Congrats to the newest members of the Miami family!

Happy Holidays!

Greetings from snowy Oxford, OH! The Office of Admission would like to officially congratulate the first members of Miami’s Class of 2014, our Early Decision admitted students! We can’t wait to see you on campus in the fall. We wish you a safe and happy holiday season, and good luck in your final semester of high school!

For those of you who may be wondering about your Honors application (if you submitted it before November 3rd), you will be receiving notification in the mail within the next few days. If you have any questions regarding your Honors application, please feel free to contact the Honors Program at honors@muohio.edu.

For all you Early Action candidates out there, know that we are working hard to review your application! We will distribute a decision for you on February 1st. As always, if you have any questions, feel free to contact your counselor at www.muohio.edu/askacounselor.

Remember, it’s not too late to apply for admission! Our final deadline for first year applications is February 1st. To find out more or to apply online, visit www.muohio.edu/apply.

Beyond the Classroom

One of the many things Miami provides its students are many great learning opportunities beyond the classroom. We really want students to graduate having participated in wonderful creative projects, perhaps an internship while at Miami, or as I blogged before, an opportunity to study abroad. Every year, Miami students from different majors are able to enhance their college years by adding extracurricular exploration and research opportunities to their course work.

There is an entire part of our Miami website dedicated to students who have done just that. To check out their individual stories, feel free to visit:

http://www.miami.muohio.edu/academics/beyondclass/index.cfm.

Admission Information
Our final deadline to apply is February 1.
Honor’s final deadline to apply is February 1.

For any admission related questions, feel free get more information about your admission counselor at www.muohio.edu/askacouselor.

Finals week...almost over!

Miami students are either home, on their way home, or cramming for that last final. You guessed it—today is the last day of finals! Campus will be quiet for the next three weeks as students scatter across the globe during winter break. Before students are dismissed, all are required to prepare for finals or in some cases, a final paper or project. The Rinella Learning Center is a great resource on campus to help students prepare for finals. Picture what our libraries look like during this week. You can imagine they are full of students getting work done, so sometimes space seems limited. The Rinella Learning Center welcomes students to study in new locations around campus, and they even give out snacks for those having the munchies. The weekend before finals, Rinella also hosts a tutoring blitz, where students can meet with their peers to get a little extra help with a specific subject. Walking and driving around campus these next three weeks will be different, but we are excited for Miamians to return soon. Many of you high school students have finals this week or are preparing for finals once you return from winter break, and for you seniors, we wish you the best last winter break of high school!

Some Miami students are also preparing for fall commencement today, and we congratulate all those graduating with the class of 2009!

REACH OUT WITH A RED MITTEN!


Miami Students make a difference in the lives of local families with many different volunteer activities and the Red Mitten Campaign is a great example. The Farmer School of Business’ Buck Rodgers Business Leadership Program organizes and staffs this wonderful community service project annually, connecting Miami students, faculty and staff who all join together to help local families with needs in December.
The volunteer picks a Mitten and returns with the item and attaches the mitten so the gifts can be delivered. This is just one of many examples of the Miami campus/Oxford community connection that makes the Miami experience in a small College Town so fantastic.
Miami graduates continue after graduation to be leaders in volunteer activities such as Peace Corps where Miami ranks 7th in the number of Alumni volunteers for medium sized Colleges and Universities for the 2008 report. Many current Miami students participate in alternative spring break options with Habitat for Humanity and international volunteer destinations enriching both their lives and the lives of those they help in our global community.
Still time to Apply to Miami for fall 2010. Regular Decision deadline is February 1st on line at: www.muohio.edu/apply

Miami University=A Global Education

Pictured on the left are Miami Students Help Each other Cross One of the 365 Rivers on the Nature Island of Dominica. Picture was provided by Thomas Klak

Part of a well rounded education

includes the opportunity for students to study abroad. This is actually the one thing I wish I would have done during my undergraduate years. According to the Open Doors 2009 report by the Institute of International education, Miami University ranked 23^rd nationally among comparable universities in student’s participating in a study abroad experience.

Pictured below

are a group of Miami students visiting the Silk Road who are preparing for a camel ride

In 2007-2008, Miami had 1,439 undergraduate students studying abroad. Students at Miami are really able to choose their own study abroad experience by visiting the Office of International Education, there students are asked about the type of experience they are looking for. For example: Do you want to be immersed in a specific culture? Do you want to learn a foreign language? Do you want to retrace family roots? Do you wish to have an international work experience or do you just want to achieve credits towards graduation?

Picture on the left was taken on Interlaken, Switzerland and was provided by Michelle Jones

In addition if the student’s preference of a study abroad experience is dependent on where they are going to live, the Office of International Education can help as well to find a great option for them, such as staying with a host family, living in a dormitory among other students from that university, or an apartment of their own.

No matter what type of study abroad experience you may be looking for, we will always try to find the best option for you, as a student. Feel free to visit http://www.units.muohio.edu/internationalprograms/studyabroadinfo.php for additional information on Study Abroad FAQ’s.

REMINDER TO HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS:
We have one more application deadline coming up on February 1^st (Regular Decision) for information on how to apply, please visit www.muohio.edu/apply.

There is also one last deadline for Honors, (Honors III) on February 1^st as well. For more information and the honors application, please visit http://www.honors.muohio.edu/.

Early Action Applicants- Don't Worry!

Hey seniors! Did you apply to Miami for our Early Action (December 1) deadline? If you, like most Early Action applicants, sent in your application and received instructions on how to check your “app check” website (www.muohio.edu/appcheck), you may notice that you have some information missing from your application. Here in the Office of Admission, we are running about two to three weeks behind in the processing of the high school information, which includes your transcript, secondary school report, and any additional letters of recommendation you might have sent. If you are experiencing this discrepancy, please don’t worry! Since it is our delay, we will still review your application for Early Action and notify you of our decision on February 1!

If you applied for our Early Action deadline and have not received an email with instructions on how to open your app check website, please check your email’s spam filter! Many times, Miami’s emails are filtered into your spam box. Add admission@muohio.edu to your contact list to ensure that you receive our emails.

If you still can’t find email instructions on how to get to your app check website, you can contact your counselor at www.muohio.edu/askacounselor.

