2008 SOULs

We are pleased to introduce the 2008 Student Orientation Undergraduate Leaders...

KRISTEN ALTENAU

Welcome to Miami University! Today marks the beginning of one of the most exciting chapters of your life and I couldn't be more excited for you! My name is Kristen Altenau and I am a junior psychology major with a pre-med focus from Cincinnati, Ohio. On campus, I am a member of the Dean's Student Advisory Council for the College of Arts and Science, the American Medical Student Association (AMSA), and the University Honors Program. I am also involved in Health Psychology research and will be a Resident Assistant next year in a first year residence hall. In my spare time, I love playing intramural broomball (be sure to check it out!), cheering on the Miami Redhawks at hockey games, hanging out with my friends and family, and watching Friends – I'm slightly obsessed :). I can't wait to meet all of you this summer! If you ever have any questions, please feel free to contact me – I'm here to help you make this transition as easy as possible. Miami has truly become my home over the last two years and I can't wait to share it with all of you! See you soon!

ASHLEY BENSON

Hello and welcome to the class of 2012 and families! Congratulations on all your accomplishments so far and for choosing this wonderful university as your home away from home for the next four years! My name is Ashley Benson and I am a French Education major from Fairborn, Ohio . I am proud to be a member of the Bicentennial Class of 2009, which means I am now heading down the home stretch and into my senior year here at Miami. I have stayed active on campus by singing with Choraliers (we are celebrating 100 years of women's singing at Miami this year!), volunteering in the Talawanda School District, and spending last summer studying abroad in Dijon, France (the mustard capital of the world!). I am also an avid fan of the Cincinnati Bengals and Miami Hockey team; you can always find me cheering on the Redhawks Friday and Saturday nights at the Goggin! I am so excited to meet you all this summer and to answer any questions you may have about college life. This is a very exciting time in Miami's history, and I hope you are as thrilled as I am to be a part of it!

CJ DEIGHEN

Hey everybody welcome to Miami and congratulations on making the best decision of your life, to attend Miami University. My name is CJ and I'm a junior chemical engineering major. I am an RA in McBride Hall, a campus tour guide, and a student worker at Alexander. I love process control and chicken bacon ranch. Outside of class I enjoy golfing, fishing, Xbox live and paintball. I am excited to meet you all this summer and help you make the transition to college life.

CHELSEA DOYLE

Hello and welcome to Miami University—congratulations on your recent Redhawk status! My name is Chelsea Doyle, and I am junior here at beautiful Miami where I have finally settled down as an English Literature major with a Women's Studies minor. I am originally from Leo, Indiana—a small town with a big ol' heart! My time here is currently devoted to Miami University Student Foundation (MUSF), the Scholar Leader community, all-too-frequent trips to the delicious Bagel and Deli, and, of course, the fabulous life of a SOUL! In my spare time, I am usually writing, playing my music a little too loudly, or mindlessly moseying around Miami's campus with my friends. I am unhealthily obsessed with argyle socks, feminist theories, and The Office—the relationship dynamic of Pam and Jim is tantalizing! I am so excited to see your bright and beautiful faces this summer. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns about the Miami life…ask someone else. I kid, I kid! I'm ready, willing, and way psyched to help you enjoy your time at Miami University as much I have. See you soon!

MANDY DUBRO

Hello new first years and proud families! My name is Mandy DuBro, and I'm a junior social work major hailing from Dayton, Ohio. I am ecstatic to meet each and every one of you this summer! I enjoy long walks on western campus, late night meals at Shriver, and, of course, befriending first years! During the school year, you might find me running across campus to meet with the Social Justice Committee, Peer Advocacy Coalition, Habitat for Humanity, Hillel, or National Residence Hall Honorary. This past year, I was also a resident assistant in a first year hall. My advice to you: take the opportunity to expand your current interests and, at the same time, check out the variety of new experiences available in college life. The Miami smorgasbord is so vast and a definite perk to being part of a vibrant campus!

