Case for Support m i a m i u n i v e r s i t y f o u n dat i o n
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Days of Old, Days to Be MIAMI UNIVERSIT Y CASE FOR SUPPORT
“There are many ways to measure a great university, but only one yardstick truly matters: what do its graduates do with the opportunity given to them; how do they make a difference in the world around us? And, by this measure, Miami is truly special. Our alumni, in all walks of life, make a difference.” —David C. Hodge, Miami University President Academic Achievement, Lifetime Success Public Ivy. Harvard of the Midwest—or Yale of the West, if you prefer. Miami University is one of the oldest and most notable public institutions in the country. With nationally recognized academics and exceptional students, faculty and staff spread across the hallmark beauty of the Oxford campus, Miami is a public university with private-institution clout. For three straight years, U.S. News & World Report has ranked Miami the number one public institution and third overall for “Best Undergraduate Teaching” in its annual edition of “America’s Best Colleges.” The Princeton Review echoes this assessment, naming Miami one of the nation’s best universities for undergraduate education in its 2013 edition of “The Best 378 Colleges” list. Of course, rankings focused on Miami’s academics, faculty and staff only tell part of the story. Miami’s high admission standards and commitment to welcoming bright, motivated and diverse students are reflected in the University’s recognition from the Fiske Guide for a “high-caliber student body.” Miami students, on average, graduate in an Ohio-best 3.7 years, and their 81 percent graduation ranks among the the top 10 public universities nationally (excluding military academies).
Upon receiving their respective degrees, alumni are seeing the value of the Miami education in their professional endeavors. SmartMoney.com ranks Miami University 11th nationally for its return on tuition investment, and PayScale.com ranks Miami first among Ohio’s public universities and second nationally among humanities majors for best salary potential following graduation. Together these achievements not only bring added value to the Miami education—they further emphasize Miami’s place as one of the nation’s top-tier universities. Further illustrating this point is the recent Alumni Factor ranking that places Miami 22nd among public universities and 52nd among national universities. Launched in September 2012, the Alumni Factor is a new collegeranking platform that measures alumni’s personal and professional success; alumni data included in this study were income, net worth, job opportunities, intellectual development and overall happiness. These rankings and recognitions read like the résumé of a private institution, yet Miami’s accessibility is that of a public university. By distinctively drawing on the strengths and virtues of the public and private sectors, Miami has carved itself a niche in higher education that affords the University continual success.
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Residents of Oxford, Citizens of the World Although Miami University’s home is in Oxford, Ohio, the University’s footprint extends to the farther reaches of the world as well as all sectors of society. Study away and abroad opportunities have become an integral part of the Miami Experience, and the Institute for International Education’s latest report on the number of students studying abroad shows that 40 percent of Miami students study abroad before graduating. The University aims to build on that percentage to have 60 percent of its students study abroad by their graduation year. With program types that range from week-long workshops to full-year exchanges, it should come as little surprise that the Institute for International Education ranks Miami second among public doctoral institutions nationwide in study abroad. These programs—which most notably include the Miami University John E. Dolibois European Center in Luxembourg—are giving students practical, immersive, real-world experiences that can be transformational. Through the Armstrong Institute for Interactive Media Studies’ San Francisco Digital Innovation Center, students can spend a semester working, studying and living in the heart of global innovation. On the East Coast, those studying political science, communications and/or journalism within the College of Arts and Science engage with prominent politicians, newsmakers and journalists in the nation’s capital through the semester-long Inside Washington program. Across the Atlantic in London, the Highwire Brand Studio summer workshop offered through the Farmer School of Business brings together students across all academic disciplines to focus on strategic and creative branding idea formulation. The School of Education, Health and Society combines unique cultural experiences with studentteaching opportunities in Australia, China, Belize and other global destinations. Similarly, the School of Creative Arts’ Design/Build Studio gives its students opportunities to create teachers’ cottages in Ghana and energy-efficient buildings in London.
With nationally recognized academics and exceptional students, faculty and staff spread across the hallmark beauty of the Oxford campus, Miami is a public university with private-institution clout. These are just a few examples of the study away and abroad opportunities available to students, and while these experiences help build students’ global competence, other University initiatives help foster social commitment and engagement closer to home. Miami was one of five schools to receive the Presidential Award in the 2012 President’s Higher Education Honor Roll, which specifically recognized the University’s service programs in the area of early childhood education. This honor is the highest federal recognition a college or university can receive for volunteering, service-learning and civic engagement; it’s estimated that 12,920 Miami students performed 387,600 hours of service in many areas from July 2010 through June 2011. The Miami University Center for Community Engagement in Cincinnati’s Over-the-Rhine neighborhood also enhances the ideals of civic engagement and social commitment by presenting a site for learning that’s consistent with the needs of social movement in the inner city.
The “Miami Experience”: Building Leaders through Engagement and Tradition So often we talk of the “Miami Experience,” a shared collection of memories, feelings and experiences that is unique to Miami University and those who walk its campus. It serves as a collective culture for all Miamians, and is built on the foundation of engagement and tradition. By embracing the overall “Miami Experience,” students who come to Oxford acquire the necessary pride, knowledge and practical experience to grow as leaders in an environment that’s secure, academically focused and, of course, fun.
