Construction of the walking paths in the park began this winter ( (photo by Scott Kissell).

The Sharon and Graham Mitchell Sustainability Park 

Generating solar power, creating green spaces

Established by a transformational gift from longtime Miami and sustainability supporters Sharon Janosik Mitchell ’73 and Graham Mitchell ’73, M.En. ’76, the Mitchell Sustainability Park will “leapfrog us forward on our next big step to achieving carbon neutrality by 2040,” Miami University President Gregory Crawford said. 

The park features two solar arrays with more than 3,300 ground mount solar panels that will produce around 2,000 megawatt hours (MWh) of electricity annually. The Western Solar North array sits on top of Miami’s Western Geothermal Well field. Completed in 2014, the wellfield consists of 690 geothermal wells, each 600 feet deep.   

This is the first co-located solar and geothermal project on a college campus and is the largest solar array in Butler County, Ohio, according to Olivia Herron, Miami’s director of sustainability. 

“The invisible nature of geothermal ground exchange, Miami’s hallmark sustainability achievement, is highlighted by this visible commitment to energy efficiency and renewable power,” President Crawford said. 

The park also features walking paths, seating areas, lighting and informational signage. Trail connectors from the walking paths lead to nearby Miami University Natural Areas trails. 

“Making the infrastructure accessible to the campus and Oxford community for education was a high priority for this project,” President Crawford said. 

A section of the Sustainability Wall in Armstrong Student Center showing the the signature Myaamia phrase from the park’s gateway. The digital monitor displays informational slides about Miami's decarbonization and other sustainability efforts, and will provide a real-time digital display of the energy production of the solar arrays.

A new “sustainability wall” was recently installed in Miami’s Armstrong Student Center, serving to connect students and visitors to the Sharon and Graham Mitchell Sustainability Park. It brings elements of the park to the student center, including a 20-foot wall graphic of the park’s design, the signature Myaamia phrase from the park’s gateway, and informational slides about Miami’s decarbonization and sustainability efforts. A real-time digital display of the energy production of the solar arrays (dashboard) will also be on view. 

Construction of the Mitchell Sustainability Park is nearing completion, with an opening planned in April.

Miami University is committed to decarbonizing campus and reaching carbon neutrality by 2040, as outlined in the Miami 2040 Climate Action Plan submitted to Second Nature in May 2024. 

“Miami is well on the path toward decarbonization and carbon neutrality, thanks to the innovative transformation of our campus energy systems,” Herron said. “Since 2008, Miami has reduced its Scope 1 and 2 emissions by more than 50%, all while generating over $115 million in accumulated utility savings.”

“This year emissions will drop an additional 10% thanks to the combined impact of the Sustainability Park's solar arrays and bringing online our second major geothermal ground exchange facility,” she said. Miami’s North Geothermal project began in 2024 and will be complete by the end of the academic year. 

2026 Second Nature Climate Luminary Honors recipients 

Decarbonization: Miami University, for the Sharon and Graham Mitchell Sustainability Park

Justice: Mt. San Antonio College, for its Sustainability Launchpad 

Community: Bowie State University, for Bowie State’s Peace Park Restoration Project 

Workforce: Indiana University, for the McKinney Climate Fellows program 

Research: University of Virginia for its Decarbonization Academy 

Climate Resilience: Agnes Scott College, for its joint Climate Resilience Plan with the city of Decatur. 

For more information on the Climate Luminary Honors initiative, visit https://secondnature.org/

Miami University Sustainability 

Miami University is a signatory of Second Nature’s President’s Climate Leadership Commitment -Climate Commitment and is committed to carbon neutrality on its Oxford campus by 2040 (Miami 2040 Climate Action Plan). Miami is decarbonizing its campus through energy systems transformations, including geothermal exchange and solar energy, and has achieved a 50% reduction in utility-based carbon  emissions since 2008. Miami’s 36 LEED Silver-and Gold certified buildings account for 36% of the gross square footage of buildings on the Oxford campus. Miami received its third AASHE STARS (3.0) Gold rating in summer 2025 in recognition of sustainability achievements and is named on the Princeton Review’s 2026 Guide to Green Schools. For more information, visit MiamiOH.edu/Sustainability.