BEN EVERLY

Hello incoming students and families and welcome to Miami University! My name is Ben Everly and I am a Management and Organizations major from Rootstown, Ohio . I will be starting my Senior year in the fall, but wish I could stay at Miami for much longer. To keep busy, I am involved in several different activities on campus including Spectrum, Honors and Scholars Advisory Board (HSAB), and the Harrison Scholar Program. I will also be a Resident Assistant for the Scholar Leader Living Learning Community. In my spare time, I thoroughly enjoy jazzercise classes at the Rec Center , traveling abroad over breaks, meeting new people, eating uptown, and spending time with my friends. If there is anything I can do to make your experience at Miami a more fulfilling one, please let me know. I look forward to meeting you this summer.

MATT FORREST

Congratulations Class of 2012 and welcome to Miami University! I cannot wait to show you all Miami has to offer! My name is Matthew Forrest and I'm a Geography major from Chicago, Illinois. I just finished my second year here at Miami and am looking forward to two more amazing years to come. Outside of classes I like to stay involved on campus as much as possible running between meetings for the Residence Hall Association, Campus Activates Council and being an Ambassador to the University Honors and Scholars program. I absolutely love Miami Hockey and you can always be certain to see me at all home games cheering on the RedHawks! I am also a huge fan of NCAA basketball, the Chicago Cubs, love listening to all types of music and never turn down good food. I am so excited to have the chance to be one of your orientation leaders this summer as my orientation experience got me really excited about Miami. I am always available to answer any questions you or your families have about Miami (I love talking about this place!) and am excited to be among the first to introduce you to what will soon be your home away from home. See you soon!

LUCAS FRAZIER

Hello, and congratulations on being accepted to Miami University! My name is Lucas Frazier. I'm a sophomore pre-communication major, and I plan on entering the Mass Communication program in the spring of 2009. I'm sort of a nomad, living in many different places throughout my life, but I'm currently from Cincinnati, Ohio. I like to think of Miami as my new home, and I hope you will come to feel the same way. I am a Miami University Access Initiative Scholar and a member of the National Residence Hall Honorary. I work on-campus at the Starbucks in King Library, and I'm a member of the Miami Film Association (M.A.F.I.A.). My hobbies include video games, music, guitar, film, theatre, reading, writing, and a lot of caffeine. I am so excited that you have chosen Miami University, and I hope that you are ready a life-changing experience.

MATT HOFFMAN

Congratulations and welcome to the Miami family! I hope that you are ready for the most exciting and challenging years of your life. Miami is such a unique place and I am thrilled to be able share with you just why I love being a RedHawk. I am eager to answer any questions that you may have and cannot wait to share my experiences with you. My name is Matt Hoffman and I am a third-year student from Brookville, Ohio, studying International Studies and Political Science. At MU, I am involved in the Scholar-Leaders Program, a community service organization, the Honors Program, National Residents Hall Honorary, and Academic Affairs Coalition, a committee of Miami's Associated Student Government. In addition, I am a campus tour guide and a student ambassador. Whew! This coming fall, I have the exciting opportunity to study abroad in Geneva, Switzerland. When I have free time, I enjoy spending time with friends, playing on intramural sports teams, and attending RedHawk sporting events. Don't know who Earl Blaik or Weeb Ewbank are? Want to live in the oldest residence hall west of the Allegheny Mountains? As a school with rich athletic and academic tradition, I challenge you to discover Miami's unique and fabled past…and to begin your own story today. Miami's past, present, and future surround you. Welcome. LOVE AND HONOR.

CAITLIN HOGE

Welcome to Miami University! My name is Caitlin Hoge and I am an Early Childhood Education major from Chicago. I just finished my first year here and it has quickly become my second home. When I am not busy with class, I give back to the Miami community by volunteering for the Adopt-A-School program, working at King Café (our on-campus “Starbucks”), and being an active member of the sorority community on campus. I am a huge Chicago White Sox and Bears fan and I absolutely love to spend my Saturday afternoon supporting Miami's sports teams (especially football!). Besides sports, I like shopping uptown with my friends or going to grab dinner at 45 East Bar and Grill. My favorite place to go on campus is our amazing library where I can study or meet my friends for lunch. I am so thrilled to meet you all this summer and am happy to answer whatever questions you and your families might have as you begin your years at Miami!

