ASHLAND, Ohio – Matt Miller ‘99, mayor of the City of Ashland, will be the keynote speaker at Ashland University’s commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 3. The ceremony, which honors both undergraduate and graduate students, will take place at the Niss Athletic Center (905 Moss Hill Drive) and begins at 10 a.m.
With plenty of seating available in the 125,000-square foot facility, no tickets are required for the ceremony. It will also be streamed live at ashland.edu/commencement.
Miller is in his eighth year as the mayor of Ashland. He was sworn in as the city’s 54th mayor on Jan. 1, 2018.
Prior to leading the community where he grew up, Miller served other roles in both local and state government as Ashland County Commissioner for eight years (2000-08) and deputy director of business and human resources at the Ohio Department of Transportation for seven years (2011-17). He was appointed to the latter role by Gov. John Kasich. Miller also spent time as the business administrator of the Salvation Army Ray & Joan Kroc Corps Community Center, helping to get the center up and running.
Miller has been active with many organizations across the community. He currently serves as the president of the Ashland Area Economic Development Corporation, the Ashland County Land Bank and the Ashland Theater Organization, as well as past president of the Board of Directors of Hospice of North Central Ohio and the Ashland Pregnancy Care Center. He also served on the Board of Directors of the Ashland County Community Academy.
A former member of the Board of Directors of the Appleseed Community Mental Health Center, Miller also served as a member of the Ashland County Developmental Disabilities Board and is a former chair of the local United Way campaign. He graduated from the Ashland Area Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Ashland program.
Miller is a 1999 graduate of AU, having been an Ashbrook Scholar and political science major. In 2007, he received the AU Outstanding Alumni Award.
Miller’s wife is State Representative Melanie Miller (R-Ashland), who is serving her second term in the Ohio House of Representatives.
More information on AU’s commencement, including lineup and procession information, parking photography services, etc., is available here.
Ashland University is a mid-sized, private university conveniently located a short distance from Akron, Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio. Ashland University (www.ashland.edu) values the individual student and offers a unique educational experience that combines the challenge of strong applied academic programs with a faculty and staff who build nurturing relationships with their students.