In The Name Of A Statesman
Miller Center To Be Developed At The College Of Southern Maryland In Honor Of Senate President
Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. Center for Leadership Programs and Services.
Portions of this article were excerpted from WTOP.
Power players from Calvert, Charles and Prince George’s Counties turned out to help raise funds and pay tribute to one of Maryland’s own-State Senate President Thomas V. “Mike” Miller Jr.
More than 300 people including former Governor Parris N. Glendening, Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks, State Senator Joanne C. Benson, U.S. House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer, and a host of political colleagues, friends, and family joined Miller on September 26 at the Running Hare Vineyard in Prince Frederick, MD.
Rep. Steny Hoyer // PHOTO: AMIR STOUDAMIRE PRINCE GEORGE’S SUITE MAGAZINE
The College of Southern Maryland Foundation is establishing the Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. Center for Leadership Programs and Services. It is being created for students with an interest in public service and public policy.
The center will offer an endowed scholarship for student leaders; inclusive and diversity leadership initiatives and student leader internships among other opportunities for careers in public life. Attendees paid a minimum of $500 to begin the project with the funds going towards programming and a named endowed scholarship. But it wasn’t just a fundraiser, the event transitioned in to a tribute to a man who began his state senate career in 1975 and started his career as the longest serving president in Maryland senate history in 1987. Through memories and stories, attendees recognized Miller’s years of leadership-from lawyer to senate president- representing the state of Maryland.
“He’s a legend…And he’s re-elected [as Senate president] by his colleagues every year. This is a business of ambitious people. And if there were people who thought they could beat Mike Miller, he wouldn’t be the longest-serving in that position,” said U.S. House Majority Leader, Rep. Steny H. Hoyer.
Charles County Commission President Reuben B. Collins II recalled as a young lawyer observing Miller walk into the Charles County courthouse: “It seemed that every clerk in the courthouse stopped everything to say hello…I thought, that’s the kind of lawyer I want to be.”
While funds were raised to begin establishing the center; family, friends, and colleagues were showing love and respect to honor their distinguished native son.
