Miami University

Students cited as Oxford Citizens of the Year

01/11/2000

In a first-of-its-kind recognition, four Miami University students have been named Citizens of the Year by the Oxford Press.

Jeff Griffiths of Geneva, Ohio, Suraj Maraboyina of Dayton, Corrin Richards of Olmsted Falls and Christina Trusch of Worthington, joined three permanent community residents in receiving 1999 Citizen of the Year recognition from the weekly newspaper. The four are student members of Oxford City Council’s Student Community Relations Committee and made the committee more proactive in 1999 than ever before, said Bobbe Burke, assistant to the director of student activities. She and Dick Nault, dean of students, nominated the students for the annual award.

The four undergraduates worked together and independently to lead collaborations among Miami students and Oxford residents.

They helped establish and implement an adopt-a-block program, enlisted the involvement of other groups, and now have 50 of 63 designated blocks in Oxford cleaned-up weekly by student and community teams.

Among other efforts, Richard and Griffiths devised a plan to help eliminate yard trash after student parties, Maraboyina and Trusch began a monthly can recycling program with fraternities and sororities and all four actively publicized the Oxford police department’s ice cream socials intended to create neighborhood relationships. Griffiths’ Make A Difference Day leadership resulted in $900,000 of donated clothing and food items plus volunteer clean-up efforts across town. Richards has been active in advocating for car and pedestrian safety and tenant rights.

Maraboyina and Trusch are the community relations representatives for Interfraternity Council and Panhellenic Society; Richards is the Associated Student Government secretary for off-campus affairs and Griffiths organizes the community’s Make A Difference Day effort.

In honoring the Miami students for their leadership, Oxford Press editor Bob Ratterman called 1999 a "banner year" for community participation.