by Lauryn Luderman

It seems like Buckeyes always have a way of giving back to the university that gave them so much. Christopher Roy is giving back by joining Sports and Society Initiative as the 19th member of its alumni advisory board.

Roy is the chief strategy officer for EarthLink Internet, as well as a member of the Goodyear Cotton Bowl, the Navy Seal League Foundation and the National Association of Counties board of directors. 

What drew him back to Ohio State was his rich history in the athletic department. 

In December of 1992, Roy graduated from Ohio State with an economics degree and four seasons under his belt as a Buckeye tight end. Not long post-graduation, Roy said he was asked to rejoin the team as a graduate-assistant coach, but by that point, Roy was hard at work in Silicon Valley, leaving him with a choice. 

“I was really enjoying what I was doing in Silicon Valley, and Columbus couldn’t be further apart,” Roy said. “So I was forced to make a decision. I couldn’t possibly do both. And I’m glad that I made the decision that I did. At the end of the day, though, there are ways to contribute and that would have been great. I think this will be as well.”

As a resident of Dallas, Roy said he works with a handful of southern universities in a variety of ways, and enjoys it, but he hadn’t made his way back to Ohio in a role like the one he now serves, which became an idea in December 2023 when he was approached by David Horn, the dean of Ohio State’s College of Arts and Sciences. 

Roy said Horn asked him if he’d be interested in being involved with the university and, enthusiastically, Roy said yes. After going through the options Ohio State offers, Horn thought SSI would be the perfect fit. 

Once Roy met with SSI’s director, Dr. Nicole Kraft, he said his decision was made, not exclusively because of what SSI is, but also because of what it can become. He said the idea of it still being in a “formation stage” stood out to him. 

“Every foundational piece that I heard I liked,” he said.

Roy said one of the most attractive aspects of SSI is its focus on setting students up for post-graduation success. He hopes to be involved in providing help and advice to those graduating as someone who has been through the process.

He wishes he could have had the same opportunities when he was in school. 

“It would have been great to have been able to just kind of reference or have dialogue with someone that was on the other side that experienced it,” Roy said. “I hope that, frankly, I can just share some experiences that I’ve had and maybe that helps, maybe that shortens the adjustment period for people that are getting into a career or, down the road, maybe it helps someone make decisions.”