Shelby Miller: A Vision for Community on Campus
Stockton, California’s Shelby Miller, 17, began working in her school’s leadership program to be part of something that seemed larger than herself at the time.
“I have always had a passion for helping people, getting involved, and surrounding myself with like-minded people. I quickly involved myself in student government, uncertain of my overall goal, but before I could decide, the COVID-19 pandemic happened. As it was initially devastating, my desire to help my campus connect grew even more. I remained heavily involved in student government during virtual learning.”
During this time, Shelby developed her primary goal, to promote growth and foster unity on all levels, both social and academic. “Returning to campus as ASB vice president, I saw the division that had taken place over the course of distance learning and I have been working tirelessly since to continue bringing our campus together. Our group holds various fundraisers during the year, and the money is used in ways that can help better engage and connect our student body, whether it is small-scale lunchtime events or big dances such as Winter Formal and Prom.”
Shelby, a senior at Stockton Early College Academy, views her involvement in the leadership program as impactful. “This program instilled a mindset in me that goes beyond simply just being a leader on my high school campus and that I can be a leader in so many situations and in so many ways. I’ve learned that it requires greater amounts of effort to create a positive impact than it does to create a negative one and I’ve learned so much from the people I’ve been fortunate enough to work with. I’ll walk away from my experience in a high school leadership position as a more well-rounded individual, one who uses these experiences to motivate her goals in the larger picture. Knowing that after I graduate there will be students on campus that have adopted my same vision reminds me every day why I work so hard.”
She’s immersed in the community already, volunteering at her church and being a student mentor. “I love to encourage younger kids to prioritize their education and take the steps necessary to get ahead. Education is vital and can open the door to so many new opportunities so I love using my leadership abilities to network,” Shelby affirmed.
After graduating from both high school and community college in the same year, Shelby will attend the University of California, Irvine, to major in biological sciences and minor in psychology.
“My passion for helping people helped me develop my career goal of entering the field of medicine. I hope to either become a family physician or enter a career in public health administration and work to reform the healthcare system, making it more accessible for people of all communities.”
