Miller dedicated professional career to helping others
Cornelia Miller officially retired on Dec. 20 with 39 and a half years in education but said her job as director of adult eduction for Jefferson Davis Community College, now Coastal Alabama Community College, have been the most fulfilling years of her life.
Miller, 57, says she's looking forward to retirement and spending time with a new grandchild, but said she's not going to disappear and will volunteer her time to help others.
She is a 1980 graduate of Escambia County High School and received her associate's degree from then Jefferson Davis Jr. College. She received her bachelor's degree from Faulkner University and her master's at Alabama State.
Now a Huxford resident, Miller said she went to work on Sept. 1, 1981 as a receptionist at Atmore State Technical College. After two weeks on the job she was asked to go to the businesses office to close out the year.
She said she began working day and night until May, 1985, when she got married, and then only worked days.
She later moved to the financial aid office and was later named coordinator of testing and then back to financial aid in the position of accounting technology instructor.
In 2008, Miller began as the director of adult education and has seen the merger from Atmore State Technical College to JDCC and now Coastal Alabama.
While she's had a rewarding career in education, Miller said her tenure as director of adult education has been the most rewarding.
"After I got that job and began working I had no desire to go anywhere else," she said.
She said she's seen the adult education program evolve, noting at one time everybody came to the program only to get a GED. While providing GED training is still a part, adult education has gone beyond that concept.
"We'd like for everybody to get their GED, but sometimes that's not possible," she said. "But if we can increase their math and reading skills we have accomplished something."
"There is so much more than the GED degree," she said. "We're teaching computer skills and now students have the option to get their high school diploma instead of the GED. It opens the door for so many people, you can't imagine."
Miller was quick to point to the instructors that work in adult education and the impact they have on their students.
"The teachers work so hard with the students to give them the confidence and self esteem they need," Miller said. "We celebrate each accomplishment with each student and it makes them proud and wanting to do more."
She said working in adult education has been very rewarding because she can see the fruits of the labor.
"It's very, very rewarding to work with people who want to do better," she said.
She said while rewarding to her, it's also rewarding to the teachers who teach GED and other adult education classes.
"I've had very little turnover in teachers," she said. "They see the accomplishments and they see the results. They have to be patient, compassionate and encouragers."
Miller said she understands that while people in the adult education program have other responsibilities and obligations, such as working or raising a family it takes a big commitment. But she said the personal touch from the teachers means so much.
"That one little phone call to tell them 'we are missing you in class' goes a long way," she said. "That one phone call tells them somebody cares."
Susan Smith, who has worked with adult education for the past six years said Miller's desire to see people succeed and improve their lives instilled that same desire in the teachers.
"The morale with her was very good," Smith said. "She had the interest of the program at heart and was great to work for. It wasn't just a job to her, she really wanted to see these students succeed."
Anyone interested in the adult education opportunities through Coastal Alabama Community College can call 251-368-7633 for more information.
