Hillary Miller ’15

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2015

Core Team Leader, Correctional Volleyball, and Service Trip Participant

What involvement did/do you have with MOVE? What program did/do you volunteer with and/or lead? What years?
I participated in MOVE my entire time at SMC (2012-2015). MOVE Core Team Leader, Correctional Volleyball (Leader) 2013-2015, Trips to: Dominican Republic, Lakota Reservation, Baltimore Volunteer Events: Lund, Best Buddies, Senior Prom, Homelessness Awareness Week

What’s your MOVE story?
I participated in MOVE my entire time at SMC (2012-2015). I transferred to SMC after the first semester and found the SMC MOVE office as a place where I felt most at home. Many of my SMC student role models (Liv Mcall, Erik Jakuri) and staff (Lara Scott, Anna Lester, Heidi St. Peter) were involved in the MOVE office and it gave me a sense of purpose. I knew that I wanted to be involved in a career where I was able to help people, and having so many people around me helping others was pivotal to opening my eyes to different experiences. Through MOVE I learned to challenge the “norm” and think outside of the box. Whether that be through learning from other MOVE Core Team Members or engaging with individuals throughout the MOVE service experiences, I was consistently in awe of all of the amazing co-MOVEers and the wonderful work everyone was also passionate about.

I currently work as a Community Health Nurse working with underserved and marginalized communities in Philadelphia. I work with many people who have been recently released from incarceration. I frequently think back to my time with Correctional Volleyball and how impactful of an experience that continues to be for me present day. I learned, experienced and played volleyball with incredible women who were so willing to invite ten SMC students into their lives each week. Some of the weeks we would play volleyball the entire time and some of the weeks we would spend some time talking, sharing stories, experiences and many laughs. Through correctional volleyball I learned to reflect on my life and learn about the many privileges I have experienced throughout my life. Experiencing the “inside” of a correctional facility has provided me with a very unique perspective when working with my current patients recently released from incarceration. I do not know the experience of being incarcerated, but I do acknowledge the importance for human connection, storytelling, laughing and the power of the human voice.

In what ways did/does MOVE impact you?
My MOVE experiences are experiences that I will always cherish. My MOVE experiences greatly complemented my classroom experiences through connection into the “real world.” MOVE taught me the importance of embracing the uncomfortable, acknowledging the importance for continued growth, learning from different perspectives, and different identities. My proudest identity at SMC was my involvement in MOVE. The people, the mission and all of the great work is something that I will never forget while also acknowledging that MOVE friendships are some of the strongest bonds. Nothing like sharing moments with fellow SMC students together at a mountainside in the DR while brushing teeth.

If you are an alumni, what influence does MOVE continue to have on your life today?
MOVE continues to be a framework for how I live my life. Many of the experiences I commonly speak about are from the experiences I had volunteering with MOVE. I am currently in graduate school to eventually become a Family Nurse Practitioner. I hope to provide care to individuals experiencing homelessness and to underserved populations. My MOVE experience and the people involved with MOVE have continued to motivate me and have been a constant inspiration to my life thus far. I will be forever grateful for all of my MOVE experiences that helped me learn the importance of continued growth. Learning and growing doesn’t just stop after the one volunteer event, or the first job interview; the learning and growing is continuous and continues to propel me to be the best version of myself that I can be.