Parents Edition - September 7, 2023

Life on the Buckeye family tree: sharing generations of Ohio State graduates

JOSIE STEWART Campus Editor stewart.2117@osu.edu

Though many students might say they bleed scarlet and gray, few actually have Ohio State in their bloodline.

Even fewer owe their life to Eddie George running a record 314 yards at the Ohio State versus Illinois game in 1995.

For Emma Edwardson, a fourth-year in atmospheric sciences, that moment is the one her father chose to propose — in the deck seats above the 40-yard line — only continuing the long line of Buckeyes falling from their family tree.

Edwardson is in the fourth generation of Buckeyes in her family, and one of the many students who grew up singing “Carmen Ohio.” With over 600,000 living Ohio State alumni around the world and 142 classes of graduates so far, it’s no surprise that the university runs deep for some.

Edwardson’s great-grandfather played for Ohio State in the same stadium her parents got engaged in 45 years earlier and fell in love with her greatgrandmother while earning his degree.

Similar to Edwardson, Michaela Kopczewski, a fourth-year in sociology, represents the fifth generation of Buckeyes for her family. Growing up in the Columbus area, Ohio State was never far away, from her mother trying to make the first words, “Go, go Buckeyes” to informal campus tours.

“It’s so strange to walk around someplace that I grew up in, and I know all the buildings, what’s in the buildings and what they’re used for and the history behind them, but still see it through brand new eyes,” Kopczewski said. “Even though my parents, my grandparents, my aunts and uncles — everybody went here — I’m still having my own experience. I feel like this is my home.”

While Kopczewski still has two semesters on campus, she will graduate over 100 years after her great great grandfather — part of the class of 1915. Still, connections to all the family members who traversed the same campus are not uncommon.

“When I lived in Norton my sophomore year, I lived one floor above where my aunt and uncle met because they lived in Norton,” Kopczewski said. “I’m so close to something that meant so much to my family members and so obviously, it meant a lot to me.”

Though each legacy Buckeye has different plans for staying connected

to the university and ideas of where to go after graduation, their dot numbers and family Buckeye gear will serve as reminders of the family who came before them and for some, those who they’re hoping will come after.

For Edwardson, the end of this experience comes in the spring and she will tearfully say goodbye — at least for now.

“With it being my senior year and the extensive background that I have coming from this university, it makes it extra bittersweet to graduate because [Ohio State] just has been so familiar to me for my whole life,” Edwardson said. “I don’t know if I’ll be here for grad school yet, but if I’m not, I’m really, really gonna miss it.”

Things your college student needs but won’t ask for

“I joke with all my friends all the time that I exist because of the ’Shoe,’ Edwardson said. “People say that the student and alumni base really is like a Buckeye family, and I truly believe that. [It’s] a thing that I see literally and figuratively happen all around me.”

COURTESY OF MICHAELA KOPCZEWSKI

Much of Michaela Kopczewski’s family went to Ohio State — including every adult above, who also met while in school.

COURTESY OF EMMA EDWARDSON Emma Edwardson’s great-grandfather standing alongside his parents after graduating from Ohio State.

Things your college student needs but won’t ask for

JOSIE STEWART Campus Editor stewart.2117@osu.edu

Students are now using their own money to pay for college more than ever before, according to Inside Higher Ed. With climbing prices in cost of living, higher tuition rates and increased academic rigor, there are a few easy ways parents looking to send care packages or essentials can support their students.

Cleaning supplies

Much of the advice prior to freshmen orentation is to have fun, with less emphasis placed on the “study hard” aspect. This means when budgets are tight, costs will be cut where they’re often deemed “not necessary” — even if they are — in order to save money, spend on another outing with friends or a nice, easy meal.

Though college students aren’t necessarily messier than the average person, they typically are in smaller spaces, with less time than in previous years and less financial assistance. A Swiffer would go a long way when floors get gross, and Windex clears the years of dust on ceiling fans left by previous tenants.

