Giving feels good: Dr. Julius Mayo III

An international experience led this Buckeye to give for more than 20 years.

When Julius Mayo was an undergraduate student at The Ohio State University in the early 1990s, he never thought he would study abroad. Then one of his mentors presented the opportunity as not merely an option, but a necessary part, of his education and personal development.

So Mayo, a first-generation college student, studied abroad in England. “That experience was one of the most influential things I ever did as a student,” says Mayo, who went on to get his master’s and PhD in Higher Education Student Affairs at Ohio State and then began working in Housing and Residence Education at the university. Mayo has been the Assistant Director of Academic Initiatives in the Office of Student Life for more than 20 years.

Now, Mayo loves providing students with similar opportunities for international education, volunteerism and outreach. He even co-founded an Ohio State initiative called MUNDO, which stands for Multicultural Understanding through Nontraditional Discovery Opportunities. And for 23 years, he has financially supported this crucial work through payroll deduction.

Mayo views his giving to Ohio State as an investment in the people and causes he cares about.

“Making space for what you value is important, even if it's a small amount. It’s like putting a seed into the ground. It’s a small seed, but over time it’s going to flower into something amazing. Giving also supports your own wellness, because you're doing something that makes you feel good.” - Dr. Julius Mayo III