OSU president Walter 'Ted' Carter Jr. visits OSU-Mansfield for first time

Ohio State University's 17th president, Walter "Ted" Carter Jr., made his first visit to OSU Mansfield Wednesday.

He told reporters the campus, shared with North Central State College, off Lexington-Springmill Road and Ohio 39, is beautiful.

"To be here and look out over the creek and look into the woods on the way to the dormitories is pretty special," Carter said. "I grew up in a very small, rural town, so as soon as we came up the plateau into Mansfield I kind of felt a little bit at home. I grew up in the backwoods of Rhode Island ... but beyond the geography, to come here and see the importance of what we're doing here, in terms of fulfilling our land-grant mission for Ohio State University at one of our premier regional campuses, it's pretty special here."

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Carter was appointed by the Board of Trustees on Aug. 22. He began his tenure Jan. 1.

He said people are starting to wake up to the idea that Ohio State isn't just for the Top-A students in Ohio or across the country that come to that campus.

"Really, we're a university for all Ohioans," Carter said. "And for our regional campuses, that's the doorstep in, so whether you want to come here, be a student in good standing and come to the Columbus campus at The Ohio State or stay here for a four-year degree in engineering and then proceed on, or start something in the biological sciences and go into the medical field, it's all here," he said from the Pearl Conard Art Gallery.

Regional campuses are here to stay, Carter says

"I'll just say it very clearly. The regional campuses are here to stay," Carter said when asked about the future of OSU regional campuses. "They are a part of our system. They are an important part and, again, if we are really going to fulfill our land -grant mission dating all the way back to 1870, this is one of the most critical parts of our mission."

Carter said OSU Mansfield and the other regional campuses are going to remain a critical part of Ohio State's education mission.

"Let's not kid ourselves. We want to be the best at research, clinical care, medical research, the arts, athletics. But at the end of the day, we're all about educating young minds of our country, and we want to change the conversation about what the value of an undergraduate or even an associate's degree is in our country, and that starts right here in the great state of Ohio," Carter said.

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Carter said he was impressed with the students he met Wednesday morning including Drew Amin, 24, a sophomore biology major from North Royalton, and Sam Ratvasky, 21, a third-year engineering student. Both say they plan to stay at OSU-Mansfield to finish their degrees.

Amin said he likes the small class-to-professor ratio and lives at nearby Buckeye Village Apartments. He plans to go into physical therapy or lab work and graduated boot camp in South Carolina in the U.S. Army Reserves this past summer. Once his contract is over, he plans to re-enlist with the U.S. Air Force to become a pilot.

He hopes to attend OSU Main Campus in Columbus for his master's or doctorate.

Ratvasky, 21, of Rocky River, is the student representative on the OSU Mansfield Board of Trustees. He lives at OSU Mansfield's Molyet Village and said he wanted to attend a smaller campus.

"I would say if you're interested in the personal experience with your professors, and you are interested in just having a good place to start off before heading to Columbus, this is a perfect place to start off," Ratvasky said.

Ratvasky, a junior, said he was attracted to OSU Mansfield while in high school after learning of the more affordable tuition offered at a regional campus.

Carter also complimented faculty and interim Dean Eric Anderman, who he said are doing a great job.

New OSU president has military background, also a musician

Carter had served as president of the University of Nebraska System.

Before that, Carter led the U.S. Naval Academy as its longest continuously serving superintendent since the Civil War. Carter also has served as president of the U.S. Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island, according to OSU media information online.

He is a retired vice admiral with 38 years of service and has logged more than 6,300 flying hours. Carter flew 125 combat missions in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Bosnia and Kosovo. He received the Distinguished Flying Cross with combat distinction for valor and is a recipient of the Bronze Star.

Carter earned a bachelor’s degree in physics and oceanography from the Naval Academy, where he played ice hockey for four years and served as team captain.

The well-spoken president said his mother was an English teacher but also a piano player and he grew up in a small town that also appreciated the arts. He started playing clarinet in the third grade and graduated to baritone saxophone and actually had a pathway to play at Berklee College of Music in Boston but instead went to the Naval Academy.

"That's how I started my military career, instead of being a jazz saxophone player," he said, adding he no longer plays.

Carter also visited OSU Marion Wednesday afternoon.

lwhitmir@gannett.com

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This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: New Ohio State president Carter says regional campuses here to stay