Fentanyl test strips

Even if you’re thinking, “My kid would never” — their roommate or friend they met last week might. Testing strips are

a necessary safety measure for a lot of students and a reminder of the presence of fentanyl across the country and in Columbus.

The CDC recommends the strips as a harm reduction strategy, and they are legal to use and distribute in Ohio. Students can help keep each other safe, considering there were over 100,000 fentanyl deaths last year.

Naloxone — which can reverse an overdose in emergency situations — is available across Ohio State’s campus, so it’s not necessary to buy for students, but they can always use a reminder.

Shoes for every occasion

Similarly to cleaning supplies, practical shoes might take a backseat to the things students spend money on. Considering Ohio State’s campus is over 1,700 acres, the trek to class can be treacherous in rainy and snowy weather. Boots will go far here.

Classes across campus at 8 a.m., might seem a bit more manageable if walking isn’t a nightmare, especially when buses are full. If you’re a parent paying for classes, this might help get students to them.

A savings account

Financial advice can be daunting to those just starting out. Though there are resources on campus, it might be harder getting students to sign up for

financial literacy classes than helping them open an account.

This is a free way to support your students’ endeavors, and the monthly interest may serve as inspiration to keep numbers crawling up. There’s possibly a referral bonus in it for parents, too.

Safety items, selectively

Ohio State provides a variety of safety devices to students including window or door alarms, backpack alarms and birdies, which can be attached to a person or belonging and will emit a loud sound when triggered.

Though there aren’t many devices to prevent crime when walking, Ohio State does offer the Ride Smart program through Lyft, offering rides at a discounted rate. For off-campus homes, parents wishing to increase safety can purchase smart doorbells or

door stoppers, which prevent anyone from entering the home.

Reassurance

that everything will end

up how it should

Everyone wants their students to succeed and grow into themselves in college. However, pressure and constant reminders can often work against these goals.

According to data provided by Senior Vice President for Student Life Melissa Shivers in an August board of trustees meeting, 34 percent of students at Ohio State have been diagnosed with anxiety, and 27 percent reported they have been diagnosed with depression at some point.

Ohio State provides mental health resources, but support can often go a long way.

Replenishing the nest: How parents can cope with their newly hollow household

EMMA WOZNIAK Asst. Arts & Life Editor wozniak.82@osu.edu

With the shutting of a car trunk and the unpacking of a box, parents go from leading brimming households to occupying empty nests in what may feel like a matter of moments.

The term “empty nester,” used to describe parents whose children have grown up and left home, is one many Ohio State parents may find themselves relating to since dropping their kids off at college. But Shannon Jarrott, an Ohio State professor of social work, said not all empty nesters cope with their newfound situation in the same way, and scientific evidence suggests a parent’s sense of identity plays a large role in this distinction.

“If a parent is enmeshed with the child in a way that all of their social ties and all of their free time and leisure is connected to activities that were involved with the child, that means they may have a harder time dealing with that separation,” Jarrott said.

Jarrott, a trained gerontologist — or specialist in adult development and aging — said on the other hand, parents who have maintained an identity separate from their child when they lived at home should have an easier adjustment. Nevertheless, she said it’s common for most parents to feel a complex range of emotions with their children’s departure.

“You can have both positive feelings and responses to launching your child out of the nest and still have moments

where you feel like you’re at a loss of what to do,” Jarrott said.

Eugene Folden, an associate professor in the Department of Human Sciences, agreed with Jarrott that there is a widely held misconception about the severity of “empty nester syndrome,” largely due to outdated research conducted during a time when women’s primary role was motherhood.

“There’s probably some validity to that original research, but obviously since then things have changed dramatically,” Folden said. “I think women in the past 20 years to the present, really, it’s not that motherhood is not an important role for them, but it’s one of several.”

