Elizabeth Miller Honored with ‘Creating the Next’ Award

Posted May 12, 2020

By Michael Pearson

Fifteen years ago, Elizabeth Miller and the students she worked with faced a challenge. They knew just how special the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts was, but that often wasn't apparent to prospective students.

The solution? Shadow Day, which over the years has brought more than 3,000 would-be students together with Ivan Allen College faculty and students in day-long visits meant to show off the College’s cutting edge approach to liberal arts.

“Not one orientation goes by during the summer when a parent or student doesn’t pull me aside and say, ‘The whole reason we are here is because of Shadow Day. That changed everything for us,’” said Miller, the College’s director of Enrollment and Student Affairs.

Georgia Tech recently recognized Miller's work on Shadow Day, which is unlike any other event on campus, with the Creating the Next Award.

“The Institute's Creating the Next Award is all about honoring innovators who not only come up with big new ideas, but who also see everyday challenges as an opportunity to improve our efforts,” said Interim Dean John Tone.

“Elizabeth's creation of Shadow Day 15 years ago has had a tremendously positive impact on the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts, helping potential students better understand the innovation and vitality at the heart of what we do. Her work every day on behalf of the College and our students is equally exemplary. This recognition from the university is most deserved."

Miller called the award “a pleasant surprise.”

“I’m very humbled and appreciative,” she said. “I’m really happy this program and the student ambassadors who work so hard on it are getting this much deserved recognition.”

Developing Confidence and Excitement in Would-be Students

Shadow Day immerses prospective and registered students in the experience of an Ivan Allen undergraduate, surrounding them with students, faculty, and staff from the College and its six schools. They attend classes, learn about student life, tour housing, and have breakfast and lunch with current students, professors, and advisors.

On average about 180 students and parents attend each of the two spring sessions, one each in February and March. After last year’s Shadow Day events, 79% of participants evaluated the event as “very helpful” in helping them make their college choice, Miller said. More than 60% of students who attend one of the sessions put down a deposit with Georgia Tech.

“Students (and parents) who attend Shadow Day often come in comfortable in their choice to attend Georgia Tech, but they leave super confident and excited,” she said.

‘I Knew I Could Find My Place’

Kaitlyn Cullen attended Shadow Day in 2019 before making her choice to attend Georgia Tech. She is now a rising second-year student in the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs, and a student ambassador for the college.

“Until my senior year of high school, I never wanted to go to Tech. To me, the traditional Tech student was an engineer, and I would never fit in,” Cullen said. “After I was accepted to Tech, my parents made me attend a Shadow Day just to make sure I got all the available information before I made a decision, and it was then I decided I wanted to go to Tech. I talked to so many interesting and diverse students, I knew I could find my place here. I learned at Shadow Day that the traditional Tech student was not an engineer, it could be whoever I made it.”

Another student ambassador, Lydia Wiederholt, said she hesitated to accept an offer from Georgia Tech because she knew so little about the liberal arts programs.

“It wasn’t until Shadow Day that I learned of the perks of attending Georgia Tech to obtain a liberal arts degree,” said Wiederholt, a rising second-year public policy student from Atlanta. “Sitting in on classes and talking to current students helped educate me and convince me to enroll at Georgia Tech.”

A longtime employee

Miller credited the Ivan Allen College student ambassadors such as Cullen and Wiederholt for much of the success of the program, citing their energy, passion, and infectious enthusiasm.

“This event simply would not be possible without them,” she said.

Now in her 16^th year at Georgia Tech, Miller has spent most of that time in her current role — guiding enrollment and student affairs although she also worked as an academic advisor in the School of Public Policy, the School of History and Sociology, and for students in the former undeclared major.

The relationships she has built over the years have yielded an impressive collection of snow globes from around the world - gifts from students and colleagues.

Before coming to Georgia Tech, Miller was the assistant dean of student affairs at the University of Louisville School of Nursing and a clinical therapist at the Medical University of South Carolina.