Mark and Kelly at OSU Cartoon Conference Room

When Ohio State’s new Student Union  opened back in 2010, I started receiving calls and emails from friends near and far.  Long story short, thanks to OSU Cartoon Library/Museum curator Dr. Lucy Shelton Caswell, my cartoon artwork was included in the Union’s third floor Cartoon Conference Room.  And these friends had visited the new Union during it’s opening weeks. Touring the new facility, they happened on the Cartoon Conference Room and were surprised to see my comic strip “George” on display.

Well, it’s taken me almost three years to make the visit to Ohio State to actually see my cartoon work on display.  I’ve received lots of photos from friends and family of the display, but this was the very first time I had a chance to see it in person.  (I took a road trip to OSU with my brother Tom and niece Kelly.)

Mark and Tom at OSU Cartoon Conference Room

It’s an absolutely  wonderful honor!  And it reminds me of what I heard during an address to incoming freshman way back in the fall of 1977,   “Leave part of yourself behind.”   In other words, get involved.  Contribute something, large or small, to OSU which will  help or inspire other students who follow.  I made a promise to myself that I would do something to fulfill those words.

I’ve been lucky to have had the help and encouragement of my parents, family, fraternity brothers at Phi Kappa Tau, fellow students, and friends.  Like any profession, my cartooning career has had its shares of ups and downs.  Certainly many more ups than downs.  This is definitely one of the ups.  A huge up for sure.

This a very large, high def image of the display. Click to enlarge and give it a few moment sot load in your browser.