Last Word? Go Bobcats!

When I got word from PRNews that I had been selected as one of their 2022 Top Women in the industry, my first call was to my friend and OHIO colleague, Carly Leatherwood, BSJ ’96, to invite her to the awards event in New York City. I told her they were giving each awardee 90 seconds at the podium for an acceptance speech, and that I planned to use that brief moment to congratulate a young alumna who I had heard also received an award.

In her brilliant Bobcat wisdom, Carly said I couldn’t do that without checking to see if any other recipients were OHIO graduates. As usual, Carly was right. Turns out, three Bobcat women would be receiving awards that night, each in different categories.

My speech went something like this: “None of us would be here tonight without some amazing people in our corner and plenty of inspiration in our work. My inspiration comes in the form of countless students who find their way to OHIO and who go on to become incredible leaders. In fact, tonight you will hand awards to three Ohio University alumnae. So, congratulations in advance to Suzanne, Jenelle and Morgan, and Go Bobcats!”

To my surprise, my OHIO rally cry was met with raucous applause. When I returned to my seat, a guest at the next table leaned my way and proudly declared—“I’m also a Bobcat!” I would say it’s a small world, but the truth is the Bobcat community has a seat at most tables around the globe.

A few awardees later, alumna Suzanne Rosnowski, BSJ ’01, was called to the stage. Rosnowski is the founder and CEO of Relevance International, a global PR and media agency with offices in New York, London and Los Angeles. She was overseas on the night of the award ceremony but had sent a colleague with her speech. She credited Ohio University for helping her get her career started and her stand-in finished the speech with a joyous “Go Bobcats!” 

It had become the theme of the night. There, in an elaborate event venue near Times Square, Ohio University had taken over the room. The next awardee stepped to the stage with a smile and started her speech with: “I have nothing to do with Ohio University, but I just feel like I should start by saying, ‘Go Bobcats!’”

Later in the evening, awards went to Bobcat alumnae Jenelle Eli, BA ’05, MA ’06, who spearheads communications strategies related to international crises for the American Red Cross, and Morgan Borer, BSJ ’16, who was the first employee at start-up firm Bevel in New York and now mentors young women at the company. Borer talked about how her OHIO education helped her make early career connections. And of course, she finished on theme with a smile and a “Go Bobcats!”

It seems appropriate as we celebrate our accomplished alumni in Ohio Today to borrow our last word from this incredible evening in New York City. So … Go Bobcats!