SKILLS ACQUIRED AT LV CARRY STUDENT TO SUCCESS

Miller (right) tutors in the Bloch School at UMKC (Jordan Lee/The Current).

by Jordan Lee

Longview graduate Steven Miller has found his niche. After discovering a natural talent while earning his Associate’s Degree at Longview, Miller, now a senior at University of Missouri Kansas City’s Bloch School, has transitioned his skills and education into success at the university level.

Miller’s story has not always been filled with achievement though. Out of high school, he pursued an ambition to play Division I basketball, but eventually realizing his goal was unobtainable, he found himself at Longview. It was here where he found his natural talent with numbers and began to grow into the sociable director he is today.

Miller took his first accounting class and as a result realized his passion and potential to excel in the discipline. “I could just read the book and figure it out. It convinced me that I need to do this,” he said. “I like looking at bank statements and there’s just something about things balancing.”

As easy as the numbers came for Miller, the outgoing behavior did not. Naturally an introvert, Miller finally stepped out of his comfort zone when he accepted an offer for an accounting tutor position his sophomore year. Pushed by a teacher to fill the spot, Miller’s interactions as a tutor led to growth in his involvement.
These skills and traits naturally carried over as he moved on to UMKC after graduating from LV in the spring of 2007. As a junior working toward a B.S. in accounting, Miller became involved with the honors accounting fraternity Beta Alpha Psi and was elected treasurer, assuming responsibilities that include creating financial statements for the organization, as well as planning and organizing community service involvement.

“You have to be involved and step out of your comfort zone. It opens doors that you may never know existed,” said Miller.

Over time his abilities and involvement began to gain notice which led to prime opportunities. In December of 2008, Miller was selected to participate in the FBI Citizens Academy. Here Miller learned about the inner workings of being an agent and got the chance to speak with current federal investigators.

“I hope to become a special agent in the white collar division dealing with forensic accounting and money laundering,” Miller said.

Along with the government recognition, Miller has also received notice from the faculty of UMKC. He was recommended by his teachers and selected to be on the cover of UMKC’s Bloch School magazine for 2008. Although a cover boy, Miller tries to remain humble with all his recent accomplishments. He credits his faith and family background as his support system and swears by using a planner to manage his time.