A pair of Farmer School students are among Miami seniors honored for their service work with the President's Distinguished Service Award.

Marketing major Zach LaValle has been the men’s hockey team’s unofficial community service coordinator since 2015. He has organized weekly service opportunities, including the junior RedHawks hockey program, served food in the community, and volunteered at local elementary schools, all in addition to the expected activities for varsity athletes, such as alumni events, fundraisers, and Skate with the Hawks.

Management and leadership major Sara Al-Zubi was already operating a non-profit when she arrived in Oxford, sending letters of support to children who fled the Syrian civil war. She worked as a refugee transition coach for Refugeeconnect Ohio, assisting five recently relocated families in the Cincinnati area. Sara then founded an organization that provides mental health training for those working with refugees. She worked with the Union of Medical Care and Relief Organizations to interpret and draft United Nations legislation and has served on the Ohio Refugee Advisory Council.

The awards are made available to undergraduate students through a grant from the Miami University Family Fund. Winners of this award are honored at a special ceremony and receive a distinctive medallion to wear with their commencement robes.