Back in 1937, OSU President Henry Bennett called for the construction of a student union. He envisioned a place that would provide programs and services to shape the 
intellectual, cultural and social environment of the campus. The OSU student body shared Bennett’s vision and funded the $4.3 million project through a self-imposed tax.
Today, the OSU student body still believes strongly in the mission of the Student Union and has once again taxed themselves to provide a lead gift of $43 million for the renovation and preservation of one of the campus’s most treasured icons.
OSU students have taken a bold leap into the future with their gift and have helped ensure the legacy of Bennett's dream lives on for generations who enter the Union's doors. However, more help is needed if we want to continue "building on tradition."