There's still time!

As many of you are preparing for the holidays by stopping by the mall after school, you also may be shopping for colleges as well. We want to encourage students to come to Miami for a visit to learn more about our academics, professors, see our beautiful campus, and explore an overall college experience that is second to none. The semester is quickly coming to a close, but there’s still time to schedule a campus information session and tour before you begin your winter break from school. Visit our website to browse our availability before finals week. We still have 10:00am sessions December 7-11, and we will resume our visit opportunities January 11 when our student tour guides return from winter break. Safe travels!

In the midst of application time…

Hello all!

For us as Admission Counselors it is that wonderful time of the year, not only are the holidays upon us but we get to read each and every one of your admission applications to the university.

Each application is unique and we review all aspects. Our application review is holistic, which means that every part of it plays an important role. From the common application, to the outstanding and creative essays you all spend time writing, everything is read. I get many questions from students asking me if we really take the time to read their essay. I always make sure and let them know that it plays an extremely important part, especially since we do not do interviews. It helps paint a picture or gives us a deeper insight on who you are.

We have two application deadlines coming up, the next being our Early Action deadline on December 1 and our final application deadline on February 1. If you are interested in applying to our honors program, their deadlines coincide with ours so; they too have a December 1 and February 1 deadline.

Feel free to let us know if any questions come up and I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Diana

After Dark: something else to do on the weekend

Prospective students often want to know what’s going on during free time aside from studying and writing papers. Throughout the school year, a student-run organization called After Dark hosts free events welcome to the whole student body. The first major kick-off event occurs before classes begin with a “party on the patio” behind our student union. All first year students are encouraged to enjoy music, food, and entertainment while getting to meet new friends. Miamians are also invited to recent movie showings throughout the year in our student union, and popcorn is free! When it’s nice outside, sometimes they’ll have movie showings on a large projector screen outside on our main quad. Some other events include a guest magician, an arcade night, and ice skating. We once invited casino card dealers to show off what they were made of to anyone who dared playing them on our casino night (don’t worry, no real gambling occurred).

You might even be interested in joining the After Dark crew. This is only one of over 300 student organizations on campus, and there are also leadership opportunities in After Dark. If you want more information on upcoming activities or how to get involved, visit the After Dark website. Have fun!

Post Secondary Option Question

During the information session this past Saturday, the question was asked by a senior in high school about which application will students use if they already have college credits as a part of the post secondary high school option? The student wanted to transfer their college credits to Miami and were very surprised that they would need to apply using the First Year Application.

High school students who are participating in their school's Post Secondary option will still apply as a first year student because they have not yet graduated from high school. To receive credit at Miami for your college work, you would request a transcript from the college you are attending as a post secondary student, to be sent to Miami for credit evaluation when you complete your final semester.

For more information about first year application deadlines please visit our website at www.muohio.edu/admission.

If you are interested in earning college credit as a post secondary option and live close to Miami University in Oxford or our regional campuses please visit our web site at www.units.muohio.edu/lifelonglearning/pseop/

The Miami University RedHawks swept the University of Michigan at their home hockey arena this past weekend. The University of Michigan’s Yost Arena has proven a difficult venue, as Miami is the first team to sweep the Wolverines at home since 1991. With this series of wins, Miami maintains its standing as #1 in the NCAA Division I rankings. Miami outplayed the U of M, winning 3-1 Friday night and 5-1 on Saturday night. The team is looking ahead to a weekend of matches against Ferris State, with the Miami home-arena advantage on their side! Miami students can look forward to an exciting hockey season, and maintain the tradition of packing the house at the Goggin Ice Center! Any Miami student can attend hockey games, along with all of our Division I sporting events, free of charge.

Selecting Essay topics.

If you are struggling with starting either the “Short Answer” or the” Personal Essay” section of the Common Application I would suggest for you look for inspiration from your activities that were part of your life in the last four years. A great essay comes from a topic you feel passionate about. You can typically tell what is most important to you by your activities. Your essay could be about your education, sport, community involvement, volunteer work or part time job. You have prioritized your time and sacrificed for your activities. You could speak about how this has changed you as a person or even defined your future path. Let your passion and future plans help to drive your essay. We look forward to reading your application!

Do you want to find out your admission decision earlier?

Apply under Early Action! Afraid of the word "Early"? Don't be! Early Action is the same as Regular Decision—no strings attached, no binding agreements—you just get your decision earlier!

College Week Live

Did you know there’s a college fair going on at home? You can sign up for a virtual college fair called College Week Live at www.collegeweeklive.com where you can speak with admission counselors and current Miami students to discuss anything you’re curious about. Be sure to stop by during these times:

November 5: 3pm-10pm
November 6: 3pm-6pm
November 7: 3pm-6pm

Trick or Treat!

Miami University students opened their residence hall doors to some future college students! Oxford-area families were invited by Miami’s Residence Hall Association to participate in “Safe Trick-or-Treat” on Sunday. Not only did these children get an extra day of Halloween dress-up and candy, but Miami students decorated their Residence Halls in full-out Halloween spirit for the event!

Check soon for pictures, courtesy of Admissions staffer Derrick Moore!

Homecoming is coming

Although you are still college searching, it’s sometimes interesting to hear what graduates are doing after their time at Miami. Do they come back to visit? Of course! This week is the kick-off of a very exciting weekend on campus—Homecoming. Alumni from all over the world will be traveling back to the red brick roads of Oxford to reminisce with friends both old and new. Tonight, the Alumni Association is hosting an awards dinner at our student union where seven scholarships will be awarded to notable candidates. Miami students also take part in a tradition of a house, residence hall, or fraternity house decorating contest to win an award for the most outrageous Miami display.

Tomorrow, if you hear fanfare, it might be our parade marching throughout Miami’s campus ending at a pep rally and Barbeque! Once everyone’s fed, the celebrations continue with tailgating before the RedHawks take on Northern Illinois for our eighth football game of the season. The game day continues when we face the Michigan State Spartans on the ice. Alumni will enjoy a visit to our new ice arena, where our nationally-ranked hockey team will be awaiting another victory. To wrap up a memorable weekend, our conference center is having a send off brunch. As you can see, our students are engaged and love coming back to their home away from home. Love and Honor to Miami!

