Dauch family celebrated for gifts to academic advising, student-athletes
David Dauch and his family have made an emormous impact on the Miami community by giving of themselves
Dauch family celebrated for gifts to academic advising, student-athletes
His family name has been over the door of the Student Services section of the Farmer School of Business for some time, but this week was the first time David Dauch had seen the Dauch Academic Advising Center in person since the new name was in place.
“We want to do our part to help make that difference and support not only the students that are here today and the faculty that are here today and the advisors that are all here today, but those that will be here for decades to come and generations to come, because this university will have strong staying power,” he said.
Dauch, a 1986 Production/Operations and Purchasing Management graduate and CEO of American Axle and Manufacturing, and his family have been longtime supporters of Miami University and the Farmer School. His family’s gift for academic advising at FSB last year allowed the hiring of an additional advisor to help students have better access to resources.
“Miami does such a fantastic job preparing its students for the real world. That's a compliment to all of you regarding what you do each and every day,” Dauch said. “I can tell you, because we hire a lot of student-athletes, we hire a lot of students from here as interns as well as full-time associates, that Miami associates or students always stand out above the others that we recruit.”
Miami athletics have also been close to Dauch’s heart. He was a three-year letter winner for Miami Football from 1984-86, and his daughter Lindsay was a star player on Miami’s volleyball team. The Dauch family provided the naming gift for the Indoor Sports Center that opened next to Yager Stadium in 2015, and their most recent gift added scholarships for student-athletes.
“It was one of the best decisions that we've ever made. And it not only changed the sports program here, but it also changed the university. It changed this community, too, in regard to what we were able to do,” Dauch said. “But at the same time, athletics only carries you so far, and you have to ultimately get a real job, and that's what the education is all about.”
Dauch is finishing a 20-year stint as part of the FSB Business Advisory Council, the last two years as co-chair. “We're trying to make sure that our curriculum is where it needs to be, so that our students can graduate beyond ready to add value to organizations from day one,” Farmer School dean Jenny Darroch said. “We need to always be in touch with business leaders such as David and others to make sure that we're paying attention to the trends that are going on in our industry.”
"We ask of our alums, the very best of them, to give time, treasure, and talent. Your treasure you've shared with us, for which we're grateful, but the time and the talent that you've spent with us is also pretty extraordinary," Miami University President Gregory Crawford told Dauch.
“All I ever ask that anyone does is follow your passion, be the best at what you want to do, and don't do something because other people do it,” Dauch said. “Always follow your dreams, and don't let anybody tell you that you can't have a dream, because dreams do get achieved, and dreams do get realized. I'm a prime living example of that.”
