About 2,000 Ohio State graduates will hear Richard A. Hollingsworth, vice president of student life at Ohio State, speak during Autumn Quarter Commencement at the Schottenstein Center on Dec. 14.
Hollingsworth, who is retiring in January after 35 years at OSU, said he considers his address an exciting end to his career.
“This is the greatest honor in my professional life,” Hollingsworth said. “The chance to address the graduates is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I will cherish this.”
Hollingsworth grew up in the University District and earned his bachelor’s degree from OSU in 1973.
“I love Ohio State and all that it stands for,” Hollingsworth said. “It has been absolutely perfect here.”
Although Hollingsworth has delivered the welcome remarks at the last 83 commencements, a tradition that started in Autumn Quarter 1987, Hollingsworth said he feels a bit of added anxiety being the headline act at the ceremony.
“When you give any major address, there is going to be pressure,” he said. “But I feel that this honor will override any pressure.”
Hollingsworth will be retiring after serving a number of roles at OSU. In 2006, he was named vice president for Student Affairs, now called Student Life, after serving in an interim capacity for nearly a year.
As vice president of Student Life, Hollingsworth has been responsible for 30 departments, including University Housing, Student Health Services and the Ohio Union.
Hollingsworth said he will take time off after he retires and then return to teaching as a faculty member in the College of Education and Human Ecology.
For the past three years, Hollingsworth has written a weekly column, “Rich Text,” which offers advice to undergraduate students.
Although Hollingsworth said the idea for the column was a continued tradition from his predecessor, he said he does not know the fate of “Rich Text.”
“That will be up to the new vice president,” Hollingsworth said. “Sadly, I will be writing my last column very soon.”
Amber Phelps can be reached at [email protected].
