{"id":601,"date":"2026-05-22T12:48:26","date_gmt":"2026-05-22T17:48:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.muw.edu\/visions\/?p=601"},"modified":"2026-05-22T12:48:26","modified_gmt":"2026-05-22T17:48:26","slug":"millers-legacy-one-of-perseverance-triumph","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.muw.edu\/visions\/features\/millers-legacy-one-of-perseverance-triumph\/","title":{"rendered":"Miller’s Legacy One of Perseverance & Triumph"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\"Nora<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

For Nora Miller, her presidency is not defined by the fanfare. It is not the two new academic facilities constructed under her tenure. Nor is it the record enrollment increase in fall 2025. No, for Miller, her presidency is defined by the people. This is nowhere more evident than the case of Benjamin Little. \u201cOne of our alums, Betty Ruth Hawkins, worked for the Department of Corrections. She had a program for veterans,\u201d Miller said. \u201cShe called me and said she had a big favor to ask, she wanted me to meet someone, and I had to go to prison to meet them.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Little suffered from drug addiction, which led to a 20-year prison sentence. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While in prison, he formed a relationship with God and became involved with several prison programs, including being a spiritual mentor for incarcerated veterans at Central Mississippi Correctional Facility (CMCF), which is where he met Hawkins. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fast forward a bit, and Miller enters CMCF. The clang of the metal bars closing behind her already have her on edge. The idea of going to prison, even as a visitor, is unsettling. Before her sits a man, who is equally nervous. The two immediately felt at ease with one another, though. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe was so sincere,\u201d Miller said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There was a reason for her visit. Little was hoping to be released from prison early, within the next year, and he had a goal in mind. Little wanted to continue his mission of helping others by becoming a counselor, but first he needed to go back to college. The W was his school of choice. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe had just gotten married to someone from this community, and when he got out, he wanted to be able to come to school here. So, I told him we\u2019d work with him,\u201d Miller said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Little had a few bouts with college previously, so his GPA was not high enough for admission. After being denied academic forgiveness, he was advised what classes to take at East Mississippi Community College to get his average up to the 2.5 needed for admission. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once at The W, Little was a model student. He maintained a 4.0 GPA and his graduation is the moment that stands out to Miller most from her seven-year stint as president. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen he walked across that stage, that was the most meaningful to me,\u201d Miller said tearfully, choking a bit on the emotion. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Little went on to get his master\u2019s degree from Mississippi State University and applied for his counselor\u2019s license. His application was denied, and Miller wrote an appeal on his behalf.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Benjamin<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\u201cHe has the best attitude about it,\u201d she said. \u201cI was crushed when he didn\u2019t get it, and he said, \u2018all things come in time, it\u2019s ok.\u2019 He felt confident.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Little has seen much success in the four years since graduating from The W. He has continued to build a career centered on restoration, advocacy and service. He currently works with the Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services, where he assists individuals with disabilities in pursuing independence and meaningful employment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

He earned his Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) credential and successfully passed the National Counselor Examination. Now, he has his sights set on becoming a Provisionally Licensed Professional Counselor (P-LPC). Little also founded Transformative Living, Inc., a 501(c)(3) faith-based therapeutic sober living program for men located in West Point. The organization exists to support men transitioning from addiction, incarceration and life instability by addressing mental, vocational and spiritual growth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Throughout all of this, he has never forgotten the university president who visited him in prison. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEvery milestone I have reached since graduation is directly connected to the foundation President Miller helped lay in my life,\u201d Little said. \u201cShe believed in me at a time when my future was still uncertain and invested in my potential without any obligation to do so. That belief became fuel. Completing my Master\u2019s degree, earning my CRC certification, passing the National Counselor Exam and launching Transformative Living were not just personal achievements; they were steps along a path she helped open.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

He praised Miller\u2019s willingness to forgo judgment based on past actions, and instead foster potential within him. <\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Nora<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\u201cPresident Miller, alongside BR Hawkins, chose to see me not as the man defined by my past, but as the man I was striving to become,\u201d he said. \u201cFollowing my incarceration, I encountered many barriers because people continued to view me through the lens of my offense rather than through the possibility of rehabilitation. President Miller made a different choice; she chose to invest in my future. Her willingness to support me created a new pathway forward. Her example taught me the power of seeing potential in people and committing to their growth even when it requires faith. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since meeting her in 2019, I have continued walking the path she helped make possible. Her belief in me reshaped how I see myself and now influences how I choose to see and serve others.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