Folden said this doesn’t invalidate the grief parents endure when their children leave the nest, as modern-day research still shows this season of their lives to be a painful transition.

“I do think the empty nest syndrome is by and large a mythology, but I don’t think we should discount the fact that parents love their children, and find that empty nest sad for a while,” Folden said.

Jarrott, mother to a recent Ohio State graduate, said her own experience has further proven to her the importance of individual families establishing boundaries between parents and children.

“There are some things that a child and their parents can talk about with regards to safety of the child, and to acknowledge that the concerns parents have could be well founded,” Jarrott

said.

Beyond establishing healthy barriers between parents and children, Folden said he advises empty nesters to redirect their time toward activities like practicing self-care, reconnecting with their partner, focusing energy on new friendships and going on vacation for a change of scenery. Namely, Folden said parents should get to know their kids as adults.

“These are always going to be your children, of course they are, but now trying to reconnect [with] them as adults who have opinions and who have drives of their own, have their own motivations,” Folden said.

Though neither Jarrott nor Folden had specific data on the dynamics of the empty nester period as a single parent, Jarrott said she would anticipate a

likely similar situation.

“Single parents, hopefully, have still got sources of social support,” Jarrott said. “Single parents might be dating, they might be partnered, even if they are not married. And so it’s important to realize that they’ve got social ties as well that they’re able to reinvest in.”

Ultimately, Folden said the stereotype surrounding empty nesters is evolving to reflect more accurately what parents experience: not a depressive syndrome, but a bittersweet period.

“Parents and children are now creating new connections, new ways to be children and parents,” Folden said. “And I think that is the key successful element of moving into that empty nest period. So we don’t call it the syndrome anymore, we call it the period.”

The Lantern staf’s parents go on record and share their expertise

COURTESY OF SHANNON JARROTT

Shannon Jarrott (middle right) and her daughter, Molly Teller (middle left), alongside their family during Teller’s graduation from Ohio State in May.

The Lantern’s advice for new Ohio State parents

As parents proudly part ways with their new Buckeyes, many may feel unsure of how to best support their kiddos, especially those who are new to being a “college parent.”

Below are pieces of advice from some of the wisest parents around: the loving guardians of your very own Lantern sta ers.

“Everything you have taught them will become the foundation they will grow and stand on. As a parent, you will be so proud of their growth within the first year of this new journey.”

“Is your child’s safety a concern for you? Here’s a great way to talk to your Buckeye and keep them safe. My wife and I will frequently talk with our daughter on her way home from a class that gets out late, or if she is on her way home from a friend’s, working out or whatever the scenario is. She will call or FaceTime with us and it’s a great way to have a quick catch-up, all the while making sure she gets back to her dorm or apartment safely. Stay safe fellow Buckeyes!”

“Hug them, smile and let them go. Make it about them and not what you may be feeling. Encourage them to commit to school, to new experiences and new friends. Enjoy a new role as a mentor giving advice and support when needed. They got this!! You got this!”

“While having your first child leave for college may be a di cult transition for parents, know that interacting with your college student on an adult-to-adult level is so rewarding. It’s a remarkable time where not only are you getting to know this new adult person, but also, he or she is getting to know you too — not just as a parent, but as a real person who has thoughts and opinions and is fun.”

“Call and visit them every day and show up unexpectedly … just kidding! Actually give them some room to grow and trust in the fact that you have raised them well.”

“Read The Lantern.”

“The best advice that keeps coming to mind over and over is to always be available 24/7. Keep that cell phone on and answer all the texts and calls, even the ones that seem basic or unimportant. Each call or text means something to your child and they need your support.”

