Miami University President Gregory Crawford today announced that the Farmer Family Foundation intends to contribute up to $100 million to the Farmer School of Business (FSB) over the next decade, beginning with $55 million over the next three years. This marks the largest donation in the university’s 217-year history and one of the top three largest gifts to a public undergraduate business school in the United States.

Additionally, with this gift, the university has surpassed the $1 billion goal of its historic fundraising campaign: For love. For honor. For those who will.

This generous gift will allow the Farmer School of Business to continue its momentum as a globally recognized leader in undergraduate business education with an intense focus on academic and career outcomes. It also reinforces the strong and historic connection between the Farmer family and Miami.

“We are incredibly grateful to the Farmer family and the foundation for their unwavering dedication to our university,” Miami University President Gregory Crawford said. “This extraordinary gift is the largest in Miami’s history and will enable the Farmer School of Business to continue its trajectory as one of the most distinguished business schools both nationally and worldwide. Generations of Miami students will benefit from their remarkable generosity.”

In 1992, Richard T. “Dick” and Joyce Farmer contributed the cornerstone gift to the School of Business. In 2005, the Farmer Family Foundation was the lead donor for the construction of the Farmer School of Business building. Nearly a decade later, the Farmers’ lifelong commitment to Miami continued with a $40 million gift, which was then the largest amount given to the university.

“The Farmer family has a long and treasured relationship with Miami University,” said Scott Farmer, the son of Dick and Joyce Farmer and executive chairman of the Cintas Corporation. “Our parents were shaped by their time at Miami, and a love of the university was passed down to their three children. We are thrilled that the Farmer Family Foundation can ensure the Farmer School of Business continues to define excellence and meet the challenges of tomorrow by preparing the type of leaders the world needs.”

Dick Farmer graduated from Miami in 1956 with a degree in Business and served in the U.S. Marine Corps before joining his family business. Farmer later founded what would become Cintas in 1968 and retired as CEO and chairman in 2009. Joyce Farmer graduated from Miami with a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education in 1957.

“Miami has provided so many incredible memories for our family, and we are so happy to continue to support the Farmer School of Business,” Joyce Farmer said. “From the wonderful faculty to the impressive and hard-working students, the Farmer School is truly one of the top business schools in the country. We take great pride in the innovation and talent that is associated with the Farmer School of Business.”

Trustees of the Farmer Family Foundation include Joyce Farmer ’57, Robert E. Coletti ’79, Kendell Mountain, Scott Farmer ’81, Mary Jamieson Farmer ’86, Amy Farmer Joseph ’86 and George R. Joseph. Prior Farmer Family Foundation members include Richard T. Farmer ’56 (deceased) and Brynne Farmer Coletti ’79 (deceased)

The new investment from the Farmer Family Foundation will help define the next era of excellence for the Farmer School of Business, said Jenny Darroch, Farmer School dean.

“The Farmer School of Business has long been recognized as a leader in business education, delivering transformational experiences for its students,” Robert Coletti said. “The Farmer Family Foundation is proud to be a part of continuing that momentum by investing in its students.”

This gift allows the Farmer School to accelerate strategic priorities and invites others to participate in strengthening areas such as quantitative excellence, technology, experiential learning, and career readiness, through a $25 million matching gift.

"This gift isn't about changing who we are; it’s about amplifying what we already do best. We have always been a school that prides itself on being market-responsive and student-focused,” Darroch said. “This incredible investment from the Farmer Family Foundation allows us to move at the pace of business so we can stay at the forefront of business education."

Darroch said a portion of the gift will be used to accelerate career outcomes for students. The goal is for every student to have a personalized plan aligned with their values, developed through high-stakes experiences, and supported by modern, market-relevant skills. Funds could also be used to help students gain industry certifications, access global experiential learning opportunities, develop skills in emerging technologies, and more.

AI is rewriting the starting point for every career, Darroch said, and “our job is not simply to introduce students to those tools, but to develop leaders who know when to trust them, when to question them, and how to use them responsibly. This investment allows us to embed data and tech-fluency into every corner of our student experience.”

“We have already built the foundation for world-class student support. This gift provides the momentum to fully scale that model,” Darroch said. “We are opening doors to mentors and experiences that were previously out of reach. We are embedding high-impact career practices into every aspect of the student experience. And we will be able to precisely track our students’ progress. This ensures every student can access the full breadth of the Farmer resources and translate those opportunities into impactful careers.”

Serving more than 5,000 students, the Farmer School of Business is routinely considered one of the top business schools in the country, ranking 14th among public schools nationwide in the 2026 Best Undergraduate Business Schools list from Poets&Quants.