From Hemlock to Harvard
Brandon Edward Miller '97 pursued a foreign service POE in order to “focus on the international components of many different majors at Alma versus a traditional political science major.”
With the guidance of his mentor, Sandy Hulme, professor of political science, Miller was able to focus on international relations and international law. His POE gave him “the opportunity to learn about the world beyond Alma and to truly experience a liberal arts education.”
During his time at Alma, Miller was a five-year member of the Model United Nations team. He also had the opportunity to serve as an intern on CNN’s international desk and as a press aide to Ambassador Madeleine K. Albright at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations. These experiences all contributed to his interest in international diplomacy.
Following graduation Miller joined the Peace Corps where he served for four years in Ethiopia and Madagascar. He resumed his education by attending The Fletcher School of Law in Diplomacy at Tufts University, where he earned his master’s degree in 2004. He then enrolled at Harvard Law School.
Miller says that his background at Alma was crucial in getting him into these schools to study international law.
In September 2007, Miller returns to Michigan to serve as a clerk to federal Judge Julian A. Cook Jr. (Eastern District). In September 2009 he will move to Washington, D.C., to continue his legal career at Shearman and Sterling, an international law firm.
“My Alma experience was definitely the launching board for getting a kid from Hemlock High School all the way to Harvard Law School,” says Miller. “The liberal arts education and the opportunity to work so closely with faculty members is a unique experience that is hard to replicate.”
