Rob Portman: “I rise today to pay tribute to Dr. Kristina M. Johnson and celebrate her investiture as the 16th president of the Ohio…”

“I rise today to pay tribute to Dr. Kristina M. Johnson and celebrate her investiture as the 16th president of the Ohio State University. Dr. Johnson brings more than 30 years of experience and leadership in the academic, business, and public policy sectors to Ohio State, along with some very ambitious goals she has for the university. Although the formal investiture was postponed until this Friday, November 19, due to COVID, Dr. Johnson actually assumed the presidency in August of last year, and her leadership has already helped the university community to come together during the past year of the pandemic. Ohio State is in full swing--classes, research, and other activities. They have a darn good football team under her leadership as well--currently No. 4 in the country and on its way up. Go, Bucks. The Ohio State University was founded in 1870 as a land grant university--the first of its kind in Ohio. Over the years, the university has grown into one of the largest and best respected institutions in the country. Dr. Johnson actually has close family ties to Ohio State. Family lore has it that Dr. Johnson's grandfather, who graduated from Ohio State in 1896, met Dr. Johnson's grandmother on the Columbus campus. We like to think those close ties to OSU and deep family roots in Ohio have made her a Buckeye in spirit all along. Dr. Johnson comes to the Ohio State University after a long career in academic and business leadership.…”