Legendary Ohio State football coach, Woody Hayes once said, "You can never pay back, so you should always try to pay forward" and "paying forward... you can do it the rest of your life". Inspired by his words, Pay It Forward (formerly known as ServeCorps) is a service cohort of student leaders committed to instilling a life-long passion in Ohio State students for "paying it forward". This dedicated group enriches others' knowledge of universal needs, helps them personally connect to social issues, and provides them with the opportunity to serve their community.
Pay It Forward (formerly ServeCorps) is a cohort program involving 25 students who work closely with Center for Student Leadership and Service in the Ohio Union to plan and implement a series of service-related events and programs throughout the year. Pay It Forward provides a variety of service opportunities for Ohio State students, including Community Commitment, Battle Against Hunger, MLK Day of Service, Red Party, and Pay It Forward Week, and Access88 trips.
Our website,
payitforward.osu.edu, acts as a resource for students to find volunteer opportunities, track their service hours, and become more engaged in the community through volunteerism. Our mission is to connect students to community agencies and opportunities, ultimately working to increase the impact of students engaged in service and volunteerism at The Ohio State University. Opportunities are available to fit a variety of interests and issues that communities face every day. Visit
Find Opportunities to search for your next volunteering adventure, or Find Organizations to work with a specific organization you may be interested in helping.
Don't forget to log the hours you dedicate to your community. Visit
Track Your Service and log in with your Ohio State username and password to follow your volunteer journey.
Looking for more ways to get involved and to pay it forward?
Post Opportunities
Is your organization hosting a service or volunteer event? Do you have a great idea to serve your community? Go to Post Opportunities and create a profile for your student or community organization. Once you create a profile, posting opportunities on payitforward.osu.edu will connect you with the volunteers you need.
Share Your Experience
Want to tell others about your service experience? Write a blog entry and E-mail it to
payitforward@osu.edu. We'll post your story to share with volunteers and community organizations.
Spread the Message
Eager to help spread the message of payitforward.osu.edu? Find out more ways to become involved with the project by contacting us. Go to Contact Us for specific contact information.
Pay It Forward Residence Hall Programs
Are you an RA or member of a Hall Council and would like to do a service activity with your residents and learn more about Pay It Forward? Our Pay It Forward student coordinators can help! Download our program request form here:
Pay It Forward Residence Hall Programs. Completed forms can be emailed to
payitforward@osu.edu.