The Power of Music and
Leadership In Life
Dr. Tim Miller will share his own story in music from starting to play Tuba in 6th Grade, getting into JMU as a music major, and continuing to make music a part of his life years after JMU. He will also share about his leadership journey and how music has served him as the universal language across cultures. Participants will have the chance to examine the role music plays
in their lives and its power to change lives.
in their lives and its power to change lives.
Dr. Tim Miller has been the Vice President for Student Affairs since returning to JMU on June 1, 2018. Dr. Miller is a Double Duke, earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and Criminal Justice and a Master’s Degree in College Student Personnel from JMU. He and his wife, Jamie, met at JMU and they are the proud parents of Duke Dog, a rescue pup. Dr. Miller is an avid musician and his musical journey began in 6th grade when he began to play the Tuba. He was an active musician and member of the Marching Band throughout High School. He continued to play Tuba as a Music Major at JMU. He continues to pursue music as a guitar player and singer and has performed regularly in the DC metro area in several bands. He credits his musical roots for many of the skills and competencies that have helped him find success in his personal and professional life.
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Embodied Leadership
Vincent E. Thomas will take you on a journey that will leave your spirit full, your leadership inspired,
and your voice ready to share with the world!!
and your voice ready to share with the world!!
Vincent E. Thomas, dancer, choreographer and teacher, received his MFA in Dance from Florida State University and a BME in Music from the University of South Carolina. He has danced with Dance Repertory Theatre (FSU), Randy James Dance Works (NY/NJ), EDGEWORKS Dance Theater (DC), and Liz Lerman Dance Exchange (MD). His choreography has been presented at various national and international venues including DUMBO Festival (NY), Velocity Festival (DC), Modern Moves Festival (DC), Philly Fringe (PA), Edinburgh Fringe Festival (UK-Scotland), Barcelona and Madrid, Spain, Avignon, France, Athens, Greece, Bari, Italy, Copenhagen, Denmark, and Taipei. He received rave reviews for his performance of “Come Change” (2012) and “iWitness” (2014) in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland. Vincent was the Movement Coach/Choreographer for Everyman Theater’sBrother’s Size by Tarell Alvin McCraney in Baltimore, MD (2012) and Mosaic Theatre’s Unexplored Interior by Jay Sander in Washington, DC (2015).
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He is the Artistic Director/Choreographer of the national touring What’s Going On project. Vincent was awarded the 2011-2012 Towson University Student Government Association Faculty Member of the Year, a 2014-2015 NextLook Artist for the University of Maryland College Park and Joe’s Movement Emporium, a 2012-13 American Dance Institute Incubator Artist (MD), a 2016 Baker Artist Award finalist, the 2017 Pola Nirenska Award for Outstanding Achievement in Dance (DC), and the 2019 USM Board of Regent’s Faculty Award for Excellence in Research/Scholarship/Creative Activities. He is an Urban Bush Women BOLD Facilitator, faculty member for the UBW Summer Institutes (NY), and Professor of Dance at Towson University (MD).
His multi-dimensional company VTDance builds on the use of contemporary dance, improvisation, text/ movement, a variety of sound sources, and collaborations with other artists, including dancers, musicians, poets, visual artists, and others [to be discovered]. These ideas coupled with witty, poignant, athletic and gestural movement are the rich palette for VTDance. www.vtdance.org
His multi-dimensional company VTDance builds on the use of contemporary dance, improvisation, text/ movement, a variety of sound sources, and collaborations with other artists, including dancers, musicians, poets, visual artists, and others [to be discovered]. These ideas coupled with witty, poignant, athletic and gestural movement are the rich palette for VTDance. www.vtdance.org
Marching Through Life:
Effective Leadership Beyond the Field
Marching band can make for some of the best high school and college experiences. Okay, I’m a little bias, but it’s true! But only a small number of band members turn music into a career. So what about the rest of us? An effective leader knows how to inspire others and how to humbly follow – attributes we all need for our whole band to succeed. I’ll share leadership lessons learned from 5 years of marching, 3 years of conducting and 0 years of being a professional musician.
I like to think of myself as a professional connector. Remember the marching band kids in high school? And the basketball players? Born and raised in Norwalk, Connecticut, an incredibly diverse and culturally rich community, I was both an athlete and a musician and always seemed to find myself bridging the gap between unlikely social circles. Somehow I’ve turned that into a career. Enter United Way. After 4 years in Blacksburg marching to the tune of the Hokie Pokie, 7 years in Boston serving the city, working on a masters degree in public administration and wondering why people don’t pronounce their “Rs”, my husband Brent and I found ourselves in his hometown of Harrisonburg, VA. Since joining the United Way family, I’ve found myself connecting businesses and nonprofits; educators and health professionals, Rotarians, and social workers, just to name a few, all in the name of a collaborative approach to change. I love my job and hope that my little ones, Lucy and Myles, will grow up and find work that they love too.
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