Regina Smith, parent of Arianna Smith

Ryan Fricke, parent of Abby Fricke

David Luderman, parent of Lauryn Luderman

Debbie Shields, parent of Kate Shields

Liz Goheen, parent of Molly Goheen

Asish Law, parent of Gaurav Law

Renne Montenery Murray, parent of Reid Murray

‘Growing together’

Sullinger family turns back time with summer coaching reunion

REID MURRAY Design Editor murray.1300@osu.edu

Before former Ohio State forward Jared Sullinger led the 2012 men’s basketball team to the NCAA Final Four, earned a first-round NBA Draft selection or played professionally in the U.S. and China, he was constantly picking his dad’s brain.

James “Satch” Sullinger was the head boys’ basketball coach at Northland High School in Columbus for 11 seasons, in addition to being his three sons’ first coach. Although his wife Barbara Sullinger tried to set boundaries around teaching basketball in the house, the sport was a part of everyday life in the Sullinger family.

“At home, I didn’t talk basketball unless they asked me questions — and all three of the boys asked me questions all the time,” Satch Sullinger said. “We’d sit and watch basketball games, and they would talk and come up with their opinion. They would challenge my theories, and

eventually, they proved themselves right and I grew as a coach, or I proved myself right, and they grew as players. But the bottom line was we were growing together in that household.”

Jared Sullinger said growing up in such a basketball-obsessed environment crafted his understanding of the game.

“Even though he tried to set that rule, I’m glad he avoided that rule as much as possible because I got to learn as much as possible,” Jared Sullinger said. “With the philosophies and everything my dad taught me, and then what my brothers taught me from their experiences, I got to blend three basketball IQs into one and make my own.”

Decades later, Jared and Satch Sullinger remain closely linked on the basketball court, and this summer, they got the opportunity to coach together for the first time.

Jared Sullinger has served as the head coach of Carmen’s Crew, the Ohio State

alumni team competing in The Basketball Tournament, since 2019, when he took over while dealing with an injury.

After leading the team to its first and only tournament title in 2019, he has continued coaching the Buckeyes alumni in the summer while playing in China during the regular season.

As Jared Sullinger’s coaching career took off, his father’s career nearly ended. The famed high school coach left Northland after the 2011 season and remained off the court for over a decade due to health concerns.

It wasn’t until Satch Sullinger underwent regenerative medical procedures with QC Kinetix — a center that offers nonsurgical pain management therapies — that he was ready to return to coaching. Once he felt able to coach again, his son invited him to join the Carmen’s Crew coaching staff for the 2023 tournament.

“I didn’t know how much I missed it,” Satch Sullinger said. “I told my wife, ‘I

got that nervous stomach.’ I haven’t had it in 12 years — I love it.”

Just as the Sullinger family shared basketball conversations during Jared Sullinger’s childhood, the father-son duo got to combine their ideas this summer, which allowed them to dominate Team Overtime and India Rising before falling 72-63 to Friday Beers in the regional final July 29.

“It’s like an auto mechanic garage,” Satch Sullinger said. “My job is to go underneath the hood of the opponent and pull wires so that their engine doesn’t run, and Jared’s job is to go in under the hood and put the wires back that the opponents are trying to unplug to stop us from running. So, we both are doing the same thing, the only difference is, I’m pulling wires and he’s plugging them back in.”

Satch Sullinger applauded his son’s ability to read plays and described him as an “offensive mastermind.”

Jared Sullinger said he credits much of this strategic knowledge to coaching greats like Thad Matta, Doc Rivers and Brad Stevens, but explained the importance of his father’s principles.

“One thing that I’ve loved about having him around was he gives you this oldschool, almost military-type discipline, where he just keeps beating in your head the simple details of the basketball game,” Jared Sullinger said. “I just think his basketball philosophy of details every day — that changes the game of basketball for you and changed the game of basketball for me.”

While Jared Sullinger’s playing career is ongoing, and his future in coaching remains to be seen, Satch Sullinger said he foresees his son “having a sideline at the highest level.”

“I just want to develop basketball players,” Jared Sullinger said. “If you can learn something from me, I did my job. Winning is the ultimate goal, but when they leave my hands and they go to the next coach, I want that next coach to be like, ‘Man, you’re really a smart basketball player.’”

