Connie Malone, graduate student services manager for Project Dragonfly, and Ruth Orth, director of marketing and communications for Miami University Regionals, have been honored with Miami University’s 2026 Distinguished Service Award. 

The Distinguished Service Award — one of Miami’s premier awards — recognizes faculty or staff who have made a significant impact on the life and mission of Miami University.

Connie Malone: The ‘heart and soul of Project Dragonfly”

Nominators said Malone’s exceptional dedication, professionalism, and compassion made her an ideal candidate for the award.

One said Malone has brought “the spirit of Love and Honor to everything she has done for the past 27 years.” Another nominator called her the “heart and soul of Project Dragonfly.” 

Malone has worked at Project Dragonfly since 2007 and has served as the graduate student services manager since 2016.

Project Dragonfly is part of Miami’s Biology department, offering conservation-focused hybrid and online master’s degrees and professional development opportunities that provide unparalleled experiential learning experiences through community partnerships across the U.S. and globally.

At any given time, Project Dragonfly has 600 to 800 active graduate students participating in courses and working toward an MA in Biology or MAT in Biological Sciences.

“As you can imagine, our programs have many simultaneously moving parts, all while also trying to support the unique needs of off-campus students in the best way possible,” the nominator wrote. “(Malone) can be regularly found answering student questions about our programs, directing students to graduate advisors or other on-campus resources, co-leading sessions on career support for students, revising internal timelines to ensure students are fully supported, and so much more.”

Connie Malone, center, serving in her role as marshal during a fall commencement ceremony at Millett Hall (photo by Jeff Sabo)

Students ‘feel very supported by and connected to her’

Another nominator said Malone’s commitment to student success goes far beyond administrative duties. “Connie is often the first point of contact for students, and the steady, empathetic presence they turn to in times of uncertainty. Students feel very supported by and connected to her.”

Malone monitors three email accounts in addition to her own. She has supported 2,626 students in completing their master’s degrees, has helped 4,214 participants study abroad, and is currently supporting 750 current students in two graduate programs.

The nominator who called Malone the “heart and soul of Project Dragonfly” said her support for these students is unparalleled. “She navigates their concerns with a unique blend of compassion, efficiency, and institutional knowledge that is truly remarkable. Where there were no existing models, Connie has built entire processes from the ground up, creating a foundation of stability and clarity for a program of significant scale and reach.”

Malone has advocated for the live streaming and recording of talks and seminars such as the Hefner Lectures and worked across departments and programs to ensure consistent email and Google Drive access for part-time students — a critical service that affects the entire university.

“Her willingness to tackle problems that are not explicitly her own for the betterment of the entire Miami community is a testament to her character and dedication.”

She coordinates MoveInMiami fundraising initiatives for Project Dragonfly and previously coordinated the Dragonfly Diversity Cafe Webinar series, hosted career development webinars, provided training for staff on the services available across campus, and organized the World Community Conference.

Patrons select bowls during an Oxford Empty Bowls event at the Oxford Community Arts Center (photo courtesy of the Oxford Free Press)

Serving the Miami and Oxford communities   

Each winter and spring, she serves as a marshal for the Miami University Commencement ceremonies. “Her warm demeanor ensures that every student, family member, or friend (Dragonfly student or not) feels as if they have just returned home,” a nominator said, adding that Malone also organizes Dragonfly Commencement celebrations, which host approximately 350 graduates and their families at Armstrong Student Center.

“With her thoughtful ways of supporting our students, she designed the Regalia Reuse Program. The project allows Miami University graduates to donate their regalia to Project Dragonfly after graduation. Soon-to-be graduates can then check out the regalia, reducing their environmental footprint and the cost of participating in graduation.”

For 20 years, Malone served as the chair of Oxford’s Empty Bowls event, raising money and awareness for food insecurities in the Oxford area. She made the event engaging and fun with soup bowls created by local artists and Miami art students. In her last few years as co-chair of the event, Malone helped to raise over $100,000 for the Talawanda Oxford  Pantry and Social Services (TOPSS).

