On May 17, I attended Miami University's 186th commencement honoring my graduating class. I sat in my seat on the football field, watching the platform party strut onto the stage as the beautiful spring morning began.
After much fanfare, President Gregory Crawford announced his accompanying platform party with a few shout-outs for the honored company.
“I begin with two very special guests: alumni and Miami Mergers, First Lady Fran DeWine and Governor Mike DeWine.”
A shiver went down my spine. Did the governor upstage my graduation because I accused him of betraying our alma mater?
I quickly opened the program to see if the heat was playing tricks on me, but my eyes were correct. There was no mention of the governor in the program, but there he and the first lady sat.
On April 21, my letter to DeWine was published in The Miami Student.
In the rise of President Donald Trump 2.0, we have seen attacks on education systems from federal, state and local governments where the conservative party holds vast majorities. My letter was penned to express my utter shock that a fellow Miamian would kill the heart of a liberal arts education.
“It's a very special day for our first lady, because she was unable to walk when she graduated in 1971,” Crawford revealed as the reason for their unexpected visit.
To me, it seemed like a well-played excuse by the first couple.
And while I know this is all probably acts of my imagination, that a sitting governor would come to his alma mater to upstage a student’s op-ed, in the age of Trump 2.0, is any political stunt off the table?
Per sources working the morning ceremony and the indicators in the program, DeWine’s potential attendance at commencement was unconfirmed, and the honorary doctorate section had no mention of the governor or the first lady.
There was no mention of Gov. Mike DeWine or First Lady Fran DeWine in the program.
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There was no mention of Gov. Mike DeWine or First Lady Fran DeWine in the program.
Entire speeches felt unedited for the special guests, as evident by commencement speaker Jeff Berding’s remarks on higher education. Like myself, Berding, co-chief executive officer of FC Cincinnati, is a proud Miamian and holds the code of love and honor closely to his personal values.
“The motto of Love and Honor is very real in my life,” Berding said to the university communications and marketing department at Miami following the announcement of his commencement address. “If you feel gratitude, you also feel an obligation to try to give back to those who follow you and support the great opportunities that you were provided as a student.”
A former councilman and experienced CEO, Berding harked back to last year's speaker, Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol’s comments on loving America, taking it even further.
“‘We are living in challenging times,’” Berding said, quoting Niccol. “ … I'm gonna go further. Love America … Speak up for your values, including, I hope, the belief in the national importance of colleges and universities.”
“Our colleges and universities are certainly not the enemy as some are asserting,” Berding continued. “The research and educational contributions have lifted up you, me and this nation for generations and are heroic.”
DeWine and the first lady were both awarded honorary doctorates by President Crawford immediately following these remarks, an hour and a half into the ceremony.
DeWine's unexpected appearance, of course, felt like a quick jab at my letter, and maybe my j’accuse had landed on the governor's desk after all.
On May 22, DeWine reposted the Miami alumni association’s Facebook post highlighting his grandson's graduation and the first family's visit. “As proud alumni of Miami University, Fran and I are grateful to have received honorary doctorates of humane letters during the university’s commencement ceremony last Saturday. #LoveandHonor.”
The original post by the alumni association said, “Three generations. One unforgettable day. During Miami University’s 186th spring commencement, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine ’69 and First Lady Fran DeWine ’71 were among the #MiamiAlum awarded honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degrees, on the same day their grandson, Justin Darling ’25, graduated with his Miami degree.”
DeWine was actually attending his grandson's ceremony, and I was starting to sound like a conspiracy theorist.
But upon reading the comments on both the governor’s and the alumni association’s posts, I discovered I wasn’t the only Miamian upset with the governor’s appearance at commencement.
Of the comments, a few truly showed me I wasn't alone in my feelings:
Kimistry Bargen said, “What did you bill to their institution? Or did your honorary degrees give them a carve out. You have stained your legacy forever.”
Stephanie Dickson added, “For someone with so little respect for education and those who really put in the work as educators, you sure do enjoy the photo opportunities to make it look like you care about education. I hope that the room fell silent when you were given this degree as you have fallen silent for the millions of Ohio students who need support for things like free lunches, smaller class sizes, and better special education funding.”
Jeff Abke summarized how I felt, “As a proud Miami alumnus, and someone who has been supportive of you in the past, I am disappointed in Miami University for normalizing your support of SB1 and dismantling of public education. It is disheartening to see how you have changed your values over the last couple of years. I will always have #LoveandHonor for Miami, but this honor for you is ridiculous.”
One commenter concluded, “As a proud Miami alumnus, I’m disgusted by your acquiescence to the movement to politicize higher education and tarnish the liberal arts tradition.”
I was then reminded of the CEOs, Yale graduates and concerned parents who emailed me in support of my original letter.
“You are not Miami, that must sting huh,” a proud parent wrote in a postcard that they penned to the governor's mansion. A lovely email to the editor-in-chief of The Miami Student showed the parent had attached a clipping of my article.
Maybe, just maybe, my piece made it to the most important decision-maker in Ohio’s desk.
In conclusion, no honorary doctorate will cover up your “stain” on higher education, Dr. DeWine.
Love and honor.
Landon C. Morrison is a proud Miami University alumnus (’24, B.A. in Emerging Technology in Business and Design; ’25, Master’s in Entrepreneurship and Emerging Technology). Based in the Lexington, Kentucky region, Landon writes with a focus on politics, pop culture and entrepreneurship – exploring how these topics shape everyday lives.
At The Student, we are committed to engaging with our audience and listening to feedback. This includes publishing a diverse array of guest editorials. For more information on guidelines and processes, email Taylor Powers, The Student's opinion editor, at powerstj@miamioh.edu.
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