New John W. Altman Institute for Entrepreneurship director announced
Suraj Maraboyina takes on role this week
New John W. Altman Institute for Entrepreneurship director announced
Suraj Maraboyina wasn’t necessarily looking to be the next executive director of the John W. Altman Institute for Entrepreneurship, but the job sort of found him.
“I wasn't even looking for this job in particular. It just came to me,” he said. “John Altman called me, and he said, ‘You need to take this role.’”
Maraboyina, a 2001 Miami University political science alum, takes on that role this week. His 20 years of experience spans wealth management, entrepreneurship, and financing for media, film, and television.
“I've created multiple companies, in the finance world and the entertainment world,” he said. “I've seen what works, what doesn't work, what are the pitfalls, what success looks like. So, I've kind of seen it all.”
Maraboyina is currently serving on the Miami University Foundation Board of Directors and previously served a three-year term on the Miami University Alumni Association Board of Directors. He has also been an advisor to the Miami chapter of Delta Chi for over a decade. And he said he’s looking forward to being back in Oxford again.
“It feels like I never left. I think there's a certain level of energy, not just from the faculty, but the students. It’s just so alive,” Maraboyina said. “Every time I'm on campus, it's just exciting to talk to students and to administrators and faculty.”
“The entrepreneurship program flourished under Tim Holcomb’s leadership, and as we enter this next chapter, we saw a meaningful opportunity to build on that momentum by bringing in additional expertise. Sid Vedula joins us this summer as department chair, and, as Executive Director, Suraj will lead our co-curricular and experiential learning efforts. With their leadership, we’re truly excited for what the future holds,” Farmer School dean Jenny Darroch said. “Suraj is no stranger to Miami–he’s an engaged alumnus, a member of the Foundation Board, and someone who brings a deep, genuine passion for our mission. What stands out about Suraj is his ability to connect across disciplines, build meaningful relationships, attract resources, and to really infuse energy into everything he does.”
Maraboyina will lead the Altman Institute’s non-academic efforts, including stakeholder and alumni engagement, strategic partnerships, and support for entrepreneurial programming.
“I think it's a really unique opportunity to engage alumni and to let the students know what's possible. I've mentored students from all different college campuses, and one thing I really like about Miami is we have a very diverse alumni base,” he said. “We’re not an Ivy League school, but I think our alumni are capable of doing things that exceed some of those schools. That’s something I'm pretty excited about.”