TIM LU

Welcome and Congratulations to the Class of 2012! My name is Tim Lu, but many of my closest friends like to call me by nicknames such as “Timmy Lu”, “T. Lu”, and my personal favorite: “T. Lu-nit” (If you call me “T. Lunit” at orientation, I'll give you a prize!) Some fun facts about me: I am a Sophomore Business major from Kettering, Ohio, who loves to dance, play piano, and eat the Chicken Stir-Fry for lunch and/or dinner (the reason why Miami is recognized on every Best Campus Food ranking in the country, in my opinion!). During my first year at Miami, I've become heavily involved with Campus Crusade for Christ, Asian American Association, a social Fraternity, and Miami's Hip Hop Dance Team. In my spare time, I like to try remembering people's names, taking naps, and playing basketball...because I'm severely bad at all of them. When the time of your orientation comes around, I sincerely hope that our two days together will not only serve as a time for you to ask questions and become acquainted with the campus, but also as a tremendous opportunity to meet your future classmates and begin building friendships that will carry on into your extraordinary years as a Miamian and beyond. Looking back on my first year in Oxford, I am AMAZED at how much I was able to grow through my various experiences and relationships as a scholar, as a leader, and most importantly, as a friend. As each of you embark on your own college adventures, it is my deepest wish for all of you to learn and enjoy everything that Miami has to offer you. You are going to have the time of your life! I can't wait to meet all of you and see what goofy nicknames we can make up for each other. Have a blessed summer!

SCOTT LUVIN

Welcome Class of 2012! Congratulations on making the best decision ever, coming to Miami University. My name is Scott Luvin and I am a Business Accounting major from St. Louis Missouri. I just finished an amazing first year and I am excited to share my experiences with all of you this summer. In just my first year I became involved with a fraternity, hosting on WMSR (Miami's Student Radio), treasurer of Emerson Hall, and Oxford Scholars. I really enjoy intramural sports; I am always up for a game up ultimate Frisbee! I also love to relax and watch a good comedy movie with my best friends (that I made at Miami). Get ready for the best four years of your life at your home away from home! Let me know if you have any questions or concerns (students and families). I am very excited to meet you and assist you in having the best possible years at Miami!

KAYLA NAPIER

Hello and welcome to Miami University! My name is Kayla Napier and my major is Social Work and a minor in Management. I am from Middletown, Ohio which is twenty five minutes away from Oxford. I have just finished my first year here at Miami and I can't wait to share with all of you what I have gained from my experiences. I am involved with the Student Radio here on campus (which is a lot of fun!) and I am also part of my residence hall community council (advertising). I enjoy hanging out with my friends in my free time and I also enjoy playing and listening to music. I am a big fan of the events, shows and plays that Miami has to offer. I am looking forward to meeting all of you and helping you out with any questions or concerns you may have about your first year here at Miami. I hope you're as excited as I am!

LIZ RIGGS

WELCOME TO MIAMI! I'm Liz Riggs and I'm seriously pumped to meet everyone! I'm a senior English Literature major with a minor in French. No, that does not mean I can speak French fluently. However, I did spend half of my last year abroad in France, which was one of the greatest experiences of my life. Back at Miami, I am very involved with WMSR, Miami's student-run radio station, as well as Amusement , Miami's weekly entertainment newspaper. I am mildly obsessed with music; but, I also enjoy climbing rocks, playing soccer, *NSYNC throwback, and waiters wearing nametags. I can't wait to sport my messenger bag this summer and welcome all of you to what will hopefully be a very exciting four years!