COURTESY OF BEN SOLOMON

James “Satch” Sullinger and former Ohio State forward Jared Sullinger coach together on the Carmen’s Crew sideline at The Basketball Tournament in July.

SPORTS

Former Buckeye basketball great reunites with father on the court.

Football: ‘Clear heart, clear mind, clear soul’ propels veteran Proctor to earn starting safety position

JAYLA VANHORN

Asst. Sports Editor vanhorn.110@osu.edu

Clear heart, clear mind, clear soul.

During the offseason, graduate safety Josh Proctor repeatedly used this phrase to prepare for a three-way position battle against freshman Malik Hartford and junior Ja’Had Carter.

Proctor was determined to secure the starting free safety job, often called ‘adjuster,’ despite the challenges posed by limited playing time and a season-ending leg injury in 2021. He fought to earn the trust of both his teammates and coaches. And in the end, he has.

Proctor secured starting safety in Ohio

State’s season opener against Indiana Saturday afternoon and led a secondary that did not allow a touchdown.

“It means the world,” Proctor said after Ohio State’s victory over Indiana. “That’s all I wanted was a chance. All I needed was a chance to get out there. Like I said, I know I can ball, I know what I can do, so when that chance came, I just wanted to take advantage of it.”

In Tuesday’s press conference, head coach Ryan Day said Proctor’s performance was instrumental in their victory against the Hoosiers. The 6-foot-2 safety recorded four tackles, one tackle for loss and a pass breakup on fourth down.

This is his best statistical performance since he played against Rutgers in week

four last season. Day said consistency has always been a focus of Proctor’s, and his on-field effort has never been questioned.

The Owasso, Oklahoma, native has been a Buckeye since 2018, appearing in 43 games alongside 10 starts. Day said he expects Proctor to be a significant contributor in the secondary this season.

assignments, his talents came at a cost of consistency that hindered the Buckeyes, leading Proctor to receive minimal playing time behind senior Lathan Ransom.

Knowles said they were looking for consistency, and Proctor was willing to do whatever it took to get back into the coaching staff’s good graces. If he ever wanted another chance to start, Proctor said he knew it would begin with his preparation during the offseason, requiring him to clear his “heart, mind and soul.”

“I just wanted to honestly keep my head down — keep my head down and work,” Proctor said. “Like I said, I didn’t know if I was going to be a starter, but I wanted to work like a starter. Watching film, meeting with coach, staying in the playbook and all of that.”

Proctor played the entire first half against Indiana, while Hartford substituted most of the second. Carter, a transfer from Syracuse, did not play versus the Hoosiers. Knowles said it’s difficult to play three guys in a highly contested game.

Day said Hartford and Carter will still see action at free safety, but Proctor remains the starter for now.

“I think you’ll see those other guys play,” Day said. “But Josh right now has earned the right on the field to be the starter.”

Defensive coordinator Jim Knowles seconded Day’s evaluation on the graduate’s performance Saturday. Knowles said they’ve always had high aspirations for Proctor, who was the nation’s No. 7 safety in his class, according to 247Sports.

With blown coverages and missed

Proctor will remain the starter against Youngstown State Saturday. Still, Knowles said the free safety battle will remain highly contested, and players will “have to earn it every week.”

After five long seasons, Proctor is confident he is up for the challenge.

“My whole thing going into this offseason was clear mind, clear heart, clear soul,” Proctor said. “Don’t worry about anything, let everything go once you out here to play ball, and I know I can do that.”

“We need him to be consistent, and we need him to be a veteran guy,” Day said. “And he showed up. He graded out a Champion and played well.”

ZACHARY RILLEY | LANTERN FILE PHOTO

Graduate safety Josh Proctor (41) recorded four tackles during his start against Indiana Saturday. Then-No. 3 Ohio State won 23-3.