(All materials in this guide located in the University Archives, unless otherwise noted.)
Determination of Enrollment and/or Graduation |
Verification of an individual's enrollment at or graduation from Miami can normally
be obtained by consulting one of several publications available in University Archives.
The Archives is usually open from 8 am to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, but patrons
are urged to contact the archivist before visiting. Inquiries may be addressed to
the University Archives, 002 Withrow Court, Oxford, Ohio 45056; Telephone: 513-529-6720;
email rschmidt@lib.muohio.edu.
Publications Listing Enrolled Students and Graduates |
University Catalog, 1826-1925
Printed annually under various titles, the Catalog typically contained names and home towns of current students of the University and affiliated institutions. Coverage also included summer school students when applicable. Students were usually listed alphabetically within classes and colleges (i.e., College of Liberal Arts Sophomores), with nondegree, special and summer school students grouped separately. Between 1836 and 1845, a Triennial Catalogue listed names, towns of residence and graduation dates of alumni. After 1911, student lists could be found in both the Catalog and Directory. The 1924-25 Catalog was the last to list current students.Miami University Directory 1911-
First published in 1911, the annual Directory initially listed names, classes and divisions, local addresses and home towns of enrolled students. Beginning in 1923, it also listed students' home addresses. The Directory groups all students together alphabetically regardless of class or college.Commencement Programs, 1827 -
The Programs usually list the names, degrees, hometowns, and academic honors of anticipated graduates. Since a small number of individuals listed did not graduate and some graduates were not included, information in the Programs should be verified in other sources. Students are normally grouped alphabetically under degrees awarded.General Catalogue of the Graduates and Former Students of Miami University , Including Members of the Board of Trustees and Faculty During Its First Century: 1809-1909. Centennial Edition; annotated. Oxford, O: n. p., 1909.
The Centennial Catalog covered virtually all Miami and Ohio Normal College students between 1809 and 1901 inclusive. Most entries have biographical sketches, containing birth and (when applicable) death dates, occupations and professional activities, and publications and degrees received. Information on many living alumni and students came from the persons themselves; information on deceased alumni came primarily form relatives. Arranged by graduation year for alumni and alphabetically for former students. With indexes of graduates and former students, and places of residence. Based partly on tow earlier catalogues compiled by Walter Tobey in 1892 and 1899.Graduates of Miami University, 1888-1935. 4 bound typescripts
The first two typescripts, covering the years 1888-1920, were originally intended to be printed as an Alumni Catalogue, but the project was abandoned due to lack of funds. They contain brief biographies and occasionally for the years 1914-1920, pictures of graduates. The volume for 1921-1927 lists occupations and current addresses or cities of residence, as well as providing pictures of most graduates. The 1928-35 volume provides ohly cities of residence; Greek affiliations, if any; and, in most cases, pictures. Arranged chronologically by class. Individuals are then arranged alphabetically under type of degree received.Alumni Directory, Miami University 1826 - 1873, 1888-1940; Oxford College 1833 - 1928, Miami University Bulletin Ser XXXIX, no. 11, Hamilton, Oh: Whitaker-Mohler Printer Co., 1941.
The last attempted listing of all Miami graduates. Provides degrees; occupations; last known addresses; and, when applicable, eat dates of Miami and Oxford College graduates to 1940. Arranged by year of graduation, with an alphabetical name index. Also includes incomplete alphabetical lists of former students of both institutions.Miami University Graduates, 1941-57. Bound typescript.
List of graduates and schools attended. Members of each graduating class are arranged alphabetically. No index.Alumni Directory. Oxford, O: Miami University Alumni Association, 1991.
Mainly compiled from questionnaires set to alumni, the Alumni Directory lists degrees, current addresses, phone numbers, and occupations of living graduates and honorary degree recipients from 1908-90. Since respondents had the option not to be included in the Directory, it does not contain information on all living alumni. Arranged by year of graduation, with alphabetical, geographical and occupational indexes.Alumni Directory. Oxford, O: Miami University Alumni Association. 1996
Successor to the 1991 Directory. Lists degrees, current addresses, phone numbers, and occupations of living graduates and honorary degree recipients from 1908-95. Like its predecessor, does not include all living alumni. Arranged by year of graduation with alphabetical, geographical, occupational and Greek affiliation indexes.