Miami’s Outstanding Programs

When you are doing your college search, you may have a particular program of interest in mind that helps you guide your selection process. If you are looking for a specific program of study, know that Miami offers specialized schools in business, education, engineering, and fine arts. Here’s a small taste of national recognition that have been attained by these schools:

Farmer School of Business
Miami's Farmer School of Business ranks among the nation's top five percent (sixth among public universities) in BusinessWeek magazine’s 2009 rankings of undergraduate business programs.
Survey results released by Entrepreneur magazine and The Princeton Review show the Miami University Institute for Entrepreneurship ranks 15th among the nation's undergraduate entrepreneurship programs.
Miami’s 14-month MBA program was recently ranked ninth in the world by Wall Street Journal, and came in third for accelerated MBA’s in the United States.

School of Education, Health, and Society
Miami’s National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) accreditation is renewed every six years, and an NCATE team of experts visited campus this spring. While the final report is not due until fall, the preliminary report was unprecedented. Not one single area of improvement was noted, a first for Miami and Ohio. The NCATE team leader, who has led reviews for years, said she’s never seen anything like it in her entire career.

School of Engineering and Applied Science
In the 2010 edition of America's Best Colleges, U.S. News ranks Miami's engineering program 26th in the nation in the category of "Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs where the highest degree is a bachelor's or master's."

School of Fine Arts
Miami's Interior Design program is ranked ninth in the nation, according to the 2009 edition of "America's Best Architecture & Design Schools" published by DesignIntelligence magazine. This annual report is considered the definitive school ranking as determined by design firms that hire recent college graduates.

Don’t Know Yet?
That’s fine! Miami doesn’t expect you to know for sure right now. In fact, most of our programs are designed to give you space and time to decide which program you want to enter while you are a first year student. As a result, the School of Fine Arts is the only school that admits students directly from high school. To apply for these programs, please review the requirements at www.arts.muohio.edu. Miami’s other schools listed have pre-major requirements, to allow students to solidify their interest and give time to explore other options as well. No matter where you end up, Miami’s commitment to your learning is also nationally recognized, as we ranked 8th in the nation in U.S. News and World Report’s “Best Undergraduate Teaching” category.
If you have questions about one of Miami’s specific programs, do not hesitate to ask your counselor! Find yours at www.muohio.edu/askacounselor.

Miami may be in your area

Fall is a busy and exciting time around the Office of Admission because we welcome many visitors to campus and are also traveling to visit you. Each admission counselor serves as a representative for a specific area. Go to muohio.edu/askacounselor to find out who your contact person is. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with us about any questions you have during your search for the right college for you.

October is especially busy for travel as many of us are traveling to high schools, college fairs, evening receptions, and guidance counselor breakfasts. We keep in touch with prospective students by emailing them ahead of time when we’re about to pay a visit to your area. We hope you’re all learning a lot about what Miami has to offer as we’re traveling and spreading the good news of Miami.

Want to get to Miami in January?

Our deadline for transferring to Miami for the upcoming Spring semester is rapidly approaching! For those of you who are interesting in coming to Miami in January, your deadline to apply is November 1st. This deadline applies to both transfer students (those of you who have taken college classes after high school graduation), and first year students (who have not taken any college level courses after high school graduation). This deadline is a little bit different than our deadlines for first-year admission because it is “rolling.” Rolling admission means that the sooner you apply, the quicker you will hear from Miami about your decision! You can apply by visiting www.muohio.edu/apply. Again, the sooner you submit your application, the sooner we will get back to you, so start your application today!

A major decision...

As an Admission Counselor many questions from students that we get are not only about the application process but are also regarding a particular major. We are happy to let our students know that they are able to find a list of our 100+ majors online at www.muohio.edu/majors. This website will bring up options for you to select a major of interest alphabetically or by a certain subject area.

Even if you are still in the beginning stages of exploring a major, this link serves as a wonderful resource. Some of the things included for every major are: what this major is, information on additional admission requirements (if applicable), what types of classes you will take within this major, what you can do with this major post graduation and additional contact information.

Not every major will have information on additional admission requirements because most of the majors at Miami you are automatically accepted in if you are accepted into the university. On the additional contact information on the website, you will find information on not only for the office of admission, but also information on a faculty or an academic advisor from that department you can contact as well as the website for that particular major. The great thing about all of our majors is that every major will have its own website for you to explore.

In addition, when you are applying to Miami, do not feel like you have to write something down. Many of our students begin undecided and declaring a major on your application has no bearing on our admission decision.

I hope this helps during your exploration of majors and feel free to let me know if additional questions arise!

Want to run your own company?

Here at Miami we have a program to get you started. Not only does Miami offer over 100 majors, there are also about 90 different minors students may add on top of their focus of study and our Entrepreneurship Minor is a very popular choice. It is an 18 semester hour minor that complements the business school, but is open to all students on campus. The program’s strength was recently recognized by Entrepreneur.com and ranked 15th overall.

Students who take the entrepreneurship minor learn about new venture start-up, corporate innovation, and small business growth. Objectives include using tools, frameworks, concepts, and perspectives that are helpful in recognizing how entrepreneurship works. Students with this minor better understand how attitudes and behaviors play roles in both personal and professional lives.

Currently, 381 students are studying in this minor and getting involved in our four entrepreneurship clubs, four mentorship programs, as well as taking classes from professors who are all entrepreneurs. To learn more about the program, contact The Page Center for Entrepreneurship at 513-529-1221.

Out of this World!

The coveted Moonman: MTV’s version of the Grammy, was granted to a Miami University first year student and his band from Springfield, IL. This specific Moonman award, the “Best Performance in a Pepsi Rock Band Video,” is a new category created this year by Pepsi and Rock Band. A national call for bands to make a music video of themselves playing Rock Band resulted in over 650 submissions, and the top five videos were voted on by fans to determine a winner. This Miami student and his band, “Nerds in Disguise,” were featured on the MTV Video Music Awards this week and will appear in November’s issue of Spin Magazine.

