More Than a Break: How Summer Events Power the Ohio State Experience
May 7, 2026
By Tyler Lorenz '26
Summer is anything but quiet at Ohio State. Most students leave, but campus comes alive with more than 1,000 special events. It’s the “busy season” for the Student Life Events and Conferences team. From summer camps to professional conferences, more than 10,000 people descend on the Columbus campus for events and meetings beginning every May. Hosting all those guests transform campus into a “full-service hospitality operation,” said Elijah Balogh, Business Development and Operations Manager for Events and Conferences.
Residence halls become hotel style operations with 24/7 on-call front desks; Student Life Dining Services provides quality meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner, all creating a world class experience at a price point that maintains accessibility for those that want to eat in our traditional all-you-care to eat dining halls; University Catering provides everything from elegant banquets to box lunches to-go with a team passionate about food; and Recreational Sports provide access to facilities that support competitions, camps and large-scale programming. No detail is too small to escape the attention of Student Life Events and Conferences.
In addition, the Facilities custodial team quickly and efficiently orchestrates the transition from student rooms to summer conference guest rooms. Meeting each client’s specific and unique needs involves months of preparation for the Events and Conferences team. The result is a level of service that ensures the best possible experience.
The Importance of the Student Employee Experience
Students are at the heart of the operations for summer conference events. During the summer, 30 Ohio State students join the team, learning invaluable customer service and hospitality skills. Additionally, there are seven Student Managers who have leveled up from previous experience as a Summer Conference Assistant. Matthew Kotzen ’27 joined the team over two years ago and now serves as the Lead Events and Conferences Student Manager. “If something gets escalated during an event, you learn new problem-solving abilities. You are engaging with a variety of people and learning to best assist the clients,” said Kotzen. Many of these students continue to serve in roles during the academic year and often return for additional summers. The students learn the elements of logistics, planning, attention to detail and all the facets of the planning process that come together to make an exceptional experience for the guests. The students are at the center of this process and see first-hand the results of their hard work as their planning meets and exceeds expectations of the guests.
Nearly 200 college students from other universities call Ohio State’s campus home in the summer as well. Student Life Events and Conferences offer a unique 12-week summer housing program for interns as well as researchers and other guests from mid-May through the beginning of August. The program exists to offer affordable, short-term housing for students from across the world that might otherwise be difficult to find. These interns spend their summer living on Ohio State’s campus and working for a myriad of companies in the Columbus area. They foster community and connect with Columbus, and all it has to offer, potentially settling in Central Ohio to live and work after graduation.
High Impact Events
Special events are the specialty of Events and Conferences. One of the most anticipated every year is Special Olympics of Ohio. 2026 will mark the 54th year of this partnership, meeting the needs for over 1,800 athletes and guests. A number of Student Life departments are involved every year with this long-standing event. Athletes use Recreational Sports facilities for various competitions; University Catering provides meals for all involved, and Housing and Residence Education offers accessible accommodations. Together, these collaborations reflect Ohio State’s shared commitment to delivering a seamless and impactful experience for every athlete and guest.
Among the places Events and Conferences offers is the Ohio Union, recently named the winner for Best Venue for Formal Affairs in a nationwide trade publication poll. One upcoming event is For the Strength of Youth, an International Youth Camp for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. 2026 will also host WorldStrides, where students in grades 3-12 can explore a potential career and get a behind-the-scenes look at life on a college campus. Also on the calendar is an event by Varsity, the global authority for competitive cheerleading and dance, as well as The National Science Olympiad returning to Ohio State in 2027. One of the most unique events in 2026 will be a large-scale wedding at the Ohio Union with hundreds of guests.
A Buckeye Win for All
While summer events are designed to support the many groups that utilize Ohio State’s campus, the revenue generated through these programs is reinvested directly into enhancing the student experience. These funds benefit a wide range of initiatives throughout the Office of Student Life. In addition, many of the interns who live on campus during the summer are engaged in research roles, contributing to Ohio State’s academic mission through grant-funded research and advancing innovation across disciplines. Together, these efforts illustrate how a campus that never slows down in the summer continues to invest in its students, strengthen its community and advance the university’s mission year-round.