Brundige receives Ohio State’s highest honor for giving

Brundige & Dean Kress at the Franklin Co. Extension dedication

COLUMBUS, Ohio—Congratulations to Pat Brundige, whose impactful donations to the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) were recognized recently with The Ohio State University’s highest award for philanthropy.

Brundige, the biggest individual benefactor in CFAES’ history, received the Everett D. Reese Medal, the university’s highest honor in recognition of exceptional service in private philanthropy.

Her “see a need, fill a need” philosophy has led her to make numerous donations to Ohio State University Extension, particularly Ohio 4-H youth development. Over the years, she has given to the Nationwide & Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center, the state 4-H research endowment fund, and camp scholarships for Ohio Military Kids.

In 2019, the Kunz-Brundige Franklin County Extension Building opened, made possible through gifts totaling $11 million from Brundige—$5 million for the building and a $6 million estate gift for future programming. The building is the first in the transformation of CFAES’ Waterman Agricultural and Natural Resources Laboratory on Ohio State’s Columbus campus. Waterman is the university’s hub for teaching, research, and community engagement around food, health, agricultural production, and environmental sustainability.

OSU Extension is CFAES’ outreach arm in all 88 Ohio counties. Through Brundige’s gift, the Franklin County office of OSU Extension is better able to serve the community through educational programs and events for youth and adults, all from a centralized location.

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