After more than 17 years with The Ohio State University, Jay Kasey, senior vice president of the Office of Administration and Planning (A&P) is retiring.
“Over the last few months, I’ve been walking through campus and instead of keeping my head down and powering through, I’ve paused and looked at many things across campus and been so amazed at the progress Ohio State has made,” said Kasey. “I take a lot of pride in that and a lot of satisfaction because of the people I’ve met along the way who made those projects possible.”
In his honor, a surprise tree dedication ceremony was held on June 27, 2024 at The Oval, just outside of Bricker Hall, where Kasey’s office was before being moved to University Square South.
A Quercus macrocarpa, or burr oak, was planted behind a small post with a plaque that reads, “In honor of Jay Kasey for his exceptional dedication and service to The Ohio State University.”
Burr oaks develop a deep and widespread root system quickly to help them withstand droughts and strong winds, similar to the deep roots planted by Kasey at the university through the colleagues turned friends who surrounded him throughout his career.
Mark Conselyea was named interim senior vice president of A&P, effective July 1 following Kasey’s retirement on June 30. He read a heartfelt poem at the ceremony, encapsulating the significance of a tree dedication and its ties to leaving a legacy and moving forward to a bright retirement ahead.