![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.trincoll.edu\/reporter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/143\/2025\/09\/250415_Trinity_Miller-848x1024.jpg\")
<\/p>\nWhen Giovanna Miller P\u201925 stepped down as board chair of the American Red Cross Metro New York North chapter, she thought her days of nonprofit leadership were behind her. But that changed during her son\u2019s first year at Trinity, when a Homecoming tailgate hosted by the Parents Leadership Council (PLC) sparked a desire to get involved.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt wasn\u2019t just about writing a check and attending a meeting,\u201d she says. \u201cIt was taking a deep dive into the College.\u201d<\/p>\n
By January 2022, Miller was asked to chair the PLC. Before saying yes, she checked in with her son, Michael Miller \u201925.<\/p>\n
\u201cAre you okay if you see me on campus a bit more than other parents?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cMom,\u201d he replied, \u201cthat\u2019s right up your alley.\u201d<\/p>\n
Miller led the PLC until May 2025, stepping down after her son\u2019s graduation. With her philanthropic background and natural ability to connect, she quickly became a cornerstone of parent engagement. She ran biannual meetings, hosted off-campus receptions, and played a key role in fundraising.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs chair, you try to interact as much as possible with parents,\u201d she says. \u201cIt\u2019s a little different dealing with parent-to-parent as opposed to parent-to-staff. They ask me questions they wouldn\u2019t normally ask someone in Advancement. That\u2019s why I think it\u2019s important for parents to get involved at a leadership level.\u201d<\/p>\n
She also valued the insight the role gave her. \u201cBeing part of the PLC gave me a great opportunity to listen to faculty and staff and learn about all the programs available to students,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
One of those programs was the Career and Life Design Center, which helped Michael prepare for a career in finance through r\u00e9sum\u00e9 support and mock interviews. But it wasn\u2019t just Trinity\u2019s career prep that impressed Miller\u2014it was the breadth of her son\u2019s personal and academic growth.<\/p>\n
During a semester in Rome, Michael became fascinated by art and architecture. When she went to visit him, Miller couldn\u2019t believe her ears when he said he was taking art history courses and planned to double major in Italian along with economics.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know Trinity is a liberal arts school, but I never thought of him as a liberal arts person,\u201d she says. \u201cBut he actually is. Trinity expanded his horizons tremendously, and I really appreciate that.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Millers have been all in on Trinity since Michael\u2019s first year, when he walked onto the squash team. When the opportunity arose to support the athletics program by donating a new squash court, the family didn\u2019t hesitate.<\/p>\n
\u201cGiovanna has demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to Trinity, our students, and to the parent community through her thoughtful leadership and exceptional philanthropy,\u201d says Kerry Smith, executive director of alumni, family, and Reunion giving.<\/p>\n
As PLC chair, Miller always aimed to lead by example. She gave early and often to Trinity\u2019s fundraising efforts and encouraged other families to take the long view.<\/p>\n
\u201cTuition doesn\u2019t cover all the costs for a student,\u201d she explains. \u201cThere\u2019s always a gap. Plus, you want the future of the College to keep up with the times. And you want to leave a legacy for your student as well.\u201d<\/p>\n
That legacy is already in place\u2014not only in bricks and mortar but also in their family\u2019s lasting connection with Trinity. Even after Michael\u2019s graduation, Miller says, her bond with the College will endure.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve put a lot of blood, sweat, and tears into the last four years watching my kid flourish,\u201d she says. \u201cWatching him have that pep in his step from the time he was a [first-year] to developing into this fine young man has been such a joy. I will always stay connected to the school. I can\u2019t imagine life without some kind of Trinity influence.\u201d<\/p>\n
By Eliott Grover
\nIllustration by Kathryn Rathke<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
When Giovanna Miller P\u201925 stepped down as board chair of the American Red Cross Metro New York North chapter, she thought her days of nonprofit leadership were behind her. But that changed during her son\u2019s first year at Trinity, when a Homecoming tailgate hosted by the Parents Leadership Council (PLC) sparked a desire to get […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":139,"featured_media":0,"parent":4669,"menu_order":5,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-4755","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n