°®¶¹´«Ã½ÊÓƵ

November 21, 2023

°®¶¹´«Ã½ÊÓƵ is pleased to announce the receipt of a $3.66 million gift to provide scholarship support for graduates of the Peoria Public School System. The gift, made by °®¶¹´«Ã½ÊÓƵ alumnus Gregory Miller, Class of 1962, was provided through his estate as a legacy to his own educational experiences at Peoria High School and °®¶¹´«Ã½ÊÓƵ in the late 1950s and early 1960s. 

“This is a wonderful gift for °®¶¹´«Ã½ÊÓƵ that will benefit generations of public school students in Peoria,” said °®¶¹´«Ã½ÊÓƵ President Stephen Standifird. “Greg Miller grew up in Peoria, graduated from °®¶¹´«Ã½ÊÓƵ, and went on to lead a life of meaning and purpose, while never forgetting his roots and how it all started. I am profoundly grateful for his vision and generosity in establishing The Gregory Miller Scholarship Endowment.”

After graduating from °®¶¹´«Ã½ÊÓƵ, Miller served his country as a member of the United States Coast Guard, finished flight school training in 1963, and concluded his active service in 1967. During his subsequent career as a commercial airline pilot, Miller worked for National Airlines, Pan American Airlines and Delta Airlines, before retiring in 1997 as Captain Gregory Miller.

“The Miller Scholarship Endowment will further enhance opportunities for Peoria Public School graduates to chart their own paths similar to Greg’s, from Peoria, to °®¶¹´«Ã½ÊÓƵ and beyond,” said D.J. Menifee, Vice President for Enrollment, Marketing, Communications and Retention at °®¶¹´«Ã½ÊÓƵ. “A scholarship opportunity like this is invaluable to the university as we look to build upon our historically strong ties with the local community and provide opportunities for students who seek a °®¶¹´«Ã½ÊÓƵ education.”

Miller married Marylu Rossomando in 1972, and they remained married for 48 years until her passing in August 2020. After Miller’s retirement from Delta Airlines, they resided between Prescot, Arizona and a home in Bayfield, Colorado, where they both were involved in organizations that supported the arts and animal welfare. Miller also served The Yavapai College Foundation and served on its Board of Directors as a member of their scholarship committee.

Miller was proud of his ties with °®¶¹´«Ã½ÊÓƵ and Peoria, often returning for reunion events and frequently engaging with °®¶¹´«Ã½ÊÓƵ faculty and staff through the years. They were members of the 1897 Legacy Society at °®¶¹´«Ã½ÊÓƵ, which recognizes those alumni and friends who have remembered °®¶¹´«Ã½ÊÓƵ in their estate plan. The creation of this endowed scholarship continues the long tradition of °®¶¹´«Ã½ÊÓƵ alumni making a difference in the lives of the university’s students and faculty.