By Garrison McDaniel

Kevin Griffin, a former Ohio State football captain and journalism graduate, is returning to his alma mater with a clear goal: to help students achieve their dreams.

“I want to help [students] reach their goals," he said. "Every day that I get up, I feel like the adults on campus, our job is to help our students fulfill their dreams.”

This passion for supporting students led Griffin to join the Sports and Society Initiative, which he sees SSI as a platform to provide students with meaningful opportunities. 

“Using my network and my relationships to open doors so students get real-life experience while they're a student,” Griffin said.

Griffin also wants SSI to be a key factor in prospective students’ decision to attend Ohio State. 

“I want to make sure this becomes a reason to believe in attending Ohio State,” Griffin said. “They need to know that going to Ohio State, they can access, from our program, the Kirk Herbstreits, the Clark Kelloggs, and the Jimmy Jacksons of the world.”

A 1998 graduate, Griffin spent five years playing under John Cooper. One of the highlights of his career was a blocked punt he returned for a touchdown to help defeat the then-undefeated Iowa Hawkeyes.

After college, Griffin discovered a passion for sports marketing and used his Ohio State connections to break into the field. He has worked in marketing roles for major professional sports teams, including the Cleveland Browns, Seattle Seahawks, and D.C. United. He served as vice president of marketing for both the Browns and D.C. United, where he focused on mentoring his staff. 

“I spent a lot of time teaching our staff and providing practical, actionable advice and guidance,” Griffin said.

At this stage in his career, Griffin is motivated by the opportunity to give back to students. 

“I’ve always wanted to give back to our students in this very specific arena, which is communications, marketing, journalism, specifically storytelling,” he said.