Speaking of Moonmen, astronaut Al Worden, one of only 24 men who have been to the moon, will be on campus next week to present an award to yet another Miami University student. This student was recently awarded a $10,000 scholarship from the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. This award is the biggest merit-based scholarship given to science and engineering undergraduate students. A merit-based award is one that is granted solely on the basis of academic achievement, whereas need-based aid is given to students based on financial need. Don’t worry, Miami distributes both through our Office of Student Financial Assistance (www.muohio.edu/sfa). Miami University is one of only 19 schools in the country who is eligible to nominate students for the Astronaut Scholarship, and only 17 scholarships are given to students nationwide. Miami University is proud that our students accomplish so much in undergraduate research that they are able to compete and win for these nationally recognized scholarships.

Thanks for reading!
Mandy

Freedom Summer

One of the things Miami University is known for is our rich history dating back to our founding in 1809. An especially important part of Miami’s history includes the Freedom Summer project that took place in 1964 in conjunction with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and Council of Federated Organizations (COFO). This project was established in order to register African American voters in Mississippi.

These volunteers were trained for Freedom Summer at the Western College for Women (which is now part of Miami University) and then traveled to Mississippi in order to organize Freedom Schools and to register people who had been denied access to the democratic process.

At 12:30pm on Tuesdays and at 3 pm Fridays through October 16 there will be a “Walk With Me: Freedom Summer Interactive History Tours.” This will mark the 45th anniversary of Freedom Summer. The tours will start on Miami’s Western campus and it will draw upon the oral histories, letters and diaries of 1964 Freedom Summer student volunteers who trained to register voters and taught in Freedom Schools in Mississippi.

For more information, please feel free to visit the website at www.muohio.edu/freedomsummer2009.

Where's my guidance counselor?

This week in Ohio, guidance counselors have been traveling to an annual program called Articulation, which was hosted by four universities across the state: Kenyon College, Ohio Northern University, University of Cincinnati, and University of Akron. Admission representatives have been meeting with your guidance counselors to give university updates and establish connections with high schools.

Next week may be a good time to meet with your guidance counselor to learn more about Miami since we were one of dozens of Ohio colleges and universities that attended all four Articulation locations. Some of our announcements were that:

-Miami received a record number of applications last year for first-year, transfer students, and international students
-Miami recently enrolled its most diverse class in history, 12% multi-cultural students
-93% of students submitted their applications electronically
-Miami has expanded its Bridges overnight multicultural program, which awards scholarships to participants if they choose Miami

Also, if you haven't made it to campus yet, be sure to schedule a visit soon since our schedule is filling up quickly! www.muohio.edu/visit

If you're interested in attending Bridges, an overnight hosting event for Ohio multi-cultural seniors, apply before September 18 at www.muohio.edu/bridges.

We're coming your way!

Want to get a glimpse of Miami University without having to travel to Oxford? We know that it's a busy time of year, so we invite you to come visit with us this fall in a city near you. We'll be able to answer all your questions about Miami, the application process, our Honors program, financial assistance and much more! Bring your family and see what the Miami Experience is all about! Find out more at www.muohio.edu/inmytown

Then come visit us in Oxford! Schedule your visit online at www.muohio.edu/visit

The Farmer School of Business Building

Yesterday, some Office of Admission Staff had the opportunity to take a tour of our brand-new Farmer School of Business Building here on Miami's campus. This building opened a few weeks ago, just in time for classes that started this fall! I had heard about the beauty and quality of this building, and after getting the official tour, I'm even more impressed with the facilities we have on campus available to all Miami students! Let's start at the beginning:

Here I am with some other Admission staffers, standing in front of the gates to the building. If you can't read it, that placard says "Knowledge is Power."

Next, we went into the main lobby of the building, were students can sit in plush, comfy chairs and study between classes. Or, this space can be reserved for student organizations to meet. Here you can see some Admission staff gathering in the lobby:

Next, we went around to various rooms in the building. We were extremely impressed with the center staircase, complete with gold railings!

One of the rooms in the building is designed for finance students to be able to practice stock trading. This room is equipped with a ticker that scrolls stock information from the New York Stock Exchange. Here I am under it!

This building also has a 400-seat auditorium, breakout rooms, almost 200 faculty offices, a Center for Business Excellence for all student services, a grab-and-go cafe, and of course, CLASSROOMS!!!

This building is hoping to be one of the first buildings in Ohio and definitely the first on our campus to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver Certification. For more information on this building and the entire Farmer School of Business, visit www.muohio.edu/fsb.

Thanks for reading!

Mega Fair

We all know the biggest reasons you plan to go college are to attend classes, do the required work, and graduate, but another amazing part of college will be getting involved in student organizations on campus. Miami has hundreds of registered groups that range from Abundant Life Campus Ministries to Zoology Club. So the choice is yours, whether you are interested in service, academics, music, Greek life, a religious group, or sports. Joining a few organizations will be a great way to meet people with similar interests, take on leadership opportunities, get experience, try new things and of course, have fun. It is best not to overdo it by getting overly involved in too many organizations. We encourage students to choose a few that will be the most interesting to them. Students often don't know about the many opportunities available to them, so here at Miami we offer our new students the Mega Fair. On Sunday, August 30th, this year’s Mega Fair will be held from 1-4pm in Millet Hall. There, over 300 student organizations will set up to give Miamians a chance to learn about what's here on campus and how to get involved. In high school and in college it is important to keep your focus on schoolwork a priority, but we encourage you to be active in extracurricular activities to enjoy your time in high school and then here at Miami as well.

Find out what Miami has to offer: https://www.admin.muohio.edu/cfapps/studentorganizations/organsearch.cfm

LeaderShape

“Have a Healthy Disregard for the Impossible!”

Last week I had an exciting opportunity to join 55 Miami students for a week long conference called The LeaderShape Institute. Students packed their bags and headed an hour southeast of Oxford to Loveland, Ohio. Throughout the week students were challenged to look deep inside themselves and reflect upon the areas they are passionate about, and then to think big, REALLY BIG. They were asked to broaden their lens much larger than running a better student organization meeting and more in-depth than conducting a great fraternity fundraiser. They were challenged to think about changing the world! Students developed “Vision Statements” and then focused for the rest of the week on how to bring these visions to reality. They learned the importance of developing relationships and sustaining integrity in everything they do.

