(Sarasota, FL, July 17, 2003) - University of South
Florida Sarasota-Manatee is creating a new program that will focus on
critical public policy and public service issues at the national, state
and local levels. To be named the Manasota Institute for Public Policy and
Leadership, former Congressman Dan Miller has agreed to be the inaugural
Chair of the Institute’s Council of Advisors. The Institute will begin
operating during the spring 2004 semester.
“The Institute for Public Policy and Leadership is
another strong example of how USF brings the prestige of its national
research ranking to the Sarasota-Manatee community,” says Dr. Laurey
Stryker, USF Sarasota-Manatee Campus Chief Executive Officer. “We need to
train our future leaders in issues such as civic engagement, revenue
sharing, impact of global events, and change management. And the campus is
extremely fortunate to have a statesman such as Dan Miller be the lead
advisor in this effort.”
The overriding purpose of the Institute is to help shape
the future social, economic, physical and government environments that
influence the lives of citizens, especially those in the South Tampa Bay
region. Collaborating is planned with organizations such as SCOPE
(Sarasota County Openly Plans for Excellence), Sarasota County Government,
economic development groups in Sarasota and Manatee counties, law
enforcement and health care.
Miller represented the Thirteenth Congressional District
of Florida (Sarasota and Manatee counties and parts of Hillsborough and
Charlotte counties) from 1993 to 2003. He was a member of the House
Appropriations Committee and the Committee on Government Reform.
“I want to encourage students to go into public service,
as elected officials or career staff or volunteers,” Millers says. “I also
want to continue working with the community leaders in Manatee and
Sarasota counties to set up seminars that address the major issues facing
them.”
Prior to being elected to Congress, Miller had business
and teaching careers. He was a successful entrepreneur in Southwest
Florida and active in various community affairs including past
chairmanships of the Manatee Chamber of Commerce and Manatee Memorial
Hospital. He taught statistics and marketing at the graduate and
undergraduate levels at Louisiana State University, Georgia State
University and USF Sarasota-Manatee.
After graduating from Manatee High School in Bradenton,
Miller received a bachelor’s of science degree from the University of
Florida, a master’s in business administration from Emory University and a
doctorate in marketing and statistics from Louisiana State University.
The first steps Miller and other university
representatives will be taking to launch the Institute of Public Policy
and Leadership include: