Ohio University Central Ohio Alumni Network
The Ohio University Columbus Alumni Network meets throughout the year. There are networking events such as happy hours, game watches, and annual dinners as well as fun outings such as group trips to sporting events and an annual golf outing.
Upcoming Events
Alumni Academy
Join fellow Bobcats for an evening of learning and connection at Alumni Academy: Spring 2026.
📅 Thursday, March 26
⏰ 6–8 PM
📍 Combustion Brewery
This event brings together Ohio University alumni for engaging speakers, meaningful conversation, and continued professional growth.
Register here: https://www.givecampus.com/schools/OhioUniversity/events/alumni-academy-spring-2026
Ohio All Ways Roundtable: Central Ohio
Join Central Ohio Bobcats and the Ohio University Alumni Association for an OHIO All Ways Roundtable on March 30—an evening of connection and conversation focused on the future of alumni engagement. As Ohio University continues to evolve in response to new opportunities and challenges in higher education, alumni perspectives are more important than ever. This discussion will explore what’s working well in alumni engagement, when you’ve felt most connected to OHIO, and how we can continue building a strong and welcoming Bobcat community for years to come.
The conversation will be moderated by Carri Brown, Fairfield County Auditor and a long-time OHIO volunteer leader. Dinner and light refreshments will be provided, and free parking is available near the venue. We hope you’ll join us for this meaningful discussion and help shape the future of the Bobcat alumni experience.
Learn more & register here.
The Boys Are Back In Town - April 17, 2026 at 8pm
Breaking & Entering Comedy is heading north for the spring! Bobby Levine and Eli Lenington are Ohio natives, graduates from Ohio University, and they’re making a name for themselves in the Tampa Bay comedy scene. Along with Andi Pignato, they will be putting on a 3-day mini-tour stretching from Eli’s hometown of Marietta, up to Bobby’s hometown, Columbus, then finishing it off in the Queen City of Cincinnati. “The Boys are Back in Town Tour.” This started in 2024 with an idea of putting on a comedy show for their friends and family in Florida. Since then, they have produced five sellout shows featuring a variety of other local comedians. Their slogan is “Pack The House!” And that is precisely what they intend to do on their tour!
Get your tickets now, because they will sell out! Click here for tickets.
Bobcat Beautification Day 2026
This year's beautification day will be taking place on Saturday, April 25th. More information coming soon!
Past Events
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Men's Basketball Watch Party - OU vs. Miami (OH)
Thank you to everyone who joined us for our watch party at Fado as the Bobcats faced off against Miami (OH).
Founders Day 2026 Bar Trivia Night
We had a fantastic time celebrating Founders Day at Nocterra Brewing. The night was filled with Bobcat trivia and good memories with fellow alumni.
Gridiron Giving: Bobcats Game Watch & Dual Food Drive
Thank you to everyone who donated to our dual food drive. We celebrated by watching the Bobcats get the dub over rivals Miami!
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Homecoming 2025
Another homecoming is in the books! Bobcats enjoyed events to celebrate all week on and off campus. We also hosted Homecoming Away from hOUme again this year at Jackie O's on 4th where we had a parade / game watch party, prizes, drinks, and of course, great company!
Bobcat Block Party
We had a night filled with fun, food, and Bobcat pride at the Bobcat Block Party! It was the perfect way to kick off the weekend ahead of the big game against Ohio State.
Dance, Dine, & Play!
Bobcats volunteered at the Linden Community Center to provide families with a night full of dining, dancing, and games! It was an amazing night giving back to the community.
Bobcat Blitz for Basic Needs
The Ohio University Alumni Association in partnership with OHIO's Columbus Alumni Network and the Ebony Bobcat Network (Columbus), donated essential toiletries to help make a meaningful impact.
Take This Town: Columbus
As part of the Take This Town tradition, Bobcats across the country gathered to celebrate our shared OU connection on August 4th. It was a blast getting to connect with fellow alumni at Nocterra Audubon.
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Stand Up and Cheer...We Want Ice Cream!
On August 3rd, we gathered at Velvet Ice Cream in Utica for an afternoon of scoops, smiles, and fun! It was a fantastic time to hang out, cool off, and enjoy time with fellow Bobcats.
Bobcat Linkup: Art Walk Kickoff
We kicked off this year's Art Walk in Lancaster at Double Edge Brewing Company! It was a perfect way to reconnect with fellow Bobcats and the local community before a fun evening of art, music, and celebration.
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Court Street Kings Send-Off & Watch Party
We rallied behind this year's alumni TBT team, the Court Street Kings. We got together with the team at Bobcat Sports Bar to send them off ahead of the tournament and then gathered again to watch the team play round one. It was an awesome time cheering on our Bobcats!
Founders Down 5k
To celebrate Founder's Day, we joined many groups of Bobcats all across the country, helping to combine and knock out the total mileage from the Bunch of Grapes Tavern in Boston where Ohio University was chartered to Cutler Hall in Athens - 730 miles!
Cure Bowl Watch Parties
Watched the MAC Champion Bobcats beat Jacksonville State in the StaffDNA Cure Bowl at two different watch parties!
Cheered on the Bobcats to their first MAC championship since 1968 at two separate watch parties! Complete with drink specials and raffle prizes.
Kicked off the gifting season with a food drive and watch party at Crooked Can Brewing in Hilliard! We collected non-perishable food items to donate to the Athens County Food Pantry and watched the OU football team take on Toledo and get a victory!
We dove into the world of brewing science with Dr. Michael Held, Director of OHIO’s Craft Brewing Certificate. We learned how ingredients like malt, hops, and yeast create our favorite beers, and how factors like temperature and pH shape each brew.
Had an action-packed day of competition and camaraderie as we took on Miami University alumni for "Battle of the Bricks" at Pickle & Chill in Columbus! Followed up two hours of pickleball play with a watch party of the OU/Miami football game.
Homecoming Away from hOUme 2024
Spent a full Saturday at Jackie O's on Fourth with fellow Bobcats. We started the morning watching a steam of the Homecoming Parade and followed it up with games cornhole, raffled prizes, a convincing OU Football victory over Akron, and more!
We enjoyed a wonderful night at Edison Brewing Company full of Bobcat spirit, exciting games, fantastic prizes, and delicious food and drinks.
Bobcat Beautification Day 2024
Once again we teamed up with the Ebony Bobcat Network Columbus in the Historical Poindexter Village. OU Alumni and community members picked up litter, planted flowers around the community sign, and helped launch a Bobcat Reading Corner in the community space.
Give Thanks November Game Watch and Food Drive
The Ohio University Columbus Alumni Network and the Ebony Bobcat Network Columbus joined together to mingle with fellow alumni and donate food for Give Thanks November. We collected a whopping 224 pounds of food for the Worthington Resource Pantry! We had a great crowd gather at Bobcat Sports Bar in Grandview.
Topgolf
The third annual Ohio University Columbus Alumni Network’s Topgolf event was a great success! We raised over $1,300 for the Network’s Endowed Scholarship. Attendees enjoyed lunch, casual golf games, and Bobcat camaraderie. The first and second place teams went home with gift cards to local breweries and bars. Special thanks to our generous sponsors.
Homecoming Away from Home 2023
Jackie O's on 4th hosted a big homecoming party for those local Bobcats that couldn't make it down to Athens for the festivities. Both the parade and the football game were streamed on the big screen so attendees could get as much of the experience as possible.
Bobcat Beautification Event 2023
The Ohio University Columbus Alumni Network and the Ebony Bobcat Network Columbus teamed together for a fun project on May 20 in Historical Poindexter Village.
OU Alumni and community members planted flowers around the community sign, vegetable container gardens, and picked up litter at Legacy Pointe at Poindexter located at Mt. Vernon Ave. and Champion Ave in Columbus.
Alumni Happy Hours @ Local watering holes
During the Spring 2023 we gathered at breweries and bars around Columbus to meet new Bobcats and enjoy the nice weather. Land Grant Brewing, Crooked Can Brewing, and Bobcat Sports Bar hosted our gatherings.
Columbus Alumni @ Topgolf
The second annual Ohio University Columbus Alumni Network’s Topgolf Columbus event took place November 13, 2022 and was a huge success! It was a Bobcat-filled day that raised more than $2,700 for the Network’s Endowed Scholarship.
It was a bit chilly, but the heaters were working, and we hope everyone who joined us enjoyed the day with OU alumni from central Ohio.
Let's Network!
The importance of networking and information on how to best network was the focus of a session on Ohio University’s Dublin Campus on June 16. Taking place in the Dublin Integrated Education Center, Kari Lehman, the assistant dean of graduate and professional programs administration in Ohio University's College of Business, led a session titled “Let’s Network.”
Bobcat Happy Hour
Nearly 40 Ohio University alumni attended a happy hour at Land Grant Brewing on May 18 in Columbus. It was the first happy hour hosted by the Columbus Network in more than two years. Bobcat alumnus Joe Brehm (top image) gave a short presentation on the return of the bobcat to the forests of Ohio.
Bobcat Beautification Day 2022
The Ohio University Columbus Alumni Network and the Ebony Bobcat Network Columbus collaborated to assist in a spring clean-up of the Maroon Arts Group MPACC BoxPark on April 23.
The MPACC BoxPark is a 24,000 square-foot park providing a performance stage, art gallery space, and pop-up restaurants. A dozen or so Bobcat Alumni joined with other community volunteers to get the park ready for its summer season of events. Participants said they had a wonderful time and recommend all local alumni try to check out the park this summer.
