TU football freshman finds his all-in-one school

Quarterback Jeff Miller is excited to start his career, both on the field and in the Department of Special Education

By Kyle Hobstetter on September 25, 2018

Towson Quarterback Jeff Miller
Towson University freshman Jeff Miller is ready to excel both on the football field and in the classroom. 

Jeff Miller noticed two things when he started at Towson University this past summer. 

The first thing that struck the Murrieta, California, native was that Maryland had a lot more green plant life than southwestern California. The second was the family atmosphere between the Towson community and university.

That family atmosphere was the main reason that Miller, a 6-foot-6-inch nationally ranked quarterback, chose Towson University to continue both his football career and his education.

That feeling of community hit him extra hard the day he moved to Maryland. After getting off the plane at the Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, he saw an advertisement for Towson University.

“It kind of made moving a reality … like saying ‘Hey, I’m home now,’” Miller said. “I’m starting a new phase of my life here, and to land and see that advertisement and say ‘I get to be a part of that school’, was one of the coolest feelings in the world.”

Since arriving on campus, Miller has found ways to get involved in the local and TU communities. This included marching in the Towson Fourth of July Parade and calling TU Athletics’ donors.

Miller also felt supported by the community. One night off campus, someone saw Miller’s Towson University shirt and shouted, “Go Tigers!”

“The support the community has for this school is incredible,” Miller said. “I felt it when I was here for my unofficial and official visits. It’s just a really cool area and has a great family atmosphere. I really love it.”

Along with getting to play for the Tigers, Miller is excited to be academically involved with the Department of Special Education.

Working with special-needs children has been a big part of Miller’s life. During his junior year of high school, he worked with the Special Olympics of California, and served as a teacher’s assistant for a special needs class at his high school.

His work with the special-needs class led to one of his greatest memories, a “promposal” from one of the students. A viral video depicts his friend Diana coming into class with a banner and asking him to the special education class’s prom.

“I was going to ask her, but she beat me to it,” Miller laughed. “I had to hold back a few tears because it was absolutely incredible. Diana is an amazing young lady. It was one of the hardest goodbyes I had to say.”

With those experiences under his belt, Miller found his calling for life after football. And after learning more about TU’s College of Education — Maryland’s largest producer of teachers — and the Department of Special Education, he felt even more confident about his college choice.

He calls Towson University his “all-in-one school” because he gets to follow both his dream of playing football while working towards his career in special education.  

“Head coach Rob Ambrose said, ‘Jeff, you’re going to get a great education, and you’re going to be part of a great football team.’ I came up here and I felt it and I saw it,” Miller said. “Football will eventually end for everyone. I came to TU knowing they have what I want to do in my future life, and it makes me so excited.”