Ruth Orth:  “Few individuals have contributed so deeply across so many dimensions of Miami’s mission”

Orth’s more than 20-year history with Miami — from first-generation student to director — reflects “extraordinary dedication to the university’s mission and community,” one of her nominators said. Her contributions span academic, administrative, and community-facing initiatives that “have left a lasting institutional impact.”

As a non-traditional student, Orth began her Miami journey in 2001 working in the Miami Middletown mailroom. She rose through the ranks, serving as a senior program assistant, administrative assistant, social media and communications specialist, and now director of University Marketing and Communications for the Regionals. “Her career is a reflection of perseverance, vision, and her unwavering commitment to Miami’s mission,” another nominator said. 

Orth’s path “epitomizes Miami’s belief in lifelong learning and the transformative power of education,” another nominator said. “She has not only grown with Miami but has helped countless others do the same, building a culture of mentorship, inclusion, and excellence that continues to shape the Miami Regionals community.”

Ruth Orth (right) helps at a booth during the Miami University Hamilton 50th anniversary celebration

Fostering collaboration and community, guiding transitions

Orth has helped shape nearly every major transition at the Regionals in the past 20 years, according to multiple nominators.  

Her influence reaches across divisions and campuses, according to a nominator. “She has a unique ability to bridge the Oxford and Regionals communities, navigating institutional complexities with diplomacy, empathy, and persistence.” 

From the earliest stages of regional centralization between Miami University Middletown (MUM) and Miami University Hamilton (MUH), “Ruth has been a steady, guiding presence. Centralization was not simply an administrative task; it was an undertaking that required diplomacy, vision, and a deep respect for the traditions of both campuses,” another nominator said. 

She co-led the award-winning Passport to Programming initiative, which provided new ways for the public to engage with Miami Regionals. She helped lead the MUM50 and MUH50 anniversary celebrations, “honoring the campuses’ histories while energizing alumni, students, and the broader community,” another nominator said. 

Orth has also been a key leader on university-wide initiatives such as Moonshot for Equity and MiamiTHRIVE, “advancing critical goals of access, equity, and student success,” another nominator said. 

More recently, she provided essential guidance during the centralization of Enrollment Management and Student Success communications. Currently, Orth is playing an instrumental role in the launch of the Polytechnic, an ambitious initiative that reflects the evolving needs of students and the workforce, according to a nominator.

Ruth Orth (center) with Regionals Marketing and Communications staff

The person “everyone turns to when something needs to be done”

“Whether coordinating large-scale events, mentoring student employees, or representing Miami Regionals across Butler County, Ruth brings energy, professionalism, and a genuine care for people that inspires colleagues and students alike,” yet another nominator said. 

“Beyond her accomplishments, Ruth is simply the person everyone turns to when something needs to be done — and done well.”

“If a committee is formed for the Regionals, it’s likely Ruth will be asked to serve in some way. Her historical knowledge and track record of success and collaboration have been critical and sought after.”

Orth received an Associate degree in Applied Business from Miami in 2002 and a bachelor’s degree in Accounting from there in 2003, and a Master of Arts in Communication, New Media, and Marketing from Southern New Hampshire University in 2020.

She was among other Miamians who received the Miami’s Prodesse Quam Conspici Medal in 2021 for “selfless leadership throughout the COVID-19 global pandemic.”

Taken together, her accomplishments “illustrate the depth and breadth of Ruth Orth’s service to Miami University,” a nominator said. “She has been a leader during times of change, a champion of innovative programming, a guardian of history and tradition, a mentor to faculty and staff, and a visionary shaping the future.”

“She invests in people, celebrates their successes, and creates space for others to shine. Her commitment to Miami’s values of Prodesse Quam Conspici (‘To accomplish without being conspicuous’) is evident in everything she does.”