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PICTURED:
Holly Miller BSN '80 MS '96
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The Fay W. Whitney School of Nursing at the University of Wyoming announces their 2022 Distinguished Alumna, Holly Miller, BSN, MS. Miller has been selected for this year's award for her significant contributions to the nursing profession for excellence in leadership.
Holly was raised on a ranch/farm in central South Dakota. She graduated from the University of South Dakota in 1974 with an A.A. degree in nursing. She has two degrees from the University of Wyoming: a B.S.N. in 1980 and a M.S. in nursing education in 1996. Not only does Holly have two degrees from the University of Wyoming, she also taught in the School of Nursing for 30 years.
Holly’s first nursing position was as a staff nurse at Sioux Valley Hospital (now Sanford) in Sioux Falls, South Dakota from 1974 to 1978. She married her husband and moved to Laramie in 1978 so he could finish graduate school. For 10 years, from 1978 to 1988, she worked at Ivinson Memorial Hospital in the Intensive Care Unit. In 1988, she started in the School of Nursing at UW as the Coordinator of the Learning Resource Center (aka Learning Lab or Skills Lab). Starting in 1996, she also became a clinical instructor in the hospital setting. When the School of Nursing moved to the remodeled current building in 2005, the Learning Resource Center was renamed the Clinical Simulation Center (CSC). She was responsible for designing the CSC and furnishing the different areas with equipment and high-fidelity simulators. In 2012, she became the Basic BSN Program Director followed by the BRAND Program Director in 2017. She has been an American Heart Association CPR Instructor for 33 years. After practicing nursing for 44 years, including 30 years with the School of Nursing, she retired in 2018.
Some of the awards Holly has received include the College of Health Sciences Outstanding Teacher, Meritorious Service, and Career Achievement Awards. She also received UW’s Mortar Board Top Prof Award four times.
Holly is a member of the international professional nursing organization Sigma, American Nurses Association, Wyoming Nurses Association, and Phi Kappa Phi. She is also on the board of the Friends of the Fay W. Whitney School of Nursing. When Holly retired in 2018, she became the Co-President of the UW Alumni Association Nursing Chapter.
Holly is married to her husband, David, and they have two children: Nicole (Josh) Becker and Marc Miller. They have two granddaughters: Allie and Sophie Becker.
Holly feels very fortunate to have had the opportunity to be involved and work with wonderful students, staff, faculty, and administrators. She is honored and humbled to receive this award from the Fay W. Whitney School of Nursing.
Plans for Celebration
Holly Miller will be honored in person during University of Wyoming Fall 2022 Homecoming week.
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Story Placed: 2023-01-03