For 15 years, Butler Tech’s Project SEARCH program has been transforming lives and shaping futures on the campus of Miami University in Oxford. From the very beginning, the program launched with big intentions: to create meaningful pathways to employment for young adults with disabilities while enriching the university community with their skills and determination. What has followed is a powerful collaboration built on inclusion and purpose.
Each year, Project SEARCH interns become part of the heartbeat of Miami University, gaining hands-on experience in departments that keep campus life running. They contribute to Human Resources through clerical and filing work, support operations at King Library, and greet students and visitors at the Rec Center desk. They also work in the dining halls and at the university’s new “ghost kitchen,” a Grubhub robotics hub—preparing and packaging meals for delivery through innovative systems that reflect Miami’s modern, tech-driven campus.
“These are not token experiences,” said instructor Tracie Nunamaker. “Our interns are part of the team. They’re dependable, hardworking, and eager to learn. The relationships they build across campus are genuine, and that’s what makes this partnership so meaningful.”
Beyond the university’s direct departments, interns gain experience with partner organizations such as Compass Group and Starbucks, learning customer service, food preparation, and order fulfillment in fast-paced environments like Shriver Center and Bell Tower. These partnerships represent real-world collaboration that builds confidence, strengthens employability, and models diversity in the workplace.
To those who work closely with the interns, the impact is unmistakable.
“The growth of Project SEARCH sites across the campus has created meaningful and lasting benefits. Interns are developing essential skills, gaining confidence, and contributing in ways that directly support departmental goals. Supervisors routinely note the high quality of their work and the positive impact interns make across teams. The relationships they build with students, faculty, and staff continue to strengthen the Miami community and the way we work and interact together,” said Sharon Custer, senior director of analytics, strategy, and operations at Miami University.
Over the years, the collaboration between Butler Tech and Miami University has grown in visibility and impact. Project SEARCH interns have supported large-scale university operations, including helping to welcome new RedHawks during student move-in. That event also provided a unique opportunity for interns to meet Miami University President Gregory Crawford, who took time to recognize their efforts and the value they bring to campus life with a photo opportunity.
“This program aligns perfectly with the values of Miami University,” said supervisor of Butler Tech transition programs, Michael Albrecht. “It supports inclusion, develops real-world skills, and meets real needs across campus. Our interns bring so much heart and dedication to the work they do.”
The true success of Project SEARCH lies in the lives changed through its opportunities. Several interns have transitioned into paid employment on or near the Miami campus, including positions at the university’s childcare center and in campus dining services. Others have used their skills to secure community employment throughout Butler County and beyond.
“Our interns are out there working, walking to their jobs on campus, taking the bus, managing their own transportation,” Nunamaker said. “They are becoming independent young adults, and that’s what this program is all about.”
Now in its 16th year, the Project SEARCH and Miami University partnership continues to expand into new areas of opportunity. Interns are now engaged with the facilities teams, small businesses at College@Elm, and entrepreneurial ventures such as Coarse Culture, a start-up focused on handmade cosmetics and packaging. Each new placement deepens the program’s reach and reinforces the mission shared by both institutions, which is to empower every individual with the skills, confidence, and experiences to thrive.
“Fifteen years on campus is a remarkable milestone,” said Albrecht. “But what we’re most proud of are the students whose confidence, independence, and skills have grown because of this program.”
As Butler Tech and Miami University look to the future, both remain committed to strengthening their partnership and celebrating the transformative power of inclusion. Together, they continue to open doors, proving that when opportunity and ability meet, lives are changed forever.
