Marcus Miller Johnston, Iowa BS 2018, Political Science BA 2018, Ethics and Public Policy Minors in Philosophy, Business Administration --------------------------------------------------------------- Finalist for Fall 2018 Commencement speaker: Listen below!
Marcus Miller, a graduating senior from Johnston, Iowa, is a finalist in the competition to be the student speaker at the December 2018 College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Commencement ceremony. Marcus is graduating with Highest Distinction and University Honors, having completed the majors in Political Science (with honors) and Ethics and Public Policy, as well as minors in Philosophy and Business Administration. He has been inducted into the nation’s prestigious scholarly honor society, Phi Beta Kappa.
During his time at Iowa, he has been a Resident Assistant in the dorms, a Communications Intern for the American Civil Liberties Union, and an Intern for the Sexually Violent Predator Unit Program in the Iowa Attorney General’s office. Marcus has been a committed volunteer on campus and in the broader community, including establishing the UI chapter of Love Works, a religious student group focused on service and social justice. He also co-founded a nonprofit organization in his hometown called Project Silence No More, which addresses mental health and suicide in the community. As if all of that weren’t enough to keep him busy, he has published essays in two collections, Our Witness: The Unheard Stories of LGBT+ Christians (2018) and What We’re Passionate About: An Anthology of Essays Written by America’s Young Leaders and Activists (2017). A national qualifier for the UI Mock Trial team and a Mock Trial coach at the high school level, next up for Marcus is law school.
In his speech, Marcus remembers all the people who helped his fellow graduates and him get to this point. He reminds his listeners that “our education is not just for us, it’s for the people around us,” and urges them to be of service. Listen here:
