Centenary University Graduate Makes Valuable Connections Leading to Coaching Jobs
5/6/2024
HACKETTSTOWN, NJ
Trenton, NJ, resident Miron Miller combines baseball and accounting to begin his coaching career with the Philadelphia Phillies MLB Urban Youth Academy and Georgian Court University.
Miron Miller first enrolled in Centenary University to play baseball and study accounting. Four years later, he’s done both—and a whole lot more. Miller graduated on Saturday, May 4, with the Class of 2024, earning a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and the connections to begin a coaching career with a Philadelphia Phillies youth organization and Georgian Court University.
“I wanted to expand my horizons,” recalled Miller, who grew up in Trenton, NJ, and played baseball in high school. At the start of his college search, Centenary’s baseball coach reached out to invite Miller and his parents for a tour of the University’s campus in Hackettstown, NJ. “That was it—I knew I didn’t want to go anywhere else. I liked the area, and everyone on the baseball team and accounting department was really nice. Right then, I decided that Centenary was the best fit for me.”
Despite having confidence in his decision, Miller faced some culture shock leaving the city and moving to a more rural area. But from a young age, his parents had taught their outgoing son that it’s important to connect with people from different backgrounds. Centenary reinforced that skill: “Since middle school, I always liked talking to all kinds of people. It’s just something my parents instilled in me. Learning to reach out to other people is one of the biggest things I cherish about Centenary. You gain a lot more from life.”
Looking toward a career in coaching baseball, Miller used those interpersonal skills to connect with the right person at the Phillies MLB Urban Youth Academy, which is run by the Philadelphia Phillies. After volunteering for several years, the organization hired Miller for its summer program. Recently, Georgian Court University offered him a position as an assistant baseball coach for its fall and spring seasons.
At Centenary, Miller quickly became a campus leader. As a sophomore, he was named baseball team co-captain, a post he’s held for the past three years. That year, he was also accepted to Centenary’s Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), which provides academic, social, and financial support to underserved students. The EOP has given him opportunities to network with fellow students and volunteer in the local community. In fact, his baseball team has volunteered at a local school and Miller reads to elementary school children. A little-known fact—revealed only after commencement—is that Miller was also the Centenary University mascot, the Cyclone.
“I feel like I’m in a good spot right now,” said Miller, who plans to earn his CPA someday. “At Centenary, starting in freshman year I had a first-year leader, another student who taught me right away to be open to new things and not be afraid to express myself. That made my transition to college a lot easier. I really feel like Centenary pushed me out of my comfort zone.”
ABOUT CENTENARY UNIVERSITY
Centenary University offers extraordinary learning opportunities that empower students to develop intellectually, emotionally, and interculturally—keys to career and personal success. Under the leadership of President Dale Caldwell, Ed.D., the University aspires to advance its reputation as a world class institution offering innovative programs, including the world’s first Master of Arts in Happiness Studies, to lift the future for our students and local communities.
CONTACT
Kristen Volkland
Erbach Communications Group
(201) 960-3102