John Miller, who has been a mathematics instructor at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College since 2007, was named Professor Emeritus at the College’s Spring 2024 Commencement Ceremony, held on May 9 at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum.

“This is an incredible honor and to know those who have received it before me makes it even more humbling than I could ever describe,” he said. “I am so very grateful to Dr. Graham, the Board of Trustees, and everyone involved in thinking of me for this honor, allowing me to continue to be a part of the Gulf Coast family.”

Miller retired this year from the college’s Jackson County Campus. In 2015, he became the campus Honors College Director and Phi Theta Kappa Advisor.  In 2022, he took on the added responsibility of Excelerate in STEM Grant Co-Principal Investigator and Scholar Mentor.

Since he became advisor of the Phi Theta Kappa Pi Epsilon chapter, it has been a Top-Rated Five-Star Chapter and has been named a top 25 Distinguished Chapter four times. Since working with the Honors College, he has mentored 29 Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise Scholars; 16 MS All-Academic Team members; 14 Jack Kent Cooke Semifinalists with seven winning the scholarship; 11 Coca-Cola All-Academic Team members, with eight being gold members, two silver members, and one bronze member; three New Century Transfer Scholars, and one All USA Academic Team member.

During his teaching tenure, Miller was named Teacher of the Year at Moss Point High School (2003), and while at MGCCC has received the Lamplighter Award (2010), Innovator’s Award (2014), Phi Theta Kappa Regional Horizon Advisor Award (2018-2024), Phi Theta Kappa Regional Paragon Advisor Award (2018), MGCCC Instructor of the Year for the Jackson County Campus (2020), Phi Theta Kappa International Distinguished Advisor Award (2020), and Phi Theta Kappa International Continued Excellence Advisor Award (2024).

“I truly believe in the mission of MGCCC and the value of the education the college provides,” Miller said. “I have witnessed this institution be the springboard to success and fulfillment of dreams for thousands of students who are now doctors, nurses, educators, lawyers, business owners, engineers, and many, many other professions.”