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Dear Miamians,
A couple of weeks ago, I came into work on a Wednesday morning and found my email blowing up with excited notes from proud alumni and parents. Turns out, the night before, a group of 16 Miami students all dressed in dark shirts and blazers sat in the front rows at The Late Late Show and caught James Corden’s attention.
In the video clip, which you can watch here if you like, James walks over to the “intense” group and says to them, “I love it. You've all worn matching shirts. Are you a gang together? … Where are you in from?”
One of three still standing responds, “Miami of Ohio in Oxford.”
I’ve since found out that the impromptu spokesperson was Jared Delac, a senior from Medina, Ohio, who graduates this spring with a double major in Media and Culture and Emerging Technology in Business and Design. His minor is in film studies.
The undergraduates were in LA for Miami’s Inside Hollywood program, held during our three-week winter term in January. Throughout their 10-hour days, they met with alumni who work in the film and TV industry. The late Rick Ludwin ’70, longtime executive vice president for late night and prime time series at NBC Entertainment, was instrumental in starting the program along with Howard Kleiman, now professor emeritus of Media and Communication.
Like many of the students in the class, taught by Professor Andy Rice, Jared wants to work in media production, although he’s not sure doing what. Talking with the alumni in LA helped him narrow down his options.
He was amazed at how eager the alumni were to help the students, giving them their contact info and encouraging them to stay in touch.
“They want us to succeed,” Jared said. “It’s super cool to see that in real life.”
Another group of Miamian eager to see each of us succeed is our
Advisory Board Members. We look to these 20 volunteers to guide the alumni office and serve as ambassadors to our alumni community.
You might meet some of them and many other Miamians if you come to Atlanta March 9 -11 to enjoy a new program with us,
Love and Honor Weekend. In a sense, Love and Honor Weekend is similar to what our Inside Hollywood students experienced. The three days in Atlanta will be packed with cultural, social, and intellectual events that will connect Miami alumni, faculty, and friends with one another. All of the exclusive tours and excursions — with topics ranging from art and gardens to civil rights and sports — will have a Miami angle and many will be led by Miamians.
By the way, Jared says he had no intention of saying Miami of Ohio, but he was lucky to get anything out, considering how star-stuck he was.
“It was so surreal,” Jared explained. “I wouldn’t have been there at all without these opportunities that Miami provides. I could talk forever and ever about how good of an experience it was. Yeah, it’s been a ride.”
Love and Honor,
Kim Tavares MBA ’12
Executive Director
Miami University Alumni Association
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