Fifty-five students, most of whom didn’t know each other before they left Oxford, shared challenging moments, many laughs, and a few tears. I heard it over and over again from the participants, they felt LeaderShape was life changing, and it provided them the confidence to take the once impossible dream and start to put the pieces together to make a difference in this world.

Until next time,
Brian

US News and World Report

Miami is one of only 19 national universities cited for its strong commitment to teaching in the U.S. News & World Report 2010 edition of America's Best Colleges. This national listing is new to the 2010 edition and these 19 colleges and universities were singled out most often when experts were asked to identify schools where the faculty has an unusual commitment to undergraduate teaching. Miami is among prestigious company, tying for 8th place with Duke and Notre Dame. Dartmouth College, Princeton and Yale took the top three spots, while others like University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Wake Forest rounded out the ranking.

Check out the link above to see the rankings! Choosing Miami ensures that your education is grounded in professors whose passion for teaching is just as strong as their passion for research.

Here they come!

Today is an exciting day on campus, as roughly 3,300 students and their parents arrive to campus for first-year move in. These students, assisted by Miami University staff and current student volunteers, will move their personal belongings including personal computers, iPods, and Blackberry’s. Today’s move-in (unfortunately accompanied by intermittent rain!) looks very different from Miami’s first move-in, which occurred on November 1, 1824. At least one student arrived with a milking cow, and most carried knives and guns.

Students of this time participated in duels, were susceptible to disease, and spent many hours gambling with one another. It took many months to travel to campus on horses, canal boats, and lumbering stage coaches. The journey itself could take days or even weeks, depending on the conditions of the paths and the farmland harvest.

So, parents, despite the labor associated with carrying cases of snack foods and water bottles, bins and bins of clothes, and heavy books, we here at Miami University hope that you find conditions more favorable than those that our first matriculating class faced in 1824! Even after learning the most surprising fact of all: tuition, room and board, and other expenses totaled $84.
Good luck with your move, and WELCOME CLASS OF 2013!

Campus Resources

Over the weekend, Oxford began its yearly transformation from a sleepy midwestern town to a high-energy collegiate community. While incoming first year students are set to arrive this Thursday, August 20th, some upper-class students who are preparing for leadership positions and assisting with first-year move in have already arrived! Additionally, third- and fourth-year students who live off campus who wanted to get an early start on their transition off campus (and a little help from their parents!) came in droves of U-HAUL trucks and packed minivans which lined the streets of Oxford this weekend. Oxford’s many café’s, restaurants, and coffee shops were flooded with students and parents. Seeing all these students and their families around Oxford reminded me of the apprehension that many parents can feel before bringing their children to college for the first time. For those parents who have concerns, here is a sample of services that Miami offers.

Emergency Text Messaging

Miami University provides text messaging to notify students and staff of emergencies on campus. This system also notifies students of emergency University closings. To learn more and to sign up to receive these emergency text messages, visit http://www.units.muohio.edu/psf/police/emergencytextmessaging/FAQ.shtml.

Student Counseling Service

Miami provides Student Counseling Service for any students who would like it. Individual sessions are free for the first five visits, and only cost $20 per visit above the first five. To learn more about services offered by Student Counseling Services, visit their website at http://www.units.muohio.edu/saf/scs/index.php.

Sexual Assault Prevention and Response

Sexual assault prevention is a primary goal of Miami University. Our Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Program spreads awareness by educating students about reducing their risk of assault. Miami also provides resources for those who may have been affected by sexual assault, including a victim advocate program. Visit www.muohio.edu/sexualassault for more information.

Miami University Police Department

Miami is committed to providing a safe environment for our students. Our Miami University Police Department (MUPD) is composed of 29 officers, 6 communication specialists, and 5 civilian support staff. These individuals help ensure the safety of our campus and our community. For more information, visit www.muohio.edu/police.

Summer Reading Program

Can you tell we’re all getting excited for students to come back to campus? We’ve had a great summer but before we know it, some students will be returning to campus while others join our community for the first time!

Part of the first year experience at Miami is the Summer Reading Program. When first year students attend summer orientation, they are each given a book to read throughout the summer. When they return to campus, they are invited to attend University Convocation where they hear from the author of the summer reading book. This year’s speaker and summer reading book author (What Learning Leaves) is educator, poet and author Mr. Taylor Mali. Taylor Mali is a skillful contemporary “slam poet” and has won the National Poetry Slam competition numerous times. He also received a New York Foundation for the Arts Grant in 2001 for his literary work.

University Convocation will take place next Friday, August 21. It begins with a university procession from the hub (center of campus) down to our assembly hall, Millett. If you getting ready to pack up and come to Miami, make sure you’ve finished your summer reading book and join us next Friday!

Miami Bound Experiences

With first year student move in day quickly approaching next week, some first year students will be taking one last trip before they start classes. However, this final trip before the semester begins isn’t a family vacation – it’s a trip with other incoming Miami first year students!

This year, Miami offered four first year student experiences prior to the start the of the fall semester, called Miami Bound experiences. These experiences allowed students to learn more about leadership, explore the Miami and surround communities, connect with other Miami students, and have an awesome time. Sound interesting? Here are more details about this year’s four Miami Bound experiences:

U-Lead (August 17-20, 2009): This is Miami’s annual leadership institute for first year students! Participants discussed leadership, participated in a low ropes course experience, went on a canoe trip, and took part in a service project. U-Lead is coordinated by the Office of Student Activities and Leadership. www.muohio.edu/saf/sac/ulead.shtml

MU Volunteers Community Plunge (August 17-20, 2009): Offered for the first time this year, students participating in the Community Plunge joined other Miami students and made a difference! Students participated in service and volunteer projects in Oxford and the surrounding communities, met students dedicated to service, and enhanced their understanding of volunteerism and community engagement. MU Volunteers Community Plunge is coordinated by the Office of Community Engagement and Service. www.muohio.edu/saf/service/MUVOLUNTEERCOMMUNITYPLUNGE.htm

Wind River Trek (August 10-20): Students who participated in this Miami Bound experience went on an 11-day outdoor adventure in Wyoming! Students worked, played, and lived with each other as they backpacked, flyfished, and camped together. The Wind River Trek is coordinated by Miami’s Outdoor Pursuit Center. www.units.muohio.edu/rsp/recsports/outdoorpursuit/miamibound.html

New River Adventure (August 14-20): This Miami Bound experience allowed students to connect with each other on a 7-day outdoor adventure! Students whitewater rafted, camped, and kayaked together as they learned about leadership, group dynamics, and communication. The New River Adventure is also coordinated by Miami’s Outdoor Pursuit Center. www.units.muohio.edu/rsp/recsports/outdoorpursuit/miamibound.html

Be sure to be on the look-out next spring for the August 2010 Miami Bound trips!

