About 200 protesters gathered at Ohio State University's Oval Friday afternoon to demand that the university remove Les Wexner鈥檚 name from all buildings on campus due to his ties to convicted sex trafficker Jeffery Epstein.
Students, alumni and community members chanted against both the university and Wexner as they crossed the oval, stopping in front of the Wexner Center for the Arts. The center鈥檚 name is governed by an agreement that created the 鈥淲exner Fund.鈥� The center is named after Les Wexner鈥檚 father.
No other buildings on Ohio State's campus with the Wexner name have a similar agreement.
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Also in attendance were several survivors of Dr. Richard Strauss, a former Ohio State team doctor who sexually assaulted athletes. from the Les Wexner Football Complex located in the Woody Hayes Athletic Center.
Organizers of the protest invited participants to speak about why they felt Wexner鈥檚 name should be removed.
First-year chemical engineering student Evelyn Boreman was one of the speakers. She said she joined the protest with no plans to speak in front of the crowd, but felt it was necessary.
鈥淭here were things I needed to say. I want to love this place and I can't right now,鈥� Boreman said. 鈥淚 wanted to, I mean, I did, until all this came out.鈥�
In her speech to the crowd, Boreman said she worked hard to get into Ohio State, but now feels ashamed of the university.
鈥淛ust do better,鈥� Boreman said.
University officials are currently reviewing more than 200 requests to rename buildings, including the Wexner Medical Center.