Penn State Behrend is one common place that thousands of students can credit as the place they ventured out and tried something new that positively impacted their life. Whether it be joining a club, volunteering on campus and in the community or trying a new sport, Behrend presents opportunities for virtually everyone. One individual who has become successful in all of the new activities she was involved within the last four years is senior tennis player Kelly Miller. Miller is originally from Louisville, Ohio, and is a 2014 graduate of Louisville High School. At Louisville, she was a standout soccer star and originally attended Edinboro University to play soccer. After one semester, she knew her passion to study engineering ran deeper than her passion to play soccer. Miller decided to transfer to nearby Penn State Behrend, who has been said to offer some of the most rewarding engineering programs in the country. However, she also wanted to try a new sport that she played for fun but never was involved with competitively.

 

Miller decided to try out for the Behrend women’s tennis team upon arrival. When asked about her motivation to switch to a new sport, she said “My sister Colleen also played tennis here at the time, and she encouraged me to give it a shot when I came to school here. It’s something I have not regretted doing one bit.” Miller had an immediate impact on the team, as she obtained two First Team All-AMCC Selections in her first two years of playing competitive tennis. In addition, she was an Academic All-AMCC Selection in 2015. In her freshman campaign, she was a part of an AMCC Championship team. This past season, she played number two singles and was a member of the number one doubles team for the Lions. While Miller has proven her athleticism on the tennis court, her involvement and skills extend further.

 

Miller is a mechanical engineering major and will start a job with Newell Brands in Huntersville, North Carolina upon graduation. She has been a part of two different research projects in her time as a student. One of these projects was encompassed her sophomore and junior years at Behrend. In this project, she helped mechanical engineering professor Dr. Adam Hollinger conduct research on microscale fuel cells. When she completed this research, she and Hollinger attended a conference in Hawaii where they presented their findings. Another project she was involved with was a multicampus research project, which she conducted at Behrend and University Park. She was able to research 3D printing of biomaterials. Miller has done a lot of research in her time at Behrend and has her career ahead of her, and she also has found a lot of time to give back to others over her time here.

 

Miller is a member of Gamma Sigma Sigma Sorority, which conducts a lot of service projects. She has been involved with Expanding Social Opportunities Events, Topps Programs, and Alternative Spring Break. Topps Outreach Programs allowed Miller to help local kids with special needs learn the game of soccer. The Alternative Spring Breaks have been trips to San Francisco, California and Houston, Texas to help make these areas and communities safer and healthier. The most recent trip to Houston, Texas was to help the many victims of Hurricane Harvey restore their homes. One other cause Miller has been a part of is Thon. Miller was elected as a dancer for Thon in 2017, and this past year, she served as Vice President. “Being a part of THON was one of my favorite activities these last four years. It is a great cause, and I am very happy I was involved in such a good cause,” she stated of her experience. While Miller is always finding ways to help others, she has a strong support group of family and friends who she credits to have helped her throughout her college career.

 

“My best friend and former teammate Alex Laffey has been there for me to help with school, tennis, and anything in life I have needed since I transferred to Behrend,” she said. Miller’s sister Colleen has also served as a great role model, teammate, and friend to younger sister Kelly. She said of Colleen “My sister Colleen always encouraged me to do more on campus, give the game of tennis a chance competitively and also she serves as an awesome example of where hard work can get you.” Colleen is currently a pharmacy student at Northeast Ohio Medical University, and she soon will become a full practicing pharmacist. Miller’s father Mark is also has been someone she looks up to. “I admire my dad most because he is outgoing, fun, hardworking and just someone who is fun to be around. I do not know many people who could make the best of situations like my dad can,” Miller stated. Overall, Miller’s family is what is most important to her. “I am thankful that my family is so close. They enjoyed coming to all of my matches and also we enjoy staying active in a lot of different ways outdoors. My mom, sister, and I also moved to Erie over the summer to be closer to the rest of my family, and I am thankful that most of my family is in one area now,” she said of her loved ones.

 

As Miller’s career as a Behrend student athlete comes to a close, it is important to realize just how much she has accomplished in her seven semesters here. She managed to work in research, participate in several different service projects, become a leader in a Behrend varsity sport and create many new friendships and relationships with colleagues and faculty that will last a lifetime. She has a bright future as a mechanical engineer, and she will likely enjoy the North Carolina weather much more than Erie’s. Miller has made both Behrend and the Erie community a better place over her last four years, all by taking advantage of the opportunities that Behrend has to offer.