BUILDING A BETTER FUTURE<\/strong>
One of the first projects undertaken after Miller took office was the $8.2 million renovation of the Demonstration School into what is now known as Turner Hall, the home of the Department of Speech-Language Pathology. <\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Turner<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\u201cIt had been a number of years since we had had new construction that was not a result of a disaster,\u201d Miller said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo, being able to renovate the old demonstration school for speech-language pathology, and being able to name the first building after an African American on this campus, that was a really thrilling day.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turner Hall, a top-of-the-line facility, featuring three distance learning ready classrooms while also serving in-person students. It also features 100% LED lighting, high-efficiency HVAC systems and motion sensors for lighting with sensors to control power outlets when the building is unoccupied. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The building was named for Alma Turner, \u201981, who served as the principal of the Demonstration School from 1985-95. Turner had a connection to the speech-language pathology program as well, one that Miller was unfamiliar with until the dedication ceremony. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turner\u2019s daughter was born with severe developmental disabilities, and she attended the Speech and Hearing Center as a child. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt was thrilling being able to dedicate that building, but then hearing her story, I\u2019d say that was one of the high points of my presidency,\u201d Miller said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A more recent addition to campus was the new, 40,000-square-foot Culinary Arts Institute. The state-of-the-art facility is the only one of its kind in the area, and it was a passion project for Miller. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe culinary building had been such a long time coming,\u201d Miller said. \u201cIt had to be pieced together with three years\u2019 worth of bond funding. Then seeing the change from what they [Culinary Arts] had worked with in Shattuck, and all of a sudden seeing this state-of-the-art professional facility was really neat.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The $17.9 million facility was completed in 2023, and boasts impressive stats. <\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Culinary<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

It features multiple kitchens with the latest commercial grade equipment, two large prep kitchens with islands that have a built-in stove, a tiered classroom, a baking kitchen with a chocolate room, demonstration kitchen with streaming capabilities and an 80-person event space. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLooking out and seeing that beautiful building that anchors the east side of the campus is pretty cool,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another highlight of Miller\u2019s presidency was surpassing the $25 million goal for the capital improvement campaign. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe had an original goal of $15 million, and pretty quickly we surpassed that, and we’re at like $17 million, and decided that we were going to go for $25 million, and we blew past that to $26 million,\u201d she said. \u201cNow most of that is in the form of bequests, and so that\u2019s money that presidents down the road and students down the road will benefit from. So, while we\u2019re excited to hit that $26 million mark, that doesn\u2019t mean we have $26 million to spend, and I want to remind people of that.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Under Miller\u2019s tenure, The W also established The Women\u2019s College. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are two undergraduate designations within the college, 1884 Scholars and 1884 Fellows, named after the year the university opened its doors as the first statefunded institution for women in the country. Open to all W students, the college is grounded in the university\u2019s rich history of academic and leadership development for women and offers coursework, a living-learning community, a speaker series, mentoring opportunities with alumni and other programming opportunities focused on supporting students to grow as leaders. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat was part of acknowledging our mission and wanting to make it more than in name only,\u201d she said. \u201cWe had thought that we would do that as a part of the name change, but we went ahead and did it anyway because that commitment is important. We were founded to serve an underserved population, and we continue to do that. That demographic has just changed a little bit. But I think that\u2019s still important.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

