At the intersection of civil discourse, student support, and campus engagement, Buckeye Commons plays a vital role in shaping how the Ohio State community connects. Though its physical space on the first floor of the Ohio Union is undergoing renovation during the Autumn 2026 semester, its mission to foster meaningful dialogue and support student success remains fully active.
In this feature, Dr. Scott Brown, managing director of Buckeye Commons, discusses how open dialogue builds strong campus relationships, introduces new peer navigation tools like Campus Compass, and outlines how students, faculty, and staff can collaborate with the hub this fall.
LLD: First, tell us about Buckeye Commons. What are your goals for the space?
Brown: Buckeye Commons, within the Office of Student Life, is a hub for student success that provides seamless access to resources such as career coaching, academic support, mental health counseling, disability services, student engagement opportunities and more. The vision for the space is to create an open, welcoming, and student-centered environment where students can build community, develop meaningful relationships and connect with opportunities across Ohio State. More than a year ago, students helped envision what Buckeye Commons could become, emphasizing the need for a welcoming space where they could connect, network and find support—our goal is to make Buckeye Commons a place where every student feels valued, finds community and has opportunities to engage, learn and thrive.
LLD: You have hosted Listen. Learn. Discuss. for dialogues, how does civil discourse and dialogue fit in with the purpose of Buckeye Commons?
Brown: Civil discourse and dialogue are important to the mission of Buckeye Commons because meaningful connections are built through conversation, curiosity and understanding. Our goal is not only to connect students to resources but also to one another. Programs like Listen. Learn. Discuss. create opportunities for students to engage with different perspectives, strengthen communication skills and build a greater sense of community. Dialogue helps students develop the relationships and connections that are essential to both their personal growth and success, making it a natural extension of our mission.
LLD: How do you hope students engage with the space in this upcoming academic year?
Brown: Our physical space on the first floor of the Ohio Union will be temporarily closed during the Autumn 2026 semester due to the renovation. We’re excited to welcome students back to our physical space sometime in the Spring semester and showcase a refreshed, multi-purpose, student-centered environment designed to foster community, connection and collaboration.
While our physical space is offline, Buckeye Commons remains fully operational. We will continue to maintain a presence in the Ohio Union, and all programs and services will remain available to students. In fact, our Autumn 2026 calendar features more than 60 events, workshops and engagement opportunities. Students can connect with Buckeye Commons through career preparation workshops, student success programs, community-building events, Career Studios and our new Campus Compass peer navigation services.
LLD: How can staff and faculty work with you to leverage this space as a place for dialogue or community?
Brown: Buckeye Commons is designed to be a collaborative resource for the university community. Faculty and staff can partner with us by hosting workshops, discussions, networking events, student engagement programs and community-building activities in the space. Faculty and staff can also refer students to our services, collaborate on programming and connect with us about new ideas that promote student learning and success. Additionally, our campus partners can stay informed through our staff newsletter and work with our team to explore partnership opportunities.
LLD: Are there any events or programs coming up this fall we should put on our calendars?
Brown: We have several exciting initiatives launching or expanding this fall. To highlight a few:
- Buckeye Commons Showcase! This event will take place during Welcome Week on Thursday, August 27 from 10:00 AM-5:00 PM. Students can grab a passport at our info table in the Great Hall in the Ohio Union then travel around the Union to sample our programming, such as Career Studios, creative activities, the Syllabus Week Café and more!
- Career Studios are welcoming, drop-in spaces designed to give students quick, practical career support from their peers. Our Peer Career Coaches can assist with building and updating resumes, searching for jobs or internships, preparing for interviews and connecting students with a professional Career Coach. Buckeye Commons will offer Career Studios at three locations this year: Keith B. Key Center for Leadership and Service in the Ohio Union, Busch House in the North Residential District and Thompson Library.
- New this fall, Campus Compass is a one-on-one peer service for students who are seeking help or exploring opportunities at Ohio State. In a brief session, students can speak with a trained Peer Navigator who helps clarify their needs, identify programs and services and connect them directly with appropriate offices. For a full list of our career preparation workshops, student success programs and community-building activities, please visit our Events section on the Buckeye Commons website.