March 22 was celebrated as the Sesquicentennial anniversary for The Ohio State University and the eighth anniversary for the India Gateway. We are proudly functioning as a bridge for faculty, students, alumni and partners to connect and collaborate while tackling some of the most complex global problems such as food and water security, healthcare and climate change. The ongoing COVID-19 outbreak strengthens our resolve to work across international borders and beyond boundaries to accelerate discovery and turn knowledge into viable solutions.

We've all had to make adjustments in order to cope with COVID-19, personally and professionally. At Ohio State, we have witnessed the seamless transition towards utilizing online resources. Faculty and staff are leveraging CarmenZoom and Skype as they continue teaching and working remotely.

In India, we cancelled all of our engagements in March and April and put our May and June engagements on hold. We are extremely appreciative of our corporate and academic partners for their strong support. We are planning Zoom sessions with our partners to continue collaborations and stay on top of practices developing in India and the mechanisms being put in place by the government.

Many alumni in India have stepped up to volunteer and help their communities during this time of need. Some alumni are helping by socializing accurate information in local languages, others are taking care of their elderly neighbors and utilizing their professional expertise to create personal protective equipment for healthcare professionals. We appreciate these Buckeyes and all who are on the frontlines of this fight against COVID-19.

On behalf of the India Gateway staff, I wish all of our faculty, staff, students, alumni and partners good health and thank them for all they are doing in support of each other and their community.

Nikhil Tambe, Director of the India Gateway

Buckeyes Fight Coronavirus

Ohio State's strength has always been - and always will be - people and our potential to solve problems together. Our community is bold in purpose and compassionate in spirit. As Buckeyes, we pull together to care for each other and those around us.

These are just a few examples of how alumni in India and are helping their communities:

• An alumnus in Navi Mumbai is focused on delivering the right information to alleviate panic resulting from the pandemic through his own NGO.
• An alumna in Chennai has been creating and sharing videos on Facebook in local languages to reach out to communities and educate children. In her videos, she has been focusing on citizens' responsibilities during the lockdown period including working from home and financial management and stressed the importance of removing panic so individuals proactively take caution and remain safe.
• An alumnus in Mumbai mobilized groups within their neighborhood and are pooling resources while volunteering to help stock provisions and groceries for the elderly to help them avoid venturing out. The group has also been focused on making food available for pets and stray animals.
• One of our alumni has donated respirator masks to the Mumbai police force while another in Pune has raised funds to create and donate face shields for frontline healthcare professionals.
• Several alumni have registered themselves as volunteers with the Government of India.

Together, we are and always will be champions for people. And together, we will weather this storm.

Global Perspectives: Josh Hubbard

Josh Hubbard graduated from the Ohio State Fisher College of Business in 2017 and has been working in Mumbai as a brand manager for Dove (Unilever) for the past three months. He came to India to work on a project that leverages his skills from the United States to expand India's eCommerce landscape.

Ohio State Ramps up Virtual Learning

Ohio State announced the suspension of face-to-face instruction for the rest of the spring semester and through the summer term in response to the coronavirus pandemic. But learning will continue as students, faculty and staff prepare to move forward with virtual instruction.

Letter from the Director of the Infectious Diseases Institute

The COVID-19 pandemic highlights the importance of preparedness and is demonstrating in real-time the gaps that are impacting the efficiency of our response. We are fortunate to be in a state that is leading the nation in instituting lifesaving policies designed to limit disease transmission.

Sneha Arora Awarded Fisher's Pace Setter Award

We are thrilled to congratulate Sneha Arora, who had the honor of receiving the Fisher Pace Setter Award. This award represents the highest distinction at The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business, which is awarded to top 1% of students every year. The students are selected by faculty, staff and peers on the basis of exemplary academic performance and demonstrated leadership ability.

"I'm so grateful that I got to be a part of the wonderful Fisher community, and I'd like to thank everyone who has been a part of my journey here, Special thanks to dean Anil Makhija and my mentors Audrey Bledsoe, Chip York, Mathilda Tuuli, Alessa Rosa and Maureen Miller for their guidance and support." - Sneha Arora