Office of Student Life

Today's Update: Wednesday, April 16, 2025

April 16, 2025

Dear Student Life team,

We are so close to realizing a dream. 

The Monda Student Resource Center (MSRC) officially opens at the end of next week, culminating several years of planning to bring students’ essential needs all under one roof in the Younkin Success Center.  

The Board of Trustees Academic Affairs and Student Life committee met this afternoon, and I was very pleased to be able to offer them an update on one of the most exciting, and important, projects in my time at Ohio State.  

I was joined by Associate Vice President for Student Health and Well-being Ryan Lovell, who led the team that took the Monda Student Resource Center from ideas on a page five years ago to the space that will open its doors in just a little over a week.  

Ryan shared some sobering statistics about essential needs at Ohio State. 

  • 32% of Ohio State students experience food insecurity (Student Life Survey, 2024) 

  • 24% of Ohio State students could not come up with $400 in an emergency (Student Life Survey, 2024)  

  • 70% of Ohio State students feel stressed about their finances (Study on Collegiate Financial Wellness, 2023) 
     

Ohio State has resources to help. Most of you are familiar with the Reid Family Career Closet, the Buckeye Food Alliance Food Pantry and emergency grants. Although each is massively helpful, these resources have lived in different areas of campus with different access points.  

Now, we have a solution. As Ryan told the Board members, the Monda Student Resource Center brings together and expands a variety of resources to provide Ohio State students with holistic support to meet their essential needs in a one-stop shop, further eliminating barriers for students in accessing timely, seamless essential needs support. The center is conveniently located in the Younkin Success Center, giving students easy access to other essential resources like Buckeye Careers and the Counseling and Consultation Service. 

Additionally, by enhancing our connection to community-based resources and campus partners, the MSRC’s suite of offerings will further support students’ ability to connect with their community and with campus providers who can support their success. 

Ryan and I were also joined at the committee meeting by two amazing students. Katie Dodd talked about the resources she has received from the Career Closet, and Brinda Raghavan shared her leadership journey with the Buckeye Food Alliance. Both were able to show the Board members exactly how much this new center will mean to students at Ohio State.  

This is truly a Scarlet and Great moment.  

 

 Melissa S. Shivers, PhD  
Senior Vice President for Student Life   
The Ohio State University