams did not see the field against the Golden Hurricane.

“We were playing the hot hand there. I thought Master (Teague III) practiced well. Miyan did miss one of the practices this week and wasn’t feeling well,” Day said. “Those guys practiced a little bit better. It wasn’t like we’re holding them out, but TreVeyon (Henderson) was hot and coach Alford went with him.”

Day’s assessment of TreVeyon Henderson held true in his firstcareer start against the Golden Hurricane, as the freshman tore through the Tulsa defense en route to the single-game freshman rushing record. The Hopewell, Virginia, native rushed for 277 yards and three touchdowns on 24 carries.

“I had a lot of big goals for myself, and I reached one of my goals today, but I got plenty more, so I got to keep working,” Henderson said after the Tulsa game.

Prior to his breakout performance against Tulsa, Henderson showed numerous flashes of his talent.

Against the Golden Gophers, Henderson took a screen pass from redshirt freshman quarterback C.J. Stroud 70 yards for a touchdown. The score gave the Buckeyes a two-touchdown lead midway through the fourth quarter and essentially put the game out of Minnesota’s reach.

Although Henderson has shown tremendous promise in his first three games as a Buckeye, Day pointed to a variety of areas where the youngster needs to grow.

“He’s got a lot to grow, he’s got a lot to move on and you can see his ability level. But there’s a lot of things just in terms of executing, protection, executing his reads and his vision,” Day

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said. “He didn’t play last year at all in high school, so the last time he played was his junior year of high school. So to come out and flash like, that has been exciting.

But at the same time, he’s still building and still growing. He still has a long way to go.”

Although Williams and Henderson have gotten the brunt of the carries so far this season, junior running back Master Teague III came into the season as the incumbent starter.

Despite being the veteran of the unit, Teague has seen his role diminish in his fourth year with the program.

The Murfreesboro, Tennessee, native had 47 carries through three games last season, but this year he’s had his name called just 20 times.

Prior to the season, Alford indicated that the veteran back would not get the same looks as he had in the past.

“You talk about those young guys coming in and the way they compete, it helps elevate the room,” Alford said Aug. 18. “So all of a sudden you really can’t afford to miss something. That’s just kind of the game we’re in.”

Looking ahead, Day said the running back situation is still fluid due to the contributions made by the three leading backs.

“Miyan started in the first game, and Tre certainly flashed in this game,” Day said. “So, we’ll see. He’s still young. Miyan is still young. Master is still practicing hard. We’ll kind of figure it out as the week goes on.”

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Reports: Gant enters transfer portal JACK EMERSON Sports Editor emerson.131@osu.edu

Seeing his playing time diminish since Week 1, Ohio State senior linebacker Dallas Gant will enter the transfer portal.

Gant, who has racked up 10 tackles so far this season, will leave the Buckeyes after three years with the program, as first reported by Letterman Row’s Austin Ward.

Despite playing 41 snaps in Ohio State’s season-opener against Minnesota, Gant played in just six combined snaps against BIG TEN FROM 13

the conference with six goals.

Despite the grueling competition that comes with conference play, Vatne said the team is ready for all the Big Ten challenges that lay ahead.

“We learned against Maryland that we can grind out a win. We

Thursday, September 23, 2021 | The Lantern | 15

Oregon and Tulsa — playing just a single down against the Golden Hurricane in Week 3.

While Gant served as a veteran in a young linebacker corps, the Buckeyes turned to youth at the position. Sophomores Cody Simon, Tommy Eichenberg and Steele Chambers each played more snaps than Gant in Weeks 2 and 3.

As a Buckeye, Gant amassed 54 career-tackles, 3.5 tacklesfor-loss, 1.5 sacks and two forced fumbles. He also missed spring practice with a foot injury.

knew we could do it and we proved it,” Vatne said.

Ohio State will get the chance to improve its Big Ten record Thursday at 7 p.m. at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium against Minnesota and against Penn State at 3 p.m. Sunday.

CHRISTIAN HARSA | SPECIAL PROJECTS DIRECTOR

Ohio State freshman forward Kailyn Dudukovich (21) tracks down the ball against TCU Sept. 12. Ohio State lost 4-1.