HIGHS AND LOWS
<\/strong>When asked to summarize her presidency, Miller chose one word, \u201cchallenging.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Miller was named the 15th president of the University in 2018, succeeding Dr. Jim Borsig after his retirement. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Having been chief financial officer since 2001, Miller was no stranger to The W or its people. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing at a small institution like this, you get to learn about academic affairs and about student affairs and about other areas on campus that I think at a larger institution, if I had gone in as vice president of finance, I\u2019d have been involved with finance only,\u201d she said. \u201cBut here, it\u2019s a cohesive environment. You have got to understand how it all comes together and what parts need work at what time and how they need to work together.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That made her appointment as president a logical one. However, the move presented its own unique challenges. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cComing into the presidency, it was kind of difficult for me to let go of what I knew,\u201d she said. \u201cThat was an interesting part of it too, being a person who likes spreadsheets and likes getting down to the detail, and not having time for that, and having to just let go and trust someone else to do that.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"People<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Another challenge presented itself very early in Miller\u2019s presidency. The COVID-19 Pandemic which swept the globe and forced schools nationwide to close for months, came on the heels of her first full year leading the university. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt was really heartening to see how this campus came together and how people did whatever was needed to keep going,\u201d she said. \u201cWe had our provost and our athletic director spraying classrooms. It was just crazy, all the things that we went through, but just seeing how people were willing to do all of that was very encouraging.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That challenge, as mentioned, was faced by universities all across the world. Miller faced a challenge that was definitely unique to The W and her presidency, the name change. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In January 2024, the new proposed name for the University, Mississippi Brightwell University, was announced. Immediately, it was met with virulent opposition from alumni and the public alike. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPeople have asked, \u201cWhat would I have changed? What would I have done differently?\u2019\u201d Miller said. \u201cIt still may have ended up the same way, but I would have involved the alumni more in the beginning.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While admitting that alumni could have been more involved, Miller also acknowledges that there will never be a name that everyone agrees on. The W means too many different things to too many different people for one name to satisfy that legacy in their minds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere was no really good name, and people were going to be able to take pot shots at whatever it was, but we were trying to get beyond the name and trying to have people understand that what you love about this place isn\u2019t the name, it\u2019s the opportunities, it\u2019s the relationships, it\u2019s the memories. Our name has changed throughout our history, and so it\u2019s proven it doesn\u2019t change who we are, it just changes how we present ourselves.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ultimately the effort failed, and the University name remained unchanged. Efforts to merge The W with Mississippi State University and move The Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science (MSMS) to Starkville caused everyone to set aside their differences and join forces to fight for the University once again. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen they decided that our name was going to be Mississippi State University at The W, everybody got on board and came together, and that\u2019s because most of the people who were against the name change, those who were involved with the university realized that there was more to it, and that we had more in common than we had setting us apart. So that was encouraging and kind of heartwarming just to see that we all want the same thing. We just disagreed on how we present ourselves.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Miller also believes that something positive can be gleaned from that tumultuous time though. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI think it made the community realize how important we are,\u201d Miller said. \u201cWe anchor Southside and we are an important part of this community, both The W and MSMS, and the pride that our community has in both places is heartening.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

WHY NOW?
With her contract recently renewed through 2028, many have asked Miller, \u201cWhy now?\u201d For her, the answer is simple. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTurning 65 feels less like a finish line and more like a milestone \u2014 one that gives me time to reflect, with pride, on what we\u2019ve accomplished together, and to look ahead, with real joy, to more time with my husband and family,\u201d Miller said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When asked what she would like to see happen at the University going forward, her response was one of hope. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI would like to see it be funded as it ought to be funded,\u201d she said. \u201cWe\u2019ve got good people here. We\u2019ve got good ideas. We\u2019ve got people who are willing to work and people who are willing to do things on a shoestring budget. But if we were able to really have some pockets to dig into. I think people would be amazed with what could happen here.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

She also offered advice to her successor, whoever it may be, \u201cbe involved.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey need to just experience everything,\u201d she said. \u201cTalk with everybody. Talk with our alumni past and closer ones, to find out what\u2019s really important, and just realize that while every institution is unique, we are extremely unique, and you can\u2019t just force what works somewhere else on us.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Nora<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

ENDING ON A HIGH NOTE
<\/strong>In fall 2025, it was announced that The W saw an 8% increase in enrollment, the largest increase percentage in nearly a decade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The total unduplicated student enrollment rose to 2,371 for fall 2025. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s nice to be able to leave things on an upward tilt,\u201d Miller said. \u201cWe have the increase in enrollment. We had the recognition of being the 14th best university for women in the country out of 750. You know that was a really high note that hasn\u2019t gotten so much attention, but that\u2019s pretty damn strong. Our continued recognition as a best value is another point of pride.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Miller acknowledged that it was far from a one-person job though. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOf course, all that we have accomplished, and all the recent recognitions are a result of the heart and hard work put in by our faculty, staff, friends and alumni,\u201d Miller said. \u201cI am thankful for the support and collective leadership from all members of our campus community.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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