Miller Leadership Academy Prepares Ball State Business Students to Lead
Miller Leadership Academy (MLA) scholar Kieran “Kiki” Rodriguez shares her experiences and insights with her MLA cohorts during one of the academy’s workshops last semester. Ms. Rodriguez was one of several MLA scholars who spoke during this workshop, which was focused on internships. Photo by Samantha (Blankenship) Ellis, ’15.
Supported by a Wallace T. Miller Jr. endowment, the Miller Leadership Academy provides Miller College students with scholarships, mentorship, and professional development focused on servant leadership.
Support for student success comes from across Ball State University’s campus. In the Miller College of Business, one standout example is the Miller Leadership Academy (MLA), which supports meritorious students financially, academically, and holistically. The academy, an opportunity open to all Ball State students who meet eligibility requirements, offers transformative programming that fosters responsible leadership and a commitment to serving others.
“Students selected for the Miller Leadership Academy have grit and a genuine desire to pursue excellence,” said Dr. Cathy DuBois, Bryan Dean of Miller College. “They become polished professionals with clear direction, ready to take on the world.”
MLA scholar Janiya Milton, a junior double-majoring in risk management and insurance, and business administration, said two of the best parts of the program are the opportunities to bond with other Miller College students and to participate in professional development.
“My MLA cohort is 10 students, and we did the Jump Start program in which we got to know nine other MLA scholars. So, that was 18 amazing relationships created with people I felt I could go to for anything: advice, help, or whatever,” Ms. Milton explained. “Having those connections meant a lot to me as a freshman transitioning into college life.”
She also points to the support and mentoring from members of the academy’s advisory board, which is comprised of successful business leaders—many of them Miller College graduates. Ms. Milton notes that numerous workshops, on topics such as résumé-building and maximizing LinkedIn, are valuable professional development opportunities.
MLA scholar Kieran “Kiki” Rodriguez, a senior majoring in human resources management and minoring in quality management, said she is grateful that advisory board members invest their time in students. She also appreciates the chance to grow as a leader while mentoring younger MLA scholars.
“Miller Leadership Academy teaches us not just to solve problems for other people, but to help people solve problems on their own,” Ms. Rodriguez explained. “We develop critical-thinking skills and look at ways to be there for others as servant leaders. That’s what helps make you a good leader.”
Each year, MLA accepts approximately 10-12 students. Those students receive an MLA scholarship, a renewable award of up to $11,000 that can be used for tuition, housing, and other expenses related to the cost of attendance.
Yet another example of philanthropic support directly helping students at Ball State, the academy is supported by a generous endowment from Wallace T. Miller Jr., the late successful businessman after whom Miller College and the academy were named.
