UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Sean Miller has been named senior director of development and alumni relations in the Penn State Smeal College of Business. He succeeds Michelle Houser, who recently accepted a new position as assistant vice president, university development at Penn State.
Miller, who assumes the role on Monday, March 18, graduated from Penn State with a bachelor’s degree in political science in 2005. He began his professional career as a development assistant in Penn State’s Office of Gift Planning. He was named assistant director of development for the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences in 2007 and was later promoted to associate director. Since 2012, Miller has led the development and alumni relations team for the University’s Schreyer Honors College. He served as director and then was promoted to senior director in 2021.
Charles H. Whiteman, John and Karen Arnold Dean of Smeal, shared his confidence in Miller’s leadership as Penn State embarks on a new fundraising campaign.
“Under Sean’s leadership, the Schreyer Honors College surpassed its fundraising goals during the 'For the Future' and 'Greater Penn State' fundraising campaigns. He has served as liaison for several Schreyer boards and onboarded two deans and one interim dean during his tenure. I am confident that his experience and skills will benefit Smeal as we conclude our search for my successor and work to build philanthropic support for the students, faculty and programs that will propel Smeal to even greater success,” Whiteman said.
Miller said that he was looking forward to taking this next step in his professional career.
“I will be forever grateful to the deans and talented colleagues who worked with me to advance Schreyer’s philanthropic mission over the last 12 years,” Miller said.
“Dean Whiteman has positioned Smeal as one of the nation’s leading public business schools," he added, "and I am looking forward to partnering with him, his successor and the exceptional development and alumni relations team at Smeal to create extraordinary opportunities for Smeal’s students, faculty and staff.”