1. Tiny escape: Every February, Miller jets to the warm weather of Aruba for his birthday. This year without travel, his co-workers made a mini-beach—a glass plate filled with sand and faux sea-colored glass—to transport him to his happy place.
2. Mascot Maker: Miller helped create the first mascot bobblehead at the University of Chicago—a limited edition of the Maroons’ “angry bird.”
3. Shelf Life: His book collection spans a 20-year higher-ed career, including copies of “The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom” by Don Miguel Ruiz. He reaches for it when faced with complicated situations.
4. Another Atypical Year: In 2005, Miller was working at Tulane when the city was hit by Hurricane Katrina. Miller managed welcome-back events for students. “Katrina had wiped out so much on campus,” says Miller. “I was even ordering grass.” That year, he was awarded a Crest Award, Student Organization Advisor of the Year—an award particularly special because students nominated and voted for him.
5. With Passion: Miller received this Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc., clock as a thank you gift for his work as the secretary of his chapter. Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. is one of the nine historically black fraternities and sororities that focuses on service to the community.