The Board of Trustees of the Maine Community College System confirmed the recommendation of President David Daigler and appointed Dr. Kristen Miller as the next president of Southern Maine Community College (SMCC). She will begin in February.
Kristen Miller Courtesy photo
Miller was most recently the vice president of academic affairs at White Mountains Community College in New Hampshire, where she has worked since 2014. She previously served as associate vice president of academic affairs and as an admissions counselor there.
“Dr. Miller is the right person at the right time to lead SMCC,” Daigler said in a Jan. 5 news release. “Her proven leadership as an innovative administrator, classroom instructor, and experience in implementing Guided Pathways and workforce training make her an outstanding choice who is well prepared to continue the strong forward momentum at Southern Maine Community College.”
According to the news release, while at White Mountains Community College, Miller played key leadership roles in several initiatives that are also underway at SMCC, including organizing academic offerings around Pathways, and proactively working with local businesses to ensure students get the education and training needed to meet current and future workplace needs in high-demand jobs.
“It is an honor and a privilege to join this remarkable institution, and I am truly humbled by the trust placed in me by President Daigler and the board of trustees,” Miller said in an email. “I want to express my deepest appreciation to all those involved in this selection process. Your confidence in my abilities is both inspiring and motivating. I assure you that I am fully committed to upholding the values of academic excellence, inclusivity, and innovation that define this college.”
Miller also has experience as an educator: She has been a lecturer in education at Plymouth State University in New Hampshire since 2020, and previously worked as an adjunct professor of English at White Mountains Community College, and as a high school English teacher at Kennett High School in North Conway, New Hampshire.
“I am very pleased to welcome Kristen Miller as the new president of Southern Maine Community College,” board chairwoman Joyce Maker, said. “She embodies the core values and goals that have brought so much success to SMCC, making her an excellent choice to lead SMCC now and into the future.”
Miller has a doctorate in higher education leadership from Capella University in Minnesota, a master’s degree in education and education leadership from the University of New England, and a bachelor’s degree in communications and English from Sonoma State University in California.
Miller serves on the board of trustees for Starting Point Services for Victims of Domestic and Sexual Violence, and on the board of directors for New Hampshire’s Jobs for America’s Graduates. She is also a member of the Educational Justice Institute of New England Board of Higher Education, and the Mount Washington Valley Career and Technical Center Advisory Board.
Miller was selected from an initial field of more than 50 candidates following a national search. She succeeds Joe Cassidy, who left in August 2023 to become president of Saint Joseph’s College of Maine. Southern Maine Community College’s Dean of Administration, Tiffanie Bentley, has served as interim president.
Peoples United Methodist Church will host a baked bean supper 5 to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 20. Shawn Patrick Ouellette file/Press Herald
Bean supper set for Jan. 20 at Peoples United
Peoples United Methodist Church will host a baked bean supper on Saturday, Jan. 20. The supper is scheduled for 5 to 6 p.m. at the church, located at 310 Broadway in South Portland.
The menu includes hot dogs, homemade baked beans, salads, casseroles and pies. The cost is $10 per person, $8 for children age 3 to 12.
For more information, call Becky at 207-799-3416.
Student Guitar Competition seeks contestants
The Maine Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum announced its third annual Student Guitar Competition. The contest is open to Maine high school students, grades 9-12.
Maddie Yates of Greely High School was the winner of last year’s Maine Country Music Hall of Fame Guitar Competition. Courtesy photo
Contestants are required to submit a video of their performance by March 1, to be judged by members of the executive board of the Maine Country Music Hall of Fame. The grand prize is a Martin guitar, donated by Northern Kingdom Music in Bangor. The prize will be presented to the winner at the 47th annual Induction Ceremony scheduled for Sunday, May 19, at the Silver Spur in Mechanic Falls.
Last year’s winner was Maddie Yates of Greely High School in Cumberland.
Contestants are asked to select and perform three country music pieces on guitar and will be judged on level of skill, ability to play in different keys, and expression of phrasing. Video entries should be submitted on a thumb drive or DVD. To receive a complete copy of the competition rules and official entry form, contact mariaholloway207@gmail.com or call 207-613-5411.
According to a Jan. 8 news release, the Maine Country Music Hall of Fame was founded in 1978. The museum is the only country music hall of fame physical museum east of Nashville. The 3,000-square-foot space in the lower level of the Silver Spur is a showcase for thousands of historic memorabilia accumulated over the decades, bringing to life and preserving the legacy of its over 150 inductees from all over the state of Maine. The museum is open year-round by appointment.
To book a tour or visit the Maine Country Music Hall of Fame, call 207-654-2227.
The 47th annual Induction Ceremony will take place at the Silver Spur on May 19. New inductees will be honored and a concert showcasing Hall of Fame inductees and “living legends” followed by a performance by the winner of the guitar contest.
For more information, follow the Maine Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum on Facebook or call 207-613-5411.
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