H. Res. 128 

In the House of Representatives, U. S., 

February 10, 2009. 

Whereas article III of the Northwest Ordinance states that 

‘‘religion, morality, and knowledge being necessary to 

good government and its happiness of mankind, schools 

and the means of education shall forever be encouraged’’; 

Whereas Miami University was named for the Miami Indian 

Tribe that inhabited the area now known as the Miami 

Valley Region of Ohio; 

Whereas Miami University is our Nation’s 10th oldest public 

institution of higher learning; 

Whereas Miami University’s motto is Prodesse Quam 

Conspici, ‘‘to accomplish without being conspicuous’’; 

Whereas Miami University is a student-centered public university deeply committed to student success, building 

great student and alumni loyalty, and empowering its 

students, faculty, and staff to become engaged citizens 

who use their knowledge and skills with integrity and 

compassion to improve the future of our society; 

Whereas Poet Laureate Robert Frost once referred to Miami 

University as ‘‘the most beautiful college there is’’; 

Whereas Miami University is the birthplace of the McGuffey 

Eclectic Readers written by William Holmes McGuffey, 

‘‘School Master to the Nation’’, who wrote and compiled 
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the first 4 Readers while a Miami University faculty 

member; 

Whereas Miami University is cited annually by national college rankings as being one of the Nation’s best values 

among public universities, and provides the opportunities 

of a major university while offering the personalized attention found in the best small colleges; 

Whereas Miami University is named as one of the ‘‘Public 

Ivies’’, offering ‘‘an education comparable to that at Ivy 

League universities at a fraction of the price’’ in the book 

‘‘The Public Ivies: America’s Flagship Universities’’; 

Whereas Miami University is among a select group of universities in the Nation that have produced a Rhodes Scholar, 

a Truman Scholar, and a Goldwater Scholar in the same 

academic year; 

Whereas Miami University’s faculty are nationally prominent 

scholars and artists who contribute to Miami, their own 

disciplines, and to society by the creation of new knowledge and art; 

Whereas Miami University has its own campus in Luxembourg and consistently ranks among the top 25 colleges 

and universities in the Nation for the number of undergraduate students who study abroad, where more than 35 

percent of students study abroad before they graduate; 

Whereas in Business Week magazine’s latest ranking of undergraduate business programs, Miami’s Farmer School 

of Business appears among the Nation’s top 5 percent, 

ranking 8th among public universities and colleges; 

Whereas Miami University has a retention and graduation 

rate that exceeds the national average for undergradu-
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ates, students of color, and athletes, and has the highest 

graduation rate in Ohio; 

Whereas Miami has first-rate facilities, has completed a number of new facilities in recent years, including an engineering building and the Goggin Ice Center, and is currently constructing a new business school facility and 

planning for a new student center; 

Whereas the Miami Student, established in 1826, is the oldest university newspaper in the United States; 

Whereas Miami University is known as the ‘‘Mother of Fraternities’’, as it is the Alpha Chapter for 5 national 

Greek organizations, Beta Theta Pi, Sigma Chi, Phi 

Delta Theta, Phi Kappa Tau, and the Delta Zeta sorority; 

Whereas the University has over 150,000 living alumni who 

reside in every State of the union and numerous countries throughout the world, where they contribute significantly to their local and global communities; 

Whereas Miami University is ranked 7th on the Peace Corps’ 

Top 25 list for medium-sized schools, with 39 alumni 

currently serving as volunteers, and since the Peace 

Corps’ inception in 1961, 809 Miami alumni have joined 

the ranks, making Miami the No. 44 producer of volunteers for all time; 

Whereas Miami University’s alumni have a history of service 

to the United States, including a President of the United 

States (The Honorable Benjamin Harrison), 9 United 

States Senators, including sitting Senator Maria Cantwell 

(WA), 31 United States Representatives, including sitting 

Members, Congressman Paul Ryan (WI) and Congressman Steve Driehaus (OH), a Speaker of the House, the 
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parents of a United States First Lady and grandparents 

of a United States President, 6 governors, 11 United 

States generals, and 7 United States ministers to foreign 

governments; 

Whereas Miami University’s alumni include 27 college presidents; 

Whereas Miami University has enriched our Nation in the 

arts, humanities, and sciences through students and 

alumni who have achieved the pillar of their professions 

such as a United States Poet Laureate, Pulitzer Prize 

winners, a National Teacher of the Year, National Institute of Health Fellows, National Science Foundation Recipients, National Endowment of the Arts Awardees, and 

renowned journalists; 

Whereas Miami University is known as the ‘‘Cradle of Coaches’’ for the unparalleled number of nationally prominent 

collegiate and professional coaches it has produced, 18 of 

whom have been recognized as national ‘‘Coach of the 

Year’’ including Paul Brown (Cleveland Browns), Walter 

‘‘Smokey’’ Alston (Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers), 

Woody Hayes (Ohio State University), Bo Schembechler 

(University of Michigan), and Vicki Korn (Miami University); 

Whereas Miami University has created a Culture of Champions, an environment that teaches student athletes to 

excel in their chosen endeavors as distinguished by a National Football League Rookie of the Year, National 

Football League Super Bowl Champions, National Basketball Association World Champions, National Hockey 

League Stanley Cup Champions, Major League Baseball 

World Series Champions, and Olympic gold medalists; 
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Whereas Miami University has contributed to the economic 

growth of this country through the education of men and 

women who have gone on to lead some of our most August corporations such as AT&T, Inc., Proctor & Gamble 

Co., the J.M. Smucker Company, and United Parcel 

Service of America; and 

Whereas Miami University is the largest employer in Butler 

County, Ohio, and serves as an economic powerhouse for 

Southwest Ohio, the State of Ohio, and the Nation with 

an economic impact of over $1,000,000,000 per year to 

the State of Ohio: Now, therefore, be it 

Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

(1) congratulates Miami University on the momentous occasion of its 200th anniversary, and expresses its 

best wishes for continued success; 

(2) recognizes Miami’s profound achievements and 

unwavering commitment to liberal arts education and 

the active engagement of its students in both curricular 

and co-curricular life that has continually attracted and 

produced some of the Nation’s brightest faculty, staff, 

and students; and 
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(3) directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to make available enrolled copies of this resolution 

to Miami University for appropriate display. 

Attest: 

Clerk.