After two four-year terms on the NOVA Board as one of three members representing Fairfax County, David Miller is stepping down. For the past two years, he has served as Board Chair. His last meeting was on May 20.
First appointed by then-Braddock District Supervisor and now Board of Supervisors Chair Sharon Bulova, Miller says he has enjoyed working with President Robert Templin, Jr. during his service on the Board and is pleased with the steady progress NOVA has made over those years.
“The growth of this College measured by both the quantity of students served and the quality of the programs offered has been phenomenal,” said Miller. “In the 2012-2013 academic year, NOVA awarded more associate degrees than any other two-year college in the country. At the same time, NOVA is the only Virginia institution of higher education with eight consecutive Outstanding Faculty Awards. That is more than UVA or the College of William and Mary.”
Miller, a former U.S. Army Infantry Officer, said his priorities were on active duty military, veterans and their families, as well as individuals with special needs.
“I am pleased that we have veterans advisors at each of our campuses and that for the fourth straight year NOVA has been named a ‘Military Friendly School’ by G.I. Jobs magazine.”
As the father of two autistic boys, Miller said that he has a special interest and place in his heart for young people with disabilities. “NOVA is committed to ensuring that all students have an opportunity to pursue a college education regardless of a disability, and NOVA can anticipate increasing numbers of students with disabilities because of our open admissions policy.”
Optimistic about the future of NOVA, Miller sees three trends on the horizon.
“First, I foresee a new, expanding and mutually beneficial relationship between NOVA and George Mason University with both institutions working collaboratively to make post-secondary education more affordable. A second trend is the expansion of innovative programs like our SySTEMic Solutions program that involves an active collaboration with area private sector companies like Micron. NOVA is positioned to create a sustainable workforce pipeline that by the year 2015 will have more than 3,000 students preparing for careers in science, technology, engineering, math and the health sector.”
Finally, the third trend Miller sees is a more active relationship between NOVA and the federal government, particularly in cybersecurity training. “Given our proximity to Washington, such partnerships are an attractive opportunity not shared by most other community colleges.”
As he departs after eight years, Miller said he appreciates the opportunity to have served the people of Fairfax County on the College Board and congratulates the NOVA faculty, staff and students for all they have accomplished. “My advice is not to let up and keep on pushing for excellence,” he said.