STEFFANIE SCHILLING

Hello lovelies! Congrats and welcome to Miami University. My name is Steffanie Alexandria Katerina Schilling and I am ecstatic to meet you! Born in Heidelberg, Germany, I was raised in Painesville, Ohio. I love North Eastern Ohio because of the weather. Where else can you get all four seasons in a week? Being five minutes away from the lake is fantastic. I am completely into water sports, from kayaking, to jet skiing and sailing, and wakeboarding and waterskiing. I also love to ski –cross country and downhill –and by far my favorite is snowboarding. I am currently a sophomore here at Miami University and am a marketing and mass communications double major (I love both subjects and couldn't decide between the two). I love it here, and it is true – Oxford really does get into your blood. My first year was overall fantastic and I cannot wait to help get you on your way to having an incredible year. I am a part of the executive committee for Miami Swing Syndicate. If you want to learn how to jive, have any questions or just want to talk, I am here and willing to answer whatever you throw at me. Orientation is going to be fabulous and I cannot wait for you all to rock my world!

SARA STEMEN

Welcome to Miami University! My name is Sara Stemen and I am a Speech Pathology and Audiology major from Lima, Ohio. I am so excited for this summer and the amazing opportunity to show you around our beautiful campus here at Miami University! My first year has been incredible and has allowed me to be involved in so many different ways on campus, including: Marching Band, Symphony Band, Clarinet Choir and within the Greek Community. Miami is a place I have come to know and love and I am thrilled that you have chosen to begin this new chapter of your life here! I look forward to seeing you this summer and sharing all my experiences with you along with answering all the questions you may have. Congratulations and be ready to embark on your new and exciting journey here at Miami!

SHANNON STONE

Congratulations Class of 2012! My name is Shannon Stone. I'm a junior psychology major from Indianapolis, but when I use the word “home,” I'm more often than not referring to Oxford. This place has truly become home to me and I can't wait to share it with you! Here at Miami , I'm a member of a Greek sorority, an honors psychology fraternity, a volunteer counselor at a crisis center, and a semi-professional shelf stocker at an on-campus market. I'm a proud music addict (especially live) and a not-so-proud coffee addict. I absolutely adore writing, politics, yoga, and scuba diving. I'm currently in a pretty bad state of denial about the fact that my time at Miami is halfway over, but I'm working on it (admitting the problem is the first step). I'm thrilled to meet you all and give you a preview of all that Miami has to offer. I'll do my best to give you a proper introduction, so please don't hesitate to come to me with any thoughts, questions, or concerns. Congratulations once more and welcome to Miami!

QIAO WEN TAN

Hello one and all, just a simple but warm welcome to Miami University! My name is Qiao Wen Tan. (In case you're wondering how to pronounce my first name, well, I say you can call me “Chow When”.) I'm an international student majoring in Chemical Engineering from Malaysia. Yes, I live half way around the globe from here. I'm currently involved in the Asian American Association and “Fusion” is our annual big event on campus, showcasing the Asian Culture every spring semester. Besides that, I'm an Oxford Scholar thus also actively involved in the Honors and Scholars Advisory Board (HSAB). Other than that, the Choraliers is part of my weekly commitment in something unrelated to my major and I love it to bits! A little on the personal side, I'd love to think of myself as a happy-go-lucky person, and I love to sing! It will be my second year in Miami University this coming fall'08 and I definitely look forward to another exciting school year ahead. I can't wait to meet new people, especially all of you future Miamians out there!!

ABBY ZOFKIE

Salutations to our new class of 2012! I can't wait to meet all of you, and help introduce you to Miami University! My name is Abby Zofkie, and I am a junior accounting major from Kettering, Ohio. During my time here in lovely Oxford, I have become involved in such on-campus activities as Zoology Club (yes, accountants like animals too!), the Miami University Equestrian Team, Students for Staff, and finally, Secular Students of Miami, a club which I personally started with a group of friends just last year. I am also in the Honors Program here at Miami, which I highly recommend! I am so pumped for orientation this summer—we have a lot of great things planned for you and your families. Whether you are excited out of your mind about college, or even if you're a little scared and unsure, orientation will be an incredibly useful experience, and I feel honored to act as your guide by helping you become acquainted with this next momentous chapter in your lives.