Category Archives: leadership

Future Colleagues

I used to take the train from Philly to Baltimore once per week to teach a 3-hour Special Topics in Journalism class. I was filling in for a pretty well-known person, the university’s Journalist-in-Residence, and it paid $5000 per semester. I bought 10-packs of tickets for $400 per set, three times per semester, so $1200Continue reading “Future Colleagues”

Leadership (also: I’m Moving to New York)

My friend Mai is a graduate student, studying education. She recently asked me how I define “administration,” and what does “leadership” mean to me? She hit me at a good time. I’ve been thinking about this stuff a lot lately. An administrator creates pathways for people to do the work needed, I responded. They ensureContinue reading “Leadership (also: I’m Moving to New York)”

Sabbatical

On July 27, a few hours after defending my doctoral dissertation, I went to the pool to chill. I nearly fell asleep in the water. I had no idea how exhausted I was. It’s a good thing I was on sabbatical this year because I never would have been able to get the dissertation doneContinue reading “Sabbatical”

Make Philly the Education Hub

Philadelphia should invite Cheyney University of Pennsylvania to return here, the county where that school was founded, and maybe even give them free or cheap land. Shoot, I’d even suggest throwing in a few buildings. And while we’re at it, the city should create an intercollegiate innovation campus where other Pennsylvania schools and colleges couldContinue reading “Make Philly the Education Hub”

August 12: Mookie & Kenzo

My son, Kenzo William Miller, was born 9 days early, arriving on August 12, exactly two years to the day after Mookie, my beloved little pup, passed away. I can’t decide if that’s just a crazy coincidence or something deeper. But I feel like there is a connection, and that has my brain spinning. InContinue reading “August 12: Mookie & Kenzo”

Three Years in Japan

I recently found the letter I sent when applying for the job I just left, the associate dean for academic affairs at Temple University, Japan Campus. It’s amusing. It is 1,700 words of folksy language, joking around, and rambling, sentimental prose. It avoids outright boasting for the most part and sounds a little too modestContinue reading “Three Years in Japan”

The Single-speed Life

I’m not sure how many miles I have biked around Japan over the past three years but I’d venture to say it’s several thousand. I mean, I use my single-speed Tokyo Bike every day – going the short distance to and from school, picking up super-cheap sushi in Shibuya, biking to baseball games in allContinue reading “The Single-speed Life”