Other Sources for Enrollment and Graduation Verification |
The Catalog and Directory list the vast majority of students enrolled at the time
of their publications. There are a few cases, though, where an enrolled student many
not be included. Patrons unable to confirm a student's enrollment in the Catalog
or Directory should also check one of the two repositories of student academic records.
The Office of the Registrar maintains the extant academic records of Miami graduates and former students from approximately 1920. Staff will assist in verifying an individual's attendance at and/or graduation from Miami. Access to other academic information is restricted in accordance with state and local privacy laws. Inquiries may be directed to the Office of the Registrar, Academic Records Section 118 Camps Avenue Building, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio 45056; telephone: 513-529-8726; email: AcademicRecords@MUOhio.Edu.
Extant academic records of graduates and former students before 1920 are located in the Walter Havighurst Special Collections Library, located in the third floor of the Edgar King Library. Library staff will assist in verification of an individual's enrollment at and/or graduation from Miami. Inquiries may be directed to the Walter Havighurst Special Collections Library, King Library, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio 45056; telephone: 513-529-3323/3324; email: STUCKEJH@MUOhio.Edu.
Necrology 1905-1917
The Necrology was an annual compilation providing detailed sketches of selected alumni who expired during the prior year. Although an excellent source for biographical information, the Necrology was published haphazardly and was finally superseded by the Alumni News Letter in 1918. The Necrology for 1905-06, 1909-10, 1910-11 was issued as part of the Miami University Bulletin. During the period between 1911/12-1916/17, the necrology appeared as part of The Annual Reports of the President, the Deans and other Officers of Miami University. The 1917-18 Necrology, the last apparently issued, was published separately. Arrangement in the Necrology was normally chronological by year of graduation of the deceased.Alumni News Letter 1912-1947
The Alumni News Letter began including isolated obituaries of recently deceased alumni in December 1912 and by December 1913, contained a 'Deaths" section with sketches of selected alumni. Coverage sometimes overlapped, without necessarily duplicating, the Necrology. With the demise of the Necrology in 1918, the News Letter became the major source for alumni obituaries.Miami Alumnus, 1947 -1982
The Alumnus was the successor of the News Letter and continued its practice of printing death announcements and obituaries for selected alumni.Miamiain 1982-
The Miamian, the current official alumni magazine, is issued quarterly and prints death announcements or selected alumni. It does not, as a rule, publish obituaries.
Biographical Information/Obituaries |
In addition to the 1909 Centennial Alumni Catalog cited above, the best sources of biographical information on the vast majority of Miami alumni were the obituaries appearing in various University publications between 1867-1981. Depending upon the publication, publication date and prominence of the individual, they could range from brief death announcements to sketches of several pages. Since they typically were based on information provided by family members, not all alumni were covered. The most detailed obituaries appeared in the Miami Student between 1888 and 1909, the Necrology published between 1905-1918, and in the Alumni News Letter and Miami Alumnus, published between 1911-82.
Although the Archives maintains an incomplete index to the Student, Alumni News Letter, and Miami Alumnus, patrons should know the individuals death date, or at least approximate date of death, before searching for an obituary The Alumni Office can often provide death dates fro alumni who died after 1940. Inquiries may be addressed to the Office of Alumni and Parent Programs, Murstein Alumni Center, Oxford, Ohio 45056; telephone: 513-529-5957; email: AlumniRecords@MUohio.edu. Death notices in local newspapers are probably the best sources for biographical information on alumni who died after 1981.
Miami Student 1867-73, 1888-1910
Between 1867 and 1873, the Student , as the official student newspaper, provided inconsistent coverage of alumni deaths, normally through brief "Personal" announcements or letters to the editor. After its resumption as a monthly news magazine in 1888, the Student published death announcements, and sometimes detailed obituaries in an "Alumni" section. This ceased shortly after the Student adopted a weekly newspaper format in 1910.