WSC President Dr. John Miller Announces June 2021 Retirement
Posted: Oct 05 2020
In a letter sent to campus late last week, WSC President Dr. John Miller announced his resignation as president effective June 30, 2021.
“After 37 years in public education, retirement beckons to me, and I am looking forward to the next part of my life journey. The decision I made six years ago to join the Williston State College family is one of the best personal and professional choices I made in a long career as an educator, and the professional and friendships formed in my time here are beyond measure to me.” Stated Miller in the campus letter.
Miller started at Williston State College as Vice-President for Academic Affairs in 2015, served as acting president for a year, then Miller was unanimously appointed as WSC's fourth president by the State Board of Higher Education (SBHE) in June of 2017.
During his 6 years at Williston State College, Miller has led the college through a period of increasing enrollment, an 8 million dollar public/private partnership renovation of Stevens Hall, a successful HLC seven year comprehensive review, campus reopening during a worldwide pandemic, reactivating the agriculture program, and an expansion of the Nursing program to Watford City and Tioga.
North Dakota University System Chancellor Mark Hagerott noted that Miller’s time as president had been a stabilizing one for the area. “President Miller has been a great leadership presence for Williston State College during his entire six-year tenure there, first as vice president for academic affairs and then as president,” Hagerott said. “His service to campus and community has continued to make the college a phenomenal resource for the region, and the state.”
Miller has always been an advocate of service learning and leads by example through his dedication to Williston as a Rotarian, Western Regional Economic Development board member, Chamber of Commerce board member, Tri-county Regional Economic Development board member and a member of St. Josephs Parish.
“I would personally like to thank Dr. Miller for his work here at Williston State College. He works tirelessly as our President to help ensure WSC stays a strong vibrant institution in western North Dakota. He always has the student’s needs in mind and his door is always open if you wanted to visit or talk shop.” Adds Lance Olson Math and Sciences Department Chair/Associate Professor.
Prior to his appointment at Williston State College, Miller worked as a secondary teacher and building administrator, Director of K-12 District Operations, on-line administrator for the Idaho Digital Learning Academy, and as Instructional Dean for Extended Studies at the College of Southern Idaho.