You can learn more about this year’s Miami Bound experiences by visiting www.muohio.edu/orientation/content/miami-bound. Any questions about Miami Bound trips can be directed to the Office of New Student Programs at orientation@muohio.edu.

Thanks for reading!
Until next time,

Brian

Attention Upcoming Seniors!

For those of you who are just about to begin your senior year of high school in the next few weeks, you may be facing a lot of mixed emotions. Senior year is filled with so much fun and excitement, but it also can be nerve-racking when it comes to the college search. You may be looking at many different colleges, gone on some college visits this summer, and surfed various websites gathering information about the different options for your upcoming college career. Your parents, friends, teachers, and counselors may be asking you a slew of questions to help you narrow your search: city or town setting? Big or small population? Public or private institution? What kind of major are you looking at? And if you’re anything like I was when I was a senior in high school, you have no idea how to answer any of those questions. Spending four years in a city? Sounds great! How about a college-town atmosphere and community? Sounds wonderful too! Making these decisions can be stressful, and I want to covey some advantages of choosing Miami University.

City or Town?
There are advantages of choosing to attend a university in either an urban or rural setting. The opportunities available in big cities include cultural events, easy access to transportation, bustling nightlife, sporting events, and a slew of various other activities. College-town settings can also provide students with a strong sense of community, a homey atmosphere, increased access to professors, and the comfort of knowing your way around but still finding new things all the time! But why pick one? Students at Miami are also members of the Oxford community, and often cite the atmosphere as one of Oxford’s greatest advantages. However, since we are only an hour away from Cincinnati, Miami students also frequently take advantage of the proximity of this large Midwestern city!

Big or Small?
Miami University is often labeled a “university of the third kind.” You may be looking at institutions that are as small as 1,000 students or as large as 40,000 students! Here at Miami, we have a little less than 15,000 students. Students at Miami enjoy the diversity and exposure of a large population, with the comfort and individual attention of a small school.

Public or Private?
Miami is a public university of Ohio, but it is often referred to as a “Public Ivy.” Miami provides the same quality facilities and undergraduate research opportunities of a private school while offering public benefits like in-state tuition to Ohio residents and over 100 majors and minors available.

Not sure what to study?
Miami doesn’t expect that you’ll know exactly what you want to major in when you enter as a first year student. We offer The Miami Plan for Liberal Arts Education to ensure that all students, even those who know their intended major, will explore a wide variety of academic opportunities and learn what they are passionate about in and out of the classroom.

Whatever you may be looking for in your college experience, it is likely that Miami has it. And if you’re not sure, Miami is just the place to help you find it! I encourage you to visit campus and see just what we have to offer: www.muohio.edu/visit.

Until next time!
Mandy

A New Move...

Picture above is of our University President, Dr. Hodge speaking to parents during the 2008 move in day.

Happy August Everyone!

It is an exciting time around campus as we are anticipating the arrival of the class of 2013! Move in day begins on August 20 at 9 am for our first year students, upperclassmen will move in on the 21 and classes will begin on Monday, August 24.

Move in day for the first year students is one of my favorite times to walk around campus and enjoy the scene of parents helping their student move luggage, containers and snacks into their rooms. Some students are fully prepared with everything they need with them, while others will go around to our Wal-Mart here in town to purchase additional materials that may have been forgotten. Below are some FAQ’s that students usually ask before move-in.

If you wanted to see additional questions to get a head start on college shopping or just for curiosity, you can visit http://www.hdg.muohio.edu/Housing/FAQ/.

Q. What does Miami provide to on campus students?

A.
· Twin XL Bed with an extra-long mattress (36” x 80”)
· Desk and Chair
· Dresser
· Closet
· Mirror
· Towel Rack
· Wastebasket/Trash Bags
· Basic Cable
· Window shades
· High-Speed Wired & Wireless Internet
· Cleaning Supplies (available upon request)
· Light Bulbs (available upon request)
· Vacuum (available upon request)

Q. What housing services are available to on campus students?

A.
· AC Rental
· Cable TV packages (HD and premiere channels)
· Laundry Service
· Refrigerator Rental
· Room Cleaning Service

Q. What should I leave at home?

A. Due to the high risk of fire and damage in a communal environment, the following items are prohibited:
· Candles
· Electric Blankets or Sheets
· Electric Skillets
· Hot Plates
· Lofted Beds
· Popcorn Poppers
· Sun Lamps
· Toaster Ovens
· Water Beds

Visit: Part 2

In my previous blog I wrote about doing your homework and thinking about your future when coming for a college visit. Once again, I would like to take a spin off of The Enquirer’s article “Maximize your Visit,” but this time focus on talking to current students and snooping around on your own.

Talk to current students.
When you come to visit Miami University, utilize the greatest resource you have access to…students! Talk to as many students as you can when you are on campus to find out more information about the University. This could help you visualize yourself here at Miami and see if Miami is a good fit for you. During the school year, we have students greeting and speaking to families before our information session begins. These students are all part of our Miami University Student Ambassador organization. They have a love for Miami and enjoy sharing their experience and expertise with you. So don’t just smile and say hello to them, ask them questions. Go beyond asking what they are majoring in; ask them why they chose Miami. Ask them what their average day looks like. Likewise, utilize the student tour guide. Of course they will take you throughout the University showing you the grounds, but there are plenty of opportunities to ask them questions and to find out their stories. Finally, something you can do to learn more about Miami’s students even before you attend a visit is to read up on the Summer Student blog: http://miamiublogdaysofsummer.blogspot.com.


