Steve Driehaus: “I'm proud today to join with the minority leader and my distinguished friends and colleagues to pay tribute to one of…”

“I'm proud today to join with the minority leader and my distinguished friends and colleagues to pay tribute to one of our finest universities, and a source of pride for all Ohioans. For two centuries, Miami has stood as a hallmark of what public higher education should be in this country. Miami University boasts excellence in a wide range of programs; a faculty amongst the best in the Nation; facilities and resources that allow Miami's academic community to realize its full potential; and an unparalleled commitment to student success. But Miami's achievement and legacy reach far beyond the confines of its classrooms. Miami University was a product of the Northwest Ordinance. As Ohio's founders settled the lands west of the Appalachians, Miami stood as a beacon of learning in the untamed corners of a young Nation. The many government leaders, artists, and scholars among Miami University's alumni have carried the school's message and tradition of excellence across the United States, and around the world. Their contributions to a range of disciplines and professions have left a lasting imprint on our laws and culture. In the Freedom Summer of 1964, civil rights activists trained at Western College for Women, Miami's western campus. These young heroes brought their message of freedom and equality from Oxford, Ohio to Meridian, Mississippi. Three of them sacrificed their lives because they would not give up their commitment to the struggle against injustice and bigotry.”