Miller Wellness Center Honors President Emerita’s Vision and Philanthropy
Peggy Gordon Miller believes in thinking bigger – and her legacy is impacting the campus Wellness Center in a big way.
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More than fifteen years after her tenure ended as President of South Dakota State University, Dr. Peggy Gordon Miller’s legacy continues to make an impact at State.
To celebrate Dr. Miller’s visionary dedication to SDSU, the Miller Wellness Center will carry the first female university president’s name moving forward.
For over 40 years, the Miller Wellness Center has strived to enrich the lives of Jackrabbits, both personally and academically. Known simply as the Wellness Center until 2021, the Miller Wellness Center is home to state-of-the-art fitness equipment, a variety of recreational and intramural programs, effective wellness education, a student health clinic, and counseling services. Through this dynamic combination of programs and offerings, the facility aims to foster academic success through personal development and wellbeing.
The mission of the Miller Wellness Center aligns perfectly with the ambitious endeavors introduced by Dr. Miller at State during her time as president.
- She was instrumental in the university’s move to Division 1 Athletics and tirelessly advocated for the creation of the Jackrabbit Guarantee scholarship program.
- In her goal to bring SDSU Athletics into a new era of competition, Dr. Miller convinced legislators, regents, and any who would listen that Jackrabbit students deserved to compete at the highest levels on the field of play and in the classroom.
- Recognizing the scholarship opportunities available at colleges in neighboring states, she designed the Jackrabbit Guarantee to boost scholarship support in South Dakota while heightening accessibility to a higher education.
“Dr. Miller had a special connection to students. Many called her Peggy, and she treated us like we were her own. She wanted more opportunities for students, and things like Division I athletics, the Jackrabbit Guarantee, Honors College, etc., are evidence of that,” said Andi Fouberg, President and CEO of the SDSU Alumni Association.
“It feels very appropriate that a building that was planned during her presidency and is designed for students to take care of themselves is named after her.” - Andi Fouberg
Dr. Miller’s contributions and accolades for the university are numerous and diverse, but each emphasizes excellence for Jackrabbits in every aspect of student life.
The Miller Wellness Center was named for her in a ceremony on October 22, 2021. At the event, several figures from the university’s past and present spoke to the impact Dr. Miller has had on SDSU, as well as her role in catalyzing the creation of the Wellness Center. They described her relentless tenacity in her pursuit of progress for State, unwavering in her belief that Jackrabbit students deserved more and needed holistic support, both inside the classroom and out.
“Tens of thousands of students will walk by the plaque at the entrance to this facility and learn about the strong leadership of the first woman to lead South Dakota State University,” said President Barry Dunn at the naming ceremony. “Jackrabbits have gone further because of the decisions President Emerita Peggy Gordon Miller made and the battles she won during her tenure…Her vision and belief that we needed to see ourselves differently continues to drive us forward today.”
In her time at SDSU, Dr. Miller encouraged students, alumni, and friends to think bigger and dream bolder. The Miller Wellness Center helps all who visit to improve their mental and physical health, supporting the students for whom Dr. Miller advocated without fail.