MACKENZIE SHANKLIN | PHOTO EDITOR

Ohio State then-junior linebacker Dallas Gant (19) at the line of scrimmage during the Ohio StateRutgers game Nov. 7, 2020. Ohio State won 49-27.

Page 16

Thursday, September 23, 2021

SPORTS

Henderson, Williams headline Buckeye backfield ON PAGE 14

From the Outback to Ohio: Jesse Mirco’s move from Australia JACOB BENGE Asst. Sports Editor benge.30@osu.edu

Ever since he was four years old, Jesse Mirco has played football in his hometown of Fremantle, Australia –– but with a twist.

Mirco played under Australian rules — where he said teammates pass the ball by punting to one another — for much of his life.

The heavy focus on kicking the ball allowed him to gain years of repetitions.

In December 2019, Mirco ventured to the United States to watch a friend play football at the University of Kentucky, and that’s when he said he decided to pursue a career. He joined ProKick Australia, a program that trains Australian athletes for college and NFL careers, and learned American punting in just four months.

Ohio State, already familiar with ProKick Australia, recruited Mirco, and he committed in May 2020. Upon joining the team in January, Mirco quickly noticed one thing about the Buckeyes he never experienced back home.

“I’ve never experienced a football practice until Day 1 of spring and didn’t really know what was going on,” Mirco said.

“There’s a lot more people on a roster and coaching staff than I’m used to back home. That was a bit of a shock. It’s a little bit different.”

Several additional differences between American football and

the game he’s played back home include fall and spring camps, punt periods in practice and smaller team rosters, where only 22 players see action. Mirco said the NFL is popular in Australia, and he believes the Green Bay Packers are among the most popular fanbases.

Although he’s a true freshman, Mirco is actually 24 years old, much older than a typical first-year Buckeye. He quickly displayed his experience and maturity in Week 1 with two punts, then introduced himself to the Buckeye faithful with three punts inside the 20-yard line, including two downed at the one against then-No. 12 Oregon.

“He’s done a good job,” head coach Ryan Day said. “It was good to see him step up. You’re never quite sure the first time he punts what it’s going to look like, but so far so good.”

Prior to coming into the U.S., Mirco said the largest stadium he played in held around five to 10 thousand people.

Despite over 100 thousand sets of eyes looking in on his first game in Ohio Stadium during a top-25 matchup against then-No. 12 Oregon, Mirco said he took the sight in and didn’t feel rattled about the crowd.

“It was pretty cool, especially when I wasn’t on the field, just taking it all in and looking around and seeing the fans,” Mirco said.

“When you’re out there and when you’re punting, holding, you don’t think twice about it. When you’re not on the field, though,

MACKENZIE SHANKLIN | PHOTO EDITOR

Ohio State freshman punter Jesse Mirco (29) runs onto the field during the Ohio State-Oregon game Sept 11. Ohio State lost 28-35.

and looking around and hearing the fans on a few big third downs we had on the weekend as well, which the student section was going crazy, which was pretty cool to see.”

While he admits there are a few rules of American football he doesn’t fully grasp yet, Mirco said he’s got a majority of the workings down.

In fact, Mirco said he speaks regularly with former Buckeyes punter Cameron Johnston — a ProKick Australia alum. Mirco said the two punt together when the 2016 Big Ten Punter of the Year honoree is in town.

“Cam’s had a very successful

career and still is having a good career,” Mirco said. “The opportunity that comes with playing here and the exposure obviously comes into play. He did a lot here and had a great career here as well, so if I can get anywhere near Cam’s career, I’ll be pretty happy.”

Mirco is already off to an impressive start, dropping five of his last six punts within the 20yard line. His 43.6 yards per punt rank within the top 10 among the Big Ten Conference.

Next, Mirco said he’s fine tuning his holding skills alongside special teams coordinator Parker Fleming.

The first-year special teams coach

said he’s thought Mirco has been consistent since he’s arrived, and fit right in with the culture at Ohio State.

“I think Jesse’s done a really nice job of coming in, being one of the guys, working really hard,” Fleming said. “When it’s time for him to go do his job in the punt team practice, he does a nice job.”

Mirco continues to adjust to both the American way of life and football, including foods he said he’s developed a liking for, such as macaroni and cheese and chicken. In Australia, Mirco said his family stays up beyond MIRCO CONTINUES ON 13