Ohio University Night
with the Columbus Blue Jackets
Columbus Alumni @ Topgolf
A host of local Bobcat alumni gathered at Topgolf on October 3, 2021 to swing the clubs on a fall day, raise funds for the Network’s annual scholarship fund, and have some fun. Together, the contingent and sponsors raised nearly $3,000 for the Network’s scholarship fund. Attendees enjoyed nearly three hours of golf, food, and drinks.
The sponsors who donated generously to the day were:
• Taylor Reid, Century 21 Realtor
• Crooked Can Brewing Co.
• Industrious
• Chris Harrington, HER Realtor
• Jackie O’s Pub and Brewery
• Ohio University Alumni Association
• Ohio University College of Business
Personal Branding: Stand out and Move your Career Forward with College of Business
Executive in Residence at Ohio University, Tom Marchese, gave a lively talk that helped us think about the ways in which we can brand ourselves in our careers. It was a timely discussion for one attendee - she landed a new job just a few days later after she utilized some of his techniques.
More Than 50 Fans Watch Blue Jackets Victory
More than 50 alumni got together at Nationwide Arena for the Columbus Blue Jackets game vs. the New Jersey Devils on January 18, 2020. A great time was had as Columbus shut out the Devils 5-0. After the victory, the Bobcat faithful went on the ice for a group photo complete with an Ohio University flag.
Rufus the Subject of Paint Night
The second-ever paint night for the Chapter took place December 18, 2019 at the pARTy Studio Columbus in Worthington. A picture of Rufus was the piece created. Fun and drinks were had at the event that raised $50 for the Chapter’s scholarship fund.
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Pregame Party for OU-OSU Women’s Basketball
Ohio University fans descended on the Varsity Club on the campus of the Ohio State University on November 17, 2019 for a pregame party before the Bobcats squared off with the Buckeyes in women’s basketball. At least 100 OU fans heard pregame talks from OU Athletic Director Julie Cromer and Women’s Basketball Coach Bob Boldon and took in appearances by Rufus and the cheerleaders. The fans then headed to Value City Arena where they stayed excited as the Bobcats knocked off the Buckeyes 74-68.
Fans Turn Out for OU-Miami Game Watch
Approximately 50 Ohio University football fans hit the Blarney Stone in Worthington on November 6, 2019 to watch the latest installment of the OU-Miami University rivalry. Unfortunately, the Redhawks won a close team 24-21, but a fun time was still had as nearly all of the Bobcat fans received an Ohio University gift.
10th Annual Golf Outing
The new location for our outing gave us the beautiful rolling hills of Hickory Hills Golf Club. We had a picture perfect August day for our 84 golfers who enjoyed a round of golf, raffle prizes, games, dinner, and drinks. Rufus was even there to take pictures and land the fairway with our ceremonial tee shot. We raised just shy of $4,000 for our Endowed Scholarship.
Bobcats at the Clippers
Tickets for the family friendly night out at the ballpark sold out quickly. It was a casual event that gave green and white garbed alumni and friends a chance enjoy a beautiful July evening out in Columbus. The group outing was even featured on the big screen!
Bobcats Beautification Day
In conjunction with Athens Beautification Day we joined the first ever nationwide Bobcat Beautification Day on April 14, 2019. In memory of a beloved and dedicated volunteer and friend, Marilyn Allen, we planted a Japanese cherry tree on the Ohio University Dublin Campus. The rain stopped just in time for the group to gather around the blossoming tree.
Bobcats at Blue Jackets
OU alumni attended Nationwide Arena to watch the Columbus Blue Jackets hosts the Edmonton Oilers on March 2. And while Edmonton won the game 4-0, attendees raised $100 for the chapter’s scholarship fund.
DXL Frisco Bowl Game Watch
We met at The Blarney Stone Tavern in Worthington to Stand Up and Cheer for our Bobcats. We had a good crowd for a Wednesday night during the holiday season and a great win! OHIO stole the game 27-0 over San Diego State.
Fall Dinner Features New Alumni Association Executive Director
More than 30 alumni gathered at The Boat House on November 1, 2018 for the annual Ohio University Central Ohio Alumni Chapter Fall Dinner.
Attendees networked and enjoyed dinner in a room with a wonderful view of the Columbus skyline.
The featured speaker was Erin Essak Kopp, Ohio University’s new Alumni Association Executive Director. She discussed her plans for the future of the association as well as the latest happenings in Athens.
Thirty Participate in First-ever Paint Night
The Chapter hosted its first-ever paint night at The pARTy Studio in Worthington on Sept 27, 2018.
There were plenty of laughs—and wine—as the group painted an Ohio University-inspired piece featuring the school’s Rufus logo.
The event also raised $300 for the Chapter’s scholarship fund.
Alumni Gather to Watch OHIOFootball Approximately 25 alumni descended on Skybox Sports Bar September 15, 2018 in Worthington to watch the Ohio University football team square off with the University of Virginia.
While the Cavaliers won the game 45-31, a good time was still had by all in attendance.