Creating Buckeye bonds for life

Those who know David Emerling ’81 say he has a superpower: recruiting alumni to join and lead the Alumni Club of Detroit.

Proud Ohio State alum and industry collaborations director at CAR, David Emerling '81 is the recipient of the 2021 Dan L. Heinlen Award, presented by The Ohio State Alumni Association. This award is presented to alumni who have realized outstanding achievements in advancing the university by advocating for its interests with one or more of its important audiences. It recognizes achievement in activities ranging from the recruitment of outstanding students and faculty to the University, to advocacy with elected officials and opinion leaders on behalf of Ohio State.

How do you inspire others to do great things?

You can’t run a club by one person; you’ve got to have help. The key is finding people’s passions — what they do the best and what they want to do. Let them go at it and give them control.

How do alumni benefit from being part of an alumni chapter?

We have a lot of fun at our events, and the networking is phenomenal. Beyond that, a lot of people feel like the university got them to where they are today, and they want to give back by recruiting students or fundraising. But I think the real reason people get involved is that they like being with other Buckeyes. It’s a bond for life.

What’s your favorite Ohio State memory?

The Ohio State-Michigan game my freshman year. I lived in Taylor Tower, and we all coordinated our dorm lights to write OSU on the face of the tower. When we won that game, we threw confetti out the windows and went to High Street for the victory celebration, which was just crazy.

What’s it like being a Buckeye fan in the heart of Michigan?

It’s actually quite fun. I think our alumni are drawn together more than if we lived in any other state because of the intense rivalry. It’s important to stay together and have our safe places. My tagline for years has been “It’s a great time to be a Buckeye in Michigan.”

Click here for a complete list of Alumni Award recipients.