Kevin Miller earns Graduate Opportunity Program scholarship

Kevin Miller was born and raised in the Bronx. His older sister Michelle was the first person in his family to graduate from high school, and she’s now a Doctor of Physical Therapy.

Her success opened Miller’s eyes to what could be possible, and a Graduate Opportunity Program (GOP) scholarship is making what could be possible a bit easier for the second-year PharmD student. “It’s a nice feeling to know one of the only things I have to worry about is studying and not money,” he said.

“My sister is proud of me and talks about it,” Miller added. “A lot of my motivation comes from that and makes me confidently believe that I can do more. I just have to have faith.”

And put in the work.

The work is likely what earned Miller the scholarship. He attended Lehman College in the Bronx, where he earned his undergraduate degree with a triple major in anthropology, biology and chemistry. His advisor there realized he could use extra resources to pursue his education. “I was part of the SEEK program [a City University of New York program that helps low-income students complete their degrees] and this is an extension of that,” said Miller. “My advisor then made me aware of the GOP program. She told me to fill out the application and wished me the best of luck!”

To this day, Miller visits his advisor. “She cried when I got accepted into pharmacy school. She’s like a second mom,” he said.

Miller could have gone elsewhere but found that Binghamton was the place for him. “Binghamton proved to be the pharmacy school that made me want to be the pharmacist I want to be,” he said. “Students work together and nurture each other. Professors have amazing accolades and care about their students. I made the right choice to be here.”

His drive to succeed has him touting the school to prospective students — and thanking others for supporting him. “I try to set an example for others,” he said. “A lot of my friends back home look up to me, but I’m only here because of them and the amazing support system I have.”

Miller is a student ambassador for the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science as well, which fits right in with his “life of the party” personality. “I get students more interested in this school and tell them what we have that other schools don’t have,” he said. “I like to talk about things!

As an ambassador, Miller leads tours on interview days and meet and greet sessions with prospective students. “If they want insight from a student’s point of view, I can talk about my passion for pharmacy,” he said. “I could go on for days about the professors, the environment and a well-nurturing community. I see it as an extension of what I’m passionate about.”

He also knows his limits. “I’m expanding on my studying habits,” he said. “They’ve improved, but can be better. I want to optimize my studying and get as much done as I do now, but at a faster pace. I need to study faster!”

To do that, Miller has put his video-game and TV-watching time on hold, choosing instead to study at the School of Pharmacy where there are fewer distractions, and the camaraderie of fellow students — a tough call for someone who used to get paid for playing in video game tournaments and sees them as a way to relieve stress. But until he earns his degree, games are pretty much on hold.

“I would not deny that I would be distracted at home by Netflix, TV, food and bed,” he said. “It’s too easy to escape from studying there, but in my spare time, I just study. I like to study.”

Other than studying, Miller likes to cook. He’s currently hooked on lasagna and desserts, and he also enjoys his short walk from his apartment to the School of Pharmacy. “It wakes me up and I need the fresh air!”

As far as what career path he wants to follow, Miller’s current thought is to do research into Alzheimer’s disease and plans to apply for the research track at the School of Pharmacy. “When I started my undergraduate degree, I intended to get a teaching degree in the sciences, but then my grandmother was diagnosed with dementia and Alzheimer’s,” he said. “It was very emotional when I visited her. She had always told me to be the best that I could be.

“I want to apply myself to the best degree that I can,” he said. “I thought that, if I have a passion for the sciences, why not do the most that I can with my knowledge? And that made me curious about the pharmaceutical sciences and passionate about study and research.

“I do envision myself doing research related to Alzheimer’s disease, but the thing about pharmacy is you never really know,” Miller said. “I’ve heard crazy stories about people totally planning on working in retail and now they’re doing ambulatory care, so those are my intentions, but you never know.

“I do have a passion for compounding as well so will see where it takes me. Or I also might want to pursue teaching somewhere down the line,” he added. “I plan on doing PGY1 and PGY2 residencies and will have more options after that.”