Snoop around on your own.
Am I really suggesting that you snoop around on your own when you visit Miami? Yes, I am! However, I suggest having a plan of action before you go off and start exploring. For starters, know what you want to see and what is going to help you make the decision of which school is right for you. For instance; if you love sports and plan on working out or playing on a club sports team or on an intramural league, then check out the athletic and recreational facilities. I know that sounds like common sense, but we have limited time on a campus tour and can’t possibly show you everything. Therefore, it is important for you to make the most of your visit; if you didn’t see something that you were hoping or expecting to see then ask and we will be happy to point you in the right direction and provide you additional information. I also recommend paying close attention on your tour or as you walk around Miami’s campus. As you walk by classrooms or offices, pay attention to signs, literature, and other brochures. Read what’s posted on the doors of professors’ offices to see what type of work or research they’re doing. Pick up a copy of The Miami Student, Miami’s student newspaper, to see what the issues are on campus. Pay attention to the posters and advertisements for events happening on campus. Grab a meal or a snack while you’re on campus. Find a class in session and stand in the hallway and listen for a few minutes to how the professors and students are interacting. All of these things will give you an even closer feel for what it’s like to be a Miami student.

I hope these ideas help maximize your time. I also encourage you to check out our visit website: www.muohio.edu/visit to learn more about scheduling a visit at Miami.

Until next time,
Brian

It's an Oxford Summer!

What happens in small-town Oxford in the middle of July?

You may have seen some statistics floating around about the proportion of Miami students to Oxford residents: roughly 16,500 Miami students heavily outnumber the 8,500 permanent residents! So what’s it like in Oxford when most students are home with their families for the summer, gaining work experience through individual internships, or taking advantage of fabulous programs like the Urban Leadership Internship Program? Well, it’s busier than you might think!

In this week alone, Miami hosted the Ohio Swimming Junior Olympic Championships and the 2009 USA Swimming Speedo Champions Series. That’s over 1500 top swimmers not only from Ohio, but across the country utilizing our state of the art facilities! Not only do we have top-notch swimmers gathering here in Oxford, but The Miami University Skating team is currently hosting on week-long sessions for up-and-coming figure skaters from across the nation.

The Ohio Department of Education, Miami’s Summer Honors Institute, and B the Change U Wish 2 C invited twenty-five gifted sophomore and junior high school students from Ohio to explore civic engagement on Miami’s campus. On Friday, the students will complete a two-week curriculum exploring the theoretical side of service, and what it means to be engaged in community service work using an interdisciplinary approach.

Roughly 80 students entering their senior year of high school are currently participating in the Junior Scholars Program. These students are taking college-level courses and gaining university credit before even graduating from high school! Not only that, but these participants are guaranteed admission to Miami University after they complete their high school curriculum.

As you might imagine, Oxford is a bustling town even when the majority of undergraduate students are continuing their college adventures in exciting and different ways! To learn more about what current Miami students do with their summers, visit our summer student blog or visit www.muohio.edu/summer.

One of the best...

Happy Monday!

Two of Miami University’s finest, Officer Keith Hibbard and Ero, who is a 7 Year old German Shepherd, recently received the USPCA’s Explosive Detector Dog Certification and placed second in the United States Police Canine Association competition. This makes Ero one of the best bomb dogs in the state!

The competition was held in Marion early June where all canines had to go through an intensive odor recognition test, which must properly identify 31 possible explosives that are in four separate classes. Ero is able to identify these explosives by sitting and pointing with his nose.

Ero, who came to the university from Germany and was teamed up with Officer Hibbard in 2007 after doing explosive training for 10 weeks. Even though Ero works directly with the Miami University Police Department, he has worked at the recent NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) convention in Cincinnati and at the Great American Ballpark a couple of years back when President George W. Bush threw out the first pitch. “We feel very proud and fortunate to have one of the best explosive detection dogs in the tri-state and a handler like Officer Hibbard who is so dedicated to his community and out K-9 program,” said Captain Jason Willis who oversees Miami’s K-9 program during an interview. Officer Hibbard adds, “Whenever we’re not working, he’s a family dog, but when I put his collar on him, he knows it’s time to go to work.”

The Miami University police department is composed of 29 sworn police officers commissioned by the State of Ohio, 6 communication specialists and 5 civilian support staff. The police headquarters is located in the Police Services Center on campus and they maintain two substations inside of the King Library and Yager Stadium.

The quotes and part of this article was provided by the News and Public Information Office at Miami University. For the complete story please visit http://www.miami.muohio.edu/news/article/view/11987.

Campus Visit: Part 1

Greetings readers!

In this past weekend’s edition of Cincinnati’s newspaper, The Enquirer, there was a really interesting article about ways for prospective college students to “Maximize Your College Visit.” For today’s blog, I wanted to take a spinoff of the article and add a few of my own pieces of advice for making the most of your college visits:

Do your homework before you visit.
I completely agree that doing your own research about the college is very important. Look for ways to compare each of the colleges you are looking at, but also look for additional opportunities and resources the college provides. For example: Did you know that almost 40% of Miami students have studied abroad? Every year over 1,500 Miami students participate in a global experience! As you discover some of these unique opportunities, make sure you ask about them during your college visit. As admission counselors, we don’t know everything, but we are willing to find the answers or help make necessary connections for you.

Think about the future.
When you are searching for colleges, don’t just look at the programs that are important to you now, look also at what may be important to you in the future. During our information sessions at Miami, we like to provide prospective students with ways that many Miami students have gained hands-on experience, developed professional contacts and relationships, and helped build their resumes. One way that Miami students do these things is by participating in research with faculty members. Although Miami has great graduate programs, our main focus is on undergraduate teaching. Therefore, research opportunities that are normally reserved for graduate students at other colleges and universities are actually offered to Miami’s undergraduate students. In fact, about 30% of Miami undergraduate students participate in research every year.

These are just a couple of my own pieces of advice for now. In a couple of weeks, I will write another spin off on the article, so stay tuned. In the mean time, you may want to get up to speed on The Enquirer’s article: http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20090709/EDIT03/907120302

Until next time,
Brian

New Blogger Alert!

Good afternoon readers!

