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Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Miami University for its 200 years of commitment to extraordinary higher education. There are 9 Miami graduates currently working for me, so I can tell you firsthand how well educated Miami students are. Miami is a student-centered university deeply committed to student success, building great student and alumni loyalty, and empowering its students, faculty, and staff to become engaged citizens who use their knowledge and skills with integrity and compassion to improve the future of our society. Miami University is the 10th oldest public university in the nation, and is located in my district in Oxford, Ohio.
Poet Laureate Robert Frost once referred to Miami as “the most beautiful college there is.” In addition to distinctions for the campus’ beauty and first-rate facilities, Miami University is cited annually by national college rankings as being one of the nation’s best values among public universities. According to Business Week magazine, Miami’s Farmer School of Business is ranked among the nation’s top 5 percent of undergraduate business programs, ranking 8th among public universities and colleges. Miami is also named as one of the “Public Ivies,” offering “an education comparable to that at Ivy League universities at a fraction of the price.” Miami provides the opportunities of a major university while offering the personalized attention found in the best small colleges.
Furthermore, Miami has a retention and graduation rate that exceeds the national average for undergraduates, students of color, and athletes, and has the highest graduation rate in Ohio. Much of Miami’s success is owed to its stellar faculty. As nationally prominent scholars and artists, Miami’s faculty contribute to the university, their own disciplines, and to society. In fact, while a faculty member at Miami, William Holmes McGuffey, “School Master to the Nation,” wrote and compiled the first 4 McGuffey Eclectic Readers.
Additionally, Miami recognizes the opportunities for personal and professional growth that living and studying internationally brings. With its own campus in Luxembourg, Miami consistently ranks among the top 25 universities and colleges in the nation for the number of undergraduate students who study abroad. These abroad opportunities have enabled countless Miami students to develop a broader perspective and keener understanding of the world as they contribute to society.
Miami alumni have a history of profound service to the United States, including a President of the United States (the Honorable Benjamin Harrison); 9 U.S. Senators, including sitting Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA); and 31 U.S. Representatives, including sitting Members, Congressman Paul Ryan (R-WI) and Congressman Steve Driehaus (D-OH). In addition, Miami students and alumni have achieved the pillar of their professions including a Poet Laureate, Pulitzer Prize winners, a National Teacher of the Year, and renowned journalists. As the nation’s oldest university newspaper, the Miami Student has offered students the opportunity to develop their interests and skills in journalism since 1826.
Miami is also committed to creating an environment that teaches student-athletes to excel in their chosen endeavors. In fact, Miami is one of only 4 universities and colleges to generate both a United States President (the Honorable Benjamin Harrison) and a winning Super Bowl quarterback (Ben Roethlisberger). Miami alumni include a National Football League Rookie of the Year, National Football League Super Bowl Champions, National Basketball Association World Champions, National Health League Stanley Cup Champions, Major League Baseball World Series Champions, and Olympic gold medalists. Known as the “Cradle of Coaches,” Miami has produced an unparalleled number of nationally prominent collegiate and professional coaches, 18 of whom have been recognized as national “Coach of the Year,” including Paul Brown (Cleveland Browns), Walter “Smokey” Alston (Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers), Woody Hayes (Ohio State University), Bo Schembechler (University of Michigan), and Vicki Korn (Miami University).
In addition to athletics, many Miami students also participate in Greek life. As the Alpha Chapter for 5 national Greek organizations (Beta Theta Pi, Sigma Chi, Phi Delta Theta, Phi Kappa Tau, and the Delta Zeta sorority), Miami University is known as the “Mother of Fraternities.” Greek life at Miami offers students the ability to engage in philanthropic activities and offers leadership opportunities that help prepare the students for their future.
Miami alumni have gone on to lead some of our most august corporations such as AT&T, Inc., Proctor and Gamble Co., the J.M. Smucker Company, and the United Parcel Service of America. As the largest employer in Butler County, Ohio, Miami University serves as an economic powerhouse Southwest Ohio, the state of Ohio, and the nation with an economic impact of over a billion dollars per year to the state of Ohio.
On February 17, 2009, Miami will celebrate its bicentennial. I congratulate Miami for the university’s profound achievements and unwavering commitment to liberal arts education and the active engagement of its students in both curricular and co-curricular life that has continually attracted and produced some of the nation’s brightest faculty, staff, and students. I wish Miami the very best in the future.