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One of the primary building blocks of the “Miami Experience” lies in the campus itself. It’s hard to look around Miami and not be captivated by its timeless beauty, no matter the season or weather conditions. Uptown Oxford provides the ultimate college-town atmosphere without compromising its small-town charm. This aesthetic appeal is a trademark of the University with which all Miamians can identify. Close-knit “quad living” helps Miami students not only adjust to campus life in residence halls but also thrive in Living Learning Communities that act as extensions of the classroom. It’s in these residential environments that students are challenged to grow personally and intellectually. Student organizations serve as another pillar of campus engagement and, by extension, the overall “Miami Experience.” More than 400 student-led groups bring together Miamians by way of mutual interests. Nicknamed the “Mother of Fraternities,” Miami’s Greek community has an especially strong following and storied tradition, with more than 50 active fraternity and sorority chapters— including five Greek organizations that were founded in Oxford. Even with this many active groups, all of Miami’s student organizations promote the same ideals: active involvement, student growth and, perhaps most importantly, leadership development. Miami’s competitive athletic programs, both intercollegiate and intramural, also foster a strong sense of tradition and pride. Historical rivalries with schools such as the University of Cincinnati and Ohio University offer students recognizable traditions with which they can identify. Moreover, Miami’s place as the “Cradle of Coaches” offers all Miamians a strong model of leadership, as the University has spurred the careers of some of the most groundbreaking leaders in both college and professional athletics.
In addition, the arts play a prominent role in contributing to the “Miami Experience” through both engagement and active participation. The Performing Arts Series provides both the means and venues for students to engage with and appreciate the arts, whether it is ballet, stand-up comedy, popular music or children’s theatre. Participation in student performing arts groups also cultivates Miami’s strong creative tradition. In October 2012, seven student music ensembles were invited to perform in a special allMiami concert on the Perelman Stage of the world-famous Carnegie Hall. Of more than 400 student performers who took part in this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, nearly 65 percent of them were non-music majors. This high percentage speaks not only to the strength of the arts at Miami but also the fact that Miami students are able to actively pursue personal talents and endeavors outside of their academic disciplines. Among all factors that create the “Miami Experience,” perhaps the most transformative part takes place inside the classroom. Miami has cultivated its tradition of academic excellence through a singular concentration on engaged learning. Smaller class sizes make for a more intimate environment that’s conducive to collaboration, interaction and connectivity among students, faculty and staff. Through the “Student as Scholar” Model which makes students an active part of their own education, students leave Miami not just with a degree in their field of study but also the necessary intellectual, personal and professional growth it takes to become discoverers and creators. That in and of itself is perhaps the culminating facet of this thing we call the “Miami Experience.”
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Private Philanthropy: A Driving Force Miami University has faced the challenges of today’s shifting higher education landscape and set its sights on opportunities to become a stronger, more dynamic and more sustainable institution for the future. As an institution, Miami has responded to the new fiscal realities, which include declining state funding, by making better use of its resources. These efforts were recently celebrated by U.S. News & World Report, which ranked Miami University second in the nation for “efficiently spend(ing) limited resources in order to produce the highest possible educational quality.” While getting the most from its existing resources is important, it is critical that Miami remains forwardlooking and purposeful in pursuing and promoting an innovative, engaged learning and discovery environment that continues producing extraordinary student success. Creating this environment means balancing today’s unprecedented need for student financial assistance with the priorities of maintaining a world-class faculty and remaining on the leading edge in technology and facilities, global opportunities and innovative programming. To meet this challenge and grow its resource base, Miami is striving to better engage its alumni and friends in the life and financial support of the University. Of particular importance is the need to grow the University’s endowment, which provides an eternal, self-generating source of funds.
The profound impact of private support has already been demonstrated through The Miami University Campaign For Love and Honor, which raised more than $535 million in support of leading priorities, such as: •
Raising $131.8 million in scholarship support, including the creation of 608 new endowed scholarships;
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Raising more than $31 million in faculty support, including 33 newly endowed professorships and chairs;
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Raising $107.7 million in capital project support;
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Creating leading-edge programming, including the Armstrong Interactive Media Studies (AIMS) program, Harry T. Wilks Leadership Institute and the Cleveland Urban Cohort.
Individual and corporate philanthropy remains the driving force in Miami’s continued advancement as a top public university. This private support propels Miami on in its ongoing mission to attract the best and brightest—both students and faculty/staff—to Oxford and maximize the student experience. The late John E. Dolibois ’42 wrote about the importance of “returning”—returning to campus, returning to memories, returning “part of the heart” to Miami. Donor contributions of all types are investments in the University’s future from those who recognize that leaving a mark today, returning “part of the heart” to Miami, will have a truly transformative impact tomorrow.
Miami University: Equal opportunity in education and employment / Produced by University Advancement 6/14
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ForLoveAndHonor.org