Dinah Miller has made management her business. 

Miller has been taking classes with the College Business Management Institute (CBMI) in hopes of learning more about business and financial administration – and so far, she says the experience has been enlightening. 

“I pursued this course to enhance our department’s accuracy and efficiency, and to gain a deeper understanding of industry best practices and network with colleagues from other institutions,” Miller said. “The shared experiences of other universities have provided valuable insights into effective procedures, prompting me to re-evaluate and improve our practices at HDI.”

The program is a national initiative that can be taken at UK has five stated goals – to help participants gain a wider and more in-depth understanding of how higher education business administration works, to foster discussion of issues relevant to higher education professionals, to explore the ways other institutions approach administrative issues, to build stronger relationships between different university departments, and to help prepare participants for promotion. 

Miller has currently completed her second year of the three year program. She will finish out her final year in July of 2025. During her time working with CBMI, Miller says that she has been grateful to learn from experts in the field who have had similar experiences to her. 

“The instructors, both current and retired higher education professionals, brought an incredible amount of  experience and knowledge to the program. The program motivated me to return to work recharged and ready to implement new ideas,” she said. “It’s reassuring to know that we’re not alone in facing challenges.”

In addition, Miller noted that one of the stated goals of the program was particularly successful. 

“This experience has been rewarding, allowing me to connect with colleagues from other universities and strengthen my relationships with UK staff,” Miler said. 

Miller has completed a similar program this year, one hosted by UK, called the Business Procedures Financial Certificate. It was put on hold for COVID-19, but Miller managed to complete it when it was resumed for those who had already started on the path to earning it. 

“Both programs have not only enhanced my knowledge of the University’s financial operations but have also fostered strong relationships with peers from other institutions and within UK,” Miller said. 

And that knowledge will go on to help make HDI even better at what it does. 

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to participate in this program, thanks to Kathy Sheppard-Jones and Beth Potter,” Miller said. “I hope to apply my newfound knowledge to improve our daily operations at HDI.”