You may have noticed an unfamiliar name in the “Bloggers” list, thanks to me! My name is Mandy Hart and I am a new Admissions Counselor here at Miami University. I just graduated from Miami with my Master’s degree in College Student Personnel, during which time I worked here in the Office of Admission. Talk about an easy transition! Many of my friends from my home state of Florida thought that returning to Miami meant coming closer to home, but I love the original Miami and our community in Oxford, Ohio so much that I couldn’t stay away.

One of my favorite things about Oxford in the summer is our Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Park, located right in the heart of Uptown Oxford. Oxford hosts live music every Thursday night in the summer months for local residents to enjoy free of charge. In fact, on July 16th and August 6th, the Office of Admission will be offering “Tours and Tunes” for prospective students to take a tour of campus and enjoy a concert in the park immediately after. Visit http://www.miami.muohio.edu/admission/tours_tunes/ to register!

Look forward to many more postings from me in the future!
Mandy

Taylor Mali at Miami!

A poet and a teacher, Taylor Mali is considered to be the most successful poetry slam strategist of all time, having won the National Poetry Slam competition a record four times. Mali spent nine years in the classroom and has performed and lectured all over the world. This summer, Mali's book of poetry, "What Learning Leaves" has been chosen as the reading requirement for incoming students. Mali will also be speaking to our students during Convocation on August 21, 2009. To find out more information about Taylor Mali and to see some of his past performances, please go to our Facebook group "Taylor Mali at Miami" at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=53471972103&ref=ts

Summer 2009

I hope everyone had a wonderful 4th of July weekend!

This past week, we had 115 rising high school seniors from all over the nation participate in the 2009 Multicultural Leadership Program-Summer Leadership Institute (MLPSLI). This was an intensive residential, pre-college program during which academic, leadership, and career-choice activities were explored through collaborative work with our corporate and other educational development partners. Throughout the four days, MLPSLI participants interacted with current Miami University students, faculty, and staff as well as professional corporate representatives.

The students attended short seminar classes during the four days in Fine Arts, Business, Engineering, Pre-Law, Pre-Med or Education. They also attended Admission 101 sessions to help them prepare for the upcoming admission process.

It was great assisting with the coordination of this program and getting to know the participants beginning with their applications. The most memorable part of the program for me had to be the talent show. We had 17 students participate from singing and dancing to Tae Kwon Do. It was rewarding to see how much talent these students have beyond their academic achievements!

This was just one of the many experiences available in the summer for high school students. For more information you can visit www.muohio.edu/summer.

Independence Day!

Hello!

Anyone excited for the holiday weekend? The Fourth of July holds some great traditions—barbeques, parades, and fireworks! This Saturday, you can catch one of Miami’s graduates, Steven Reineke (Class of 1993), conducting The New York Pops in the nationwide telecast of the 2009 Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks Spectacular on NBC at 9 p.m. The entertainment also will be simulcast in radio on 1010 WINS.

Steven is currently the associate conductor of the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra and will become The New York Pops director-designate and conductor in October. Just another example of where Miami can take you in life!

Enjoy the music and have a wonderful and safe holiday weekend!

High School Counselors

Ever wonder what your high school counselors do over summer break? For some, it is their time to check out colleges. Just as we recommend students and families to visit us, we also welcome many counselors. This past week, we hosted about 20 counselors from Kentucky, Illinois and Missouri. Visits are a great way for guidance counselors to learn about the university and meet our staff. When they return to your high school, they are better equipped to answer your questions about Miami and assist with your college search. We suggest contacting your counselor to learn more about applying to colleges and finding schools that “fit” what you are looking for.


I also wanted to mention that this is another important week in our Admission cycle. Our fall 2009 transfer deadline draws to a close on July 1. If you are looking at transferring into Miami for this up coming fall, there is still time but don’t wait. Feel free to contact me at brian.jicinsky@muohio.edu with any questions regarding the transfer process.

Also, July 1 marks the day our first-year application goes live for fall 2010 applicants. Students looking at getting a head start filling out the application can begin Wednesday! Check out our website to learn more about applying as a transfer or first-year student: www.muohio.edu/apply.

I hope your summer is going well and that you are finding time to relax.

Until next time,
Brian

Bittersweet departure

Well, this is my last blog. I will be leaving this Miami and heading to the “other” Miami. Starting in August, I will be pursuing my Master’s degree in Sport Administration at the University of Miami! I am very, very excited at this opportunity, but of course it will be extremely hard for me to say goodbye to my MU family here.

I have made Oxford my home for seven years and have had some absolutely fantastic times here. I hope to be able to consistently make it back to Oxford for Homecoming each fall.

Even though I’ll be at a different Miami, I will always have my t-shirt from the MU bookstore that reads, “Miami was a university when Florida belonged to Spain”. That’s one of my favorites. :)

Good luck to you all as you continue on through your college search! Go RedHawks!

Both pictures are from the alumni association website and are of the Miami Merger attempt to break the Guinness World Records for the most couples renewing their vows simultaneously.

Although last week I blogged about the 2009 Alumni Weekend, I wanted to give you all an update. As an admission office we were able to be at the Welcome and Registration part of the event recruiting alumni volunteers to help with AARN which stands for the Alumni Admission Recruiting Network. These outstanding Miami alumni volunteers are helpers that you may see at a local college fair or event.

While I was sitting at the AARN table, I noticed that the one next to us was getting a pretty big crowd. I looked over at their sign and noticed that they were the Miami Merger table. Remember I talked about what a Miami Merger was last Monday? Well, if you need a bit of a reminder it is when a Miamian marries another Miamian. Luckily the tables were pretty close and I got to meet alumni that had been married for as little as 2 years to those celebrating 30+ years.

I am proud to say that the “unofficial” count of the attempt to break the Guinness World Records for the most couples simultaneously renewing their wedding vows was at 1,087. Previously, the record was set at 624 in Pittsburgh, PA. At this point, it will go through a bit of a process with the Guinness World Records in which they will look at the evidence of the copies of marriage licenses and photographs of the event. During the event, it included a couple that graduated in 1938 & 1939 and a couple that graduated this past May and were married the previous night.

Although I provided you with pictures of the Miami Merger moment, feel free to take a look at pictures from the entire weekend at http://www.miamialum.org/s/916/internal.aspx?sid=916&gid=1&pgid=1463 and let us know what you think!