Letter from the Executive Director

aya ceeki meentitohkaalilakakoki ‘Greetings and welcome,’

As the Myaamia Center staff winds down from another busy summer of Youth Programs and sneaks in some much-needed vacation time, we now turn our attention back to a new school year. This year we welcome 22 new Myaamia first-year students, our largest incoming cohort ever, adding to yet another milestone of 55 total Miami Tribe students on campus. Wow!

We are also making good progress on our capital campaign to renovate and expand our current location in Bonham House. If you would like to participate in this unique opportunity, please visit our website to see the options. Everything is growing leaps and bounds, and we need everyone’s help in building a lasting foundation for the preservation of our language and culture. We thank all of you who have already made a contribution or pledge and look forward to working with new stakeholders in this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

I have heard it said that the only real constant in life is change, and changes are coming to the Myaamia Center staff. Some of our staff are beginning the retirement process, which applies to myself as well. I have been at Miami University for 25 years, and during that entire time I have looked forward to the next generation taking the reins and moving this effort to a new level. That time has come for me, and as of January 2027, Kara Strass will become the new executive director of the Myaamia Center.

As Kara steps into her new role, she will be handing off most of her student-facing work to Caleb Collins. Caleb will be in charge of myaamia student support, advising, and facilitation of the many events the center hosts for students during the semester.

I will step back for a period of time to consult and lay the foundation for my return to some much-needed language work. I look forward to continuing my contribution from a different direction and continuing to watch the center's work grow. We have an incredible team of passionate educators and researchers here in the center, and it's been an absolute pleasure working with them and watching their work make a difference here on campus and in the lives of our Myaamia community.

And finally, as we wrap up a 25th anniversary year, we set our sights on the many new and exciting possibilities that lie in our path. 25 years is a good amount of time to reflect on how far we have come, but it also provides just enough experience to strategically look at next steps. I feel good about what we have accomplished and feel even better about what is still possible. We look forward to strengthening our relationship with Miami University and serving our tribal community.