Welcome Back! 2024-25 Academic Year

Welcome back!

This exciting season of beginnings, when our campuses come alive with energy and enthusiasm, is always a highlight for Renate and me. We recall other years when waves of remarkable students, faculty, and staff arrived with new ideas, fresh perspectives, and groundbreaking discoveries that accelerated our community with their passion and powerful leadership. Once again, our faculty members are eager to engage students with research, scholarship, creativity, and innovative teaching. The staff is equipped with a student-first mindset to create a welcoming environment for everyone. Alumni captivate us with wisdom, inspiration, and stories of how a Miami education makes the world a better place. The students, with their dedication not only to their classrooms and research experiences but also to community outreach, volunteerism, and our new RedHawk Day of Service, are a testament to Miami's unique energy.

As we support our unsurpassed faculty and staff to ensure that our students flourish, I am uplifted by the best student body in the world - student leaders who practice servant, positive, and inclusive leadership and are ambitious in tackling research and real-world challenges not yet solved. I join in the cheers and passion for our excellent Miami RedHawks student-athletes who compete on the national level. On Sunday, the Miami marching band, dance team, twirlers, cheer team, and Swoop filled Millett Hall with their Miami spirit as we welcomed more than 4,500 new students to the Oxford campus.

The 2024-25 academic year is full of boundless opportunities for growth, discovery, and engagement - an abundance for everyone, no matter your particular interest and passion. I encourage you to take advantage of this rich variety, which reflects Miami's mission of Love and Honor. A few events are coming up right away. Students, don’t miss the Mega Fair on Sunday, Sept. 1, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., where all Miami student organizations will display their activities and welcome your interests. There are also a few events to note in the early fall that bring Miamians together.

More than 3,500 students were welcomed at the Hamilton and Middletown campuses. The Regionals are hosting Weeks of Welcome events to connect new friends and showcase our strong community spirit. Weeks of Welcome conclude with Fall Fest at Hamilton on Wednesday, Sept. 11, and Middletown on Thursday, Sept. 12, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., where student organizations, departments, and offices share resources and ways to get involved.

We aim to break records when the Cincinnati Bearcats come to Yager Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 14, and we honor the Farmer School of Business. The University of Massachusetts Minutemen will be here for Homecoming on Saturday, Sept. 28, where we hold a special celebration for Western College alumnae and honor the College of Arts and Science. The Ohio Bobcats will be here for the “Battle of the Bricks” on Saturday, Oct. 19, as part of Family Weekend, where we will celebrate faculty and student finalists in the “Love and Honor Cup” and honor the College of Engineering and Computing and College of Education, Health, and Society. Central Michigan comes to Oxford on Saturday, Oct. 26, as we honor the College of Creative Arts. “MACtion” begins with a home game on Wednesday, Nov. 13, for the annual “Celebrating Miami: Tribe and University Week” and the College of Liberal Arts and Applied Science.

The faculty assembly on Thursday, Sept. 5, will focus on our new strategic planning efforts, and the State of the University Address will be scheduled for early this fall. On Friday, Sept. 20, we will honor historian, educator, author, and Miami alumna Carol Anderson with the Freedom Summer of ‘64 Award, which recognizes civil rights and social justice champions.

Miami’s commitment to cultivating a spirit of family, a sense of belonging, and an ecosystem of leadership for everyone remains unwavering. We are building a vibrant, inclusive, and supportive environment where everyone can achieve their fullest potential. Your well-being and success are at the heart of everything we do, and we are here to support you every step of the way. We want you to know that you are not alone in your journey at Miami, and we are committed to providing the support and resources you need to succeed.

Let’s have a powerful start to the new year for everyone in our community and our One Miami life together.

With deep gratitude and appreciation for all you do for Miami and our communities, we recognize and value your contributions to our shared success.

In Love and Honor,

Greg