Class of 2022: Hannah Miller

Hannah Miller is an Elementary Education major with a minor in Psychology from Ellicott City, Maryland.

When I took my first step on the Hill, I was: Sixteen years old, just starting to tour colleges in the area. The minute I left McDaniel that day, I told my mom I was going to come here, and no other school gave me that instant “at home” feeling.

The me who will ring the Old Main bell on Commencement Day is: Determined, well-rounded, and thankful for all the people I’ve met, the lessons I’ve learned, and the connections I’ve made on the Hill.

Real world experiences: I have been able to complete multiple teaching internships in various elementary schools around the area, which have helped me make connections to get a full-time teaching job! Many of the teachers I interned with were actually McDaniel alumni, passing their knowledge onto the next generation of McDaniel educators.

My aha moment: People will always remember how you make them feel. I’ve learned this in my own schooling, as well as while I have been teaching. People are never going to remember everything you say or do, but how you make others feel can stay with them for a lifetime and really make an impact.

Footprints I’m leaving on the Hill: From Merritt Hall to Gill Center to the lacrosse field, and many places in between, I was able to be involved in so many different things and meet a wide array of people. I worked with people from a variety of backgrounds, and that definitely helped me grow as I was constantly learning from others.

Faculty or staff member who most influenced who I have become: Erin Benevento — I was lucky enough to work with her the past four years in the peer mentor program. She is the definition of positivity, inclusion, compassion, and dedication all in one, and the way she makes every person feel so special and valued is incredible. I have learned so much about leadership and working with others from her that I will take into both my career and daily interactions forever.

Best class ever: Assessment for Literacy Instruction with Dr. Becca Gibson because I got to plan, implement, and analyze a reading intervention program with a first-grade reader. I got to meet with my student one-on-one a couple times a week, both in person and online, and it was so amazing to see her progress over the semester. This class and practicum helped me see how much of an impact you can have on a child, and how capable each and every student is when provided with equitable resources and support.

Took me totally by surprise: How accommodating and supportive the professors and staff are at McDaniel. I have made great connections and gained multiple lifelong mentors, and I look forward to staying in touch with them!

My favorite spot on campus: The stadium. Whether I’m on the field playing lacrosse, on the hill tailgating and supporting other athletes, or in the press box for Fellowship of Christian Athletes meetings, this area of campus has meant so much to me.

Most mind-boggling idea I learned at McDaniel: How much of a difference a small school makes in your education. The class sizes, the relationships with staff, the ability to know so many people when you walk around campus, and how it makes you feel so at-home.

My capstone title: Student Teaching.

What it’s about in plain talk: For the entire fall semester, I was a full-time teacher for first and second grade at Elmer Wolfe Elementary School. While my capstone was not a typical research-based project, student teaching was a culminating experience to practice everything I’ve learned over the past four years in a real classroom setting.

Tell us a little about your activities, including sports, during your years at McDaniel: I have been involved in a lot of different activities on campus, but some of my favorites include being a goalie and captain of the women’s lacrosse team, being on the advisory board of the peer mentor program, being the president of Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, and completing the Honors Program.

What’s next: I accepted a job for fall 2022 as a fourth grade teacher at Elmer Wolfe Elementary School in Carroll County, Maryland!

If you received financial aid, what did that mean for you and your family? I received a full tuition Presidential Scholarship, which allowed me to come to McDaniel in the first place. I absolutely loved this school the second I stepped on campus, but my family and I knew I would need a lot of aid or scholarship money to support that dream. This has also meant that I am leaving college with no loans, which has already lifted a big weight off my shoulders.

How will you stay connected to McDaniel? What will keep me forever connected to McDaniel is the people I’ve met here. Even if I’m not physically on campus, Green Terror blood runs deep and the friends, teammates, coworkers, professors, and staff members I have interacted with will always keep me close to the Hill. McDaniel gave me my life-long best friends, and I couldn’t be more thankful for that.

Family legacy: My younger sister, Emma, is actually also at McDaniel in the class of 2024! I never thought we’d end up at the same school (or on the same lacrosse team), but it truly has been one of my favorite parts of the last two years, which are filled with memories I will cherish forever. It has brought my family closer together and made it so much easier for us to all stay connected while we’re away at college. We are very different, but it’s been so cool to see how well McDaniel has served both of us in our respective fields and interests.