RCC Staff Spotlight: Derek Miller, Staff Member of the Year

When Derek Miller started his career in Information Technology, Networking, and Cybersecurity, he was just 19 years old.

“In 2000 I was in college right after graduation from Lumberton Sr. High School and they did not have Summer courses in my track a year later,” Miller said. “But PSRC’s IT department had a Summer internship available, so I applied for that and began working. Toward the end of the Summer, they extended my job until Winter so I could continue working and I applied for a technician position we knew was becoming available later that year.”

The internship turned into a full-time job with the Public Schools of Robeson County

“I worked for a few years as a technician then was promoted to LAN Admin,” Miller said.

The opportunity with PSRC afforded him many unique experiences such as initially working at the Information Technology High School located inside Purnell Swett HS, a Project Based Learning model, that involved NTHS from Napa Valley, CA, and gaining knowledge in Lotus Notes, Domino Server, and a variety of IT related topics, later assisting with all the schools in the system.

“That was the excellent and exceptional part,” Miller said.

Today, Miller continues working in the field he loves and enjoys at Robeson Community College as the Director of Information Technology.

“In my role, I am responsible for the daily operations. Our office supports the network infrastructure and security for the college,” Miller said. “We ensure that systems are up and running… we work to keep bad actors out and try to keep ourselves out of the news.”

“We work to respond to tickets in a timely manner, quickly and professionally, to mitigate needs as they arise,” Miller said.

In the past 365 days, Miller says he has been assigned 331 tickets.

“According to my project portfolio, I’ve worked on 1221 college projects for business systems, IT applications, networking, Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services, etc.,” Miller stated. “I don’t really count my walk-ins, telephone calls, or escalations that are originally assigned to a peer… typically when tickets or projects are assigned to me, their commonly multiple day or college-wide items.”

In his spare time between working on tickets, IT projects, and building a family, Miller went back to school and earned a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Phoenix in Information Systems and Web Development and a Master’s Degree in Information Systems and Analytics, also from the University of Phoenix, education that was relevant to his field and helped him climb the ladder to his current position. “I learned how to run an IT Department, technical writing skills, and how to create and maintain databases,” Miller said.

During the recent convocation, Miller was named the RCC Staff Person of the Year for his “unselfish devotion, setting the highest standards in his work which is reflected in his numerous support systems and community outreach efforts.”

“There were fifty-eleven others who deserved this,” Miller said on winning the award. ” I’m glad to have such a great family here at Robeson Community College who want to acknowledge me.”

According to his nominator, Miller’s dedication to RCC goes far beyond the expectations of his role.

“Mr. Miller demonstrates an ability to manage resources wisely, ensuring that money spent contributes to RCC’s mission and goals,” the nominator said. “His investment in technology has not only improved administrative efficiency, but has also enriched the educational experience for students, faculty, and staff.”

Miller was recognized not just for his excellence at RCC but also for his continued efforts to collaborate and share with others across the North Carolina Community College System.

“His influence extends beyond RCC to the wide NCCC System,” the nominator said. “His involvement in state-wide committees has allowed him to contribute to platforms at a broader level. Through these platforms, he has advocated for best practices in technology and education, influencing the direction of all community colleges across the State of North Carolina.”

Being on a college campus, Miller has a direct impact on student success, helping to shape the future of the next generation.

“His dedication to student success is evident in his nonstop efforts to improve accessibility and support services at RCC,” the nominators said. “He recognizes there is always room for growth and is proactive in seeking ways to make the college better for current and future students.”

Miller says that’s why he loves his job so much.

“I love getting to work with the students, who often come to us frustrated and upset because they can’t get into their email or they are having issues with technology,” Miller said. “We/re like the lost baggage claim at the airport; no one comes to us because everything’s fine.”

“So we know we have to be very calm and professional and understanding, providing the superior customer service they are expecting because we want them to be successful and we want them to have a good experience at Robeson Community College,” Miller added.

With a staff of six under him, Derek is appreciative of their support, as well as that of the executive staff. “I’m grateful to the executive team for their mentorship,” Miller said. “I could not be as successful without their support or without the help of the crew in our IT department.”

Miller also thanks his family.

“My wife Heather, she’s my hype squad,” Miller said. “She knows the night calls and the weekend trips I make to fix things… she sees it every day. She is my biggest advocate.”

Miller says he met his wife after graduating from high school.

“I found myself the first redhead in Lumberton and married her,” he joked.

Derek and Heather have four children and live in Lumberton and have been married for 19 years.

“Being part of the RCC family has been a blessing. From the birth of a child to my wife battling cancer, everybody here has been very supportive” Miller said.