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February 9, 2010

Generation Next

(page 3 of 4)

The Dreamer

Lea Miller, Florida Atlantic University

When Lea Miller pulled out of her parents’ driveway three summers ago and pointed her car due south for the 12-hour drive to Boca Raton, the consensus among her friends was that she’d be back within a year.

There certainly was precedent for that in Ringgold, Ga., population just under 2,500, where several locals in Miller’s age group had returned home after getting a taste of life in a metropolis like Atlanta.
Miller, however, had other plans—ones that didn’t include the northwest Georgia town best known as the place where Dolly Parton married her husband, Carl.

“They all move back because they can’t stand being away from a small town,” Miller says. “I’m not meant for a small town. I’m meant for something much bigger.”

Just how big remains to be seen. As an ocean engineering major at Florida Atlantic University, Miller, 21, has gained insight into everything from beach renourishment to polymer research to the inner workings of a submarine. However, the former cheerleader (her teams from Ringgold competed nationally) doesn’t want to sit for hours in a lab, and she doesn’t want to play second fiddle on someone else’s project.
Miller wants to build ships. And not just any ships.

“I want to do my part in protecting all the freedoms that we have; this would be my way of doing that,” Miller says. “My goal is take designs [of military ships] that have been developed, bring together all [the best] bits and pieces ... and build something that can’t be destroyed.”

If Miller’s plan sounds more pipe dream than possibility, consider this: Over the summer, she was one of only 20-plus students selected from all over the country for an exclusive (civilian) naval-service internship in Bethesda, Md. The purpose? Design of an experimental ship hull.

“[Building ships] is a huge responsibility,” she says. “But, I like having that responsibility and knowing that people can put their faith in me. Eventually, I want to be the one who makes a difference—but I have a lot to learn.”

Part of that education, most recently, included research work for Lockheed Martin. Last year, FAU’s nanocomposite laboratory was awarded a grant from the global security magnate to conduct compression and flexure tests on polymers from three companies vying for Lockheed’s business. At stake? A huge contract for the company whose product, typically used in ship construction, best withstood the testing. Dr. Hassan Mahfuz of the ocean engineering department entrusted Miller with the entire project.

“I was ecstatic about the opportunity,” Miller says. “But it confirmed that I didn’t want to be in a research lab my whole career. ... I want to be the boss.”

Miller will earn her bachelor’s degree in 2010 but plans to stay at FAU for her master’s. As for returning to Ringgold, outside of visiting friends and family, that ship has sailed.

“There’s nothing wrong with small-town life,” she says. “It’s just that I see all the opportunities that the world has to offer, and I think, ‘How can you not want to be a part of that? How can you not want to be a part of making history?’”

Financial Aid

Unlike the stock market, college tuition and housing show no signs of tracking anywhere but up. Fortunately, there is state and national assistance available in the form of grants and scholarships. Here are just a few of the Web sites worth visiting.

Federal Student Aid: studentaid.ed.gov/PORTALSWebApp/students/english/index.jsp
College Board (scholarship search): apps.collegeboard.com/cbsearch_ss/welcome.jsp
FastWeb (scholarship search): fastweb.com
Peterson’s College Planner (scholarship/aid search): petersons.com/finaid
Florida Department of Education (statewide resources): floridastudentfinancialaid.org

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