Ohio University wins prestigious residence hall “School of the Year” award

Ohio University has been honored with the School of the Year award at the regional level by the Central Atlantic Affiliate of College and University Residence Halls (CAACURH). This prestigious award recognizes outstanding achievements in residence-hall-based organizations like OHIO’s Residence Hall Association (RHA) and the National Residence Hall Honorary (NRHH). The award was announced during the recent Regional Business Conference (RBC), held Feb. 21-23 and hosted on Ohio University's campus in Athens. The School of the Year award is the highest honor a member institution can receive within the CAACURH community.

The School of the Year award highlights the exceptional contributions made by universities to their campus communities, regional organizations, and the broader National Association of College and University Residence Halls (NACURH). Ohio University’s impressive recognition was based on its exemplary involvement at all three levels: Campus Level Involvement, Regional Involvement, and NACURH-Level Involvement.

As an award recipient, Ohio University will work with the Regional Board of Directors (RBD) to submit its application for the national-level School of the Year award through NACURH. This allows Ohio University to showcase the incredible impact its residence-hall organizations have made across the country.

In addition to the honor of being named School of the Year, Lauren Armstrong, class of 2026, served as conference chairperson for the group of OHIO students who spearheaded and won the bid to host the 2025 RBC conference at Ohio University.

“Being RBC 2025 Conference Chair has been a surreal experience! I can’t believe I helped bring over 100 delegates and advisors across seven different states, from 20-plus institutions here to Ohio University,” Armstrong said. “I’m so incredibly grateful for this experience and so happy to have shared OHIO’s story.”

In addition, OHIO is proud to have William Chiacchira, an undergraduate student from the class of 2025, serving as its Central Atlantic Director, and John Moore, an OHIO employee and current resident director for Shively and Tiffin Halls, serving as the Regional Advisor for CAACURH.