The Beacon: What are some of the responsibilities you have as coordinator/co-Coordinator?
Howells: “Most of my responsibility centers on leadership activities, the day trips, and weekend activities, all of the social activities that Student Development runs. I advise Programming Board with Jamie and I advise the Colonel mascot program plus things tossed in between there. I also help our graduate assistant, Brian (Switay) with the National Society of Leadership and Success and the Passport to Leadership program.”
Miller: “Missy and I work very closely together for a number of things one is the student activities. So that includes all of our day trips, all the games that we do. We also work together with the leadership programs, which I advise Intercollegiate Leadership-Wilkes-Barre. I also organize the calendars and the reservation system for the room reservations in the student center. I also oversee the Student Government vans, and I work very closely with Student Government to oversee the clubs and organizations. I’m also the adviser for yearbook and Missy, and I are both advisers for Programming Board.”

The Beacon: What is something interesting or surprising about you?
Howells: “I hate living things that fly; I hate birds, I hate bugs, I hate bats.”
Miller: “I can juggle. I was the president of the juggling club in high school. By myself I can only juggle three things but with a partner I can juggle five things.”

The Beacon: What is your favorite part about your role?
Howells: “Definitely the interaction with the students but I also like exploring the different learning experiences that we can offer students outside the classroom.”
Miller: “I definitely would say my favorite part is the interaction with the students. With where our offices are located, we’re very accessible to the students being right behind the Info Desk and for me every day is a little bit different. I think just meeting and getting to know a lot of the students on a personal level are probably something that I have the ability to cherish more than a lot of people on campus.”

The Beacon: Any current TV shows you like to watch?
Howells: “Modern Family,” I think it’s hilarious and “America’s Next Top Model” is my indulgence. Those would probably be the two shows that I watch religiously.”
Miller: “ ‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,’ and I’m a huge ‘Seinfeld’ fan.”

The Beacon: If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?
Howells: “I would go to London because I’ve never been there, and I just think there’s so many interesting things; not only is it historical but it’s trendy and there’s tons of sites, and it would be another stamp in my passport.”
Miller: “Florence Italy, would probably be my No. 1. I studied abroad there in college for four months,. and I would love to go back and see it again. The other place would be Australia because I went when I was about 12, I went on a guided tour with my mom and a group of people from a local university, and I just remember it being just a beautiful country.”

The Beacon: What do you like to do in your down time?
Howells: “I’m a huge movie buff; I love going to the movies or watching movies. I do like to cook, and I do like to golf. For cooking, I love to try making new and different things for breakfast and dinner that you wouldn’t be able to get out, and I rarely follow a recipe.”
Miller: “I like to exercise. I’m very passionate about sports so I also try to play both softball and baseball when I can. I help out with the wrestling team that takes up a lot of my free time in the winter. I also like any kind of pick-up sport.”

The Beacon: What do you like best about being at Wilkes?
Howells: “I always wanted to be a teacher but I didn’t find my fit in high schools or grade schools so I think that the maturity level and the attitude of the students really works for me, but I do like the fact that it’s a small school; I’ve gone to small schools my entire life so I wouldn’t know what to do at a big school; it seems like I fit.”
Miller: “Wilkes gives me the opportunity to not only do what I do in Student Development but also work with the wrestling team. I think that would be unique to Wilkes and I wouldn’t get that opportunity everywhere else. I also really like the location of Wilkes-Barre, I’m just about halfway between New York where I did my undergraduate work and my hometown of Wellsboro.”

The Beacon: What is in your refrigerator now? (Favorite thing to eat)
Howells: “There’s always eggs and cheese in my refrigerator. I like eggs in any form and cheese on anything. I even take out a slice of cheese and just eat that sometimes.”
Miller: “Chicken cutlets and broccoli raube.”

The Beacon: What is on your iPod right now?
Howells: “Justin Timberlake, the “Wicked” soundtrack cause I love that show, and Adele. Those are the ones I listen to the most.”
Miller: “I have a vast collection of Billy Joel, I also have a lot of Jay-Z and The Script. Probably the three most played on my iPod.”

The Beacon: Favorite dining services food (from Student Center cafeteria, Rifkin Café, Café at UCOM)
Howells: “Omelets hands down! Every time they’re up there, I get them.”
Miller: “My favorite sandwich is from Rifkin. It’s the chicken, bacon and pesto sandwich.”

The Beacon: What is something you think people should know about Student Development?
Howells: “I think they should realize that we offer other things other than fun. We are totally the funnest department on campus but I think that they don’t realize that we offer so many educational experiences as well like our leadership programs. There are so many different aspects to us.”
Miller: “I think the biggest thing that we would like people to know about Student Development is we do more than just the fun trips.
I think that’s what most people see and most people associate Student Development with but we also do a lot of leadership and educational development things as well.”

The Beacon: If you were in a band, what would the name be?
Miller: “Too Old for This”

The Beacon: What is your favorite Wilkes memory?
Howells: “Getting in the toilet with my co-workers, that was a good experience and it was my first block party; that was a good time. We laughed so hard that day, it was so funny.”
Miller: “Probably traveling to Iowa with our wrestling team for the Collegiate Wrestling National Duels at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, IA.
Our connecting flight was cancelled because it was snowing so bad and we ended up having to rent vans and drive through this blizzard and it was a cool experience to go through with the group of guys, you get a lot closer to people.”

The Beacon: What is the best part about your role?
Howells: “I really like the event planning and the interaction with all the students.”
Miller: “Just being able to connect to the students on a personal level. I think the students feel very comfortable coming in and talking to us and that’s think as a result of just us being very accessible to the students with whatever they need. I think most people know that we’re always here if they need us.”

The Beacon: What are some of the responsibilities you have as coordinator/co-Coordinator?
Howells: “Most of my responsibility centers on leadership activities, the day trips, and weekend activities, all of the social activities that Student Development runs. I advise Programming Board with Jamie and I advise the Colonel mascot program plus things tossed in between there. I also help our graduate assistant, Brian (Switay) with the National Society of Leadership and Success and the Passport to Leadership program.”
Miller: “Missy and I work very closely together for a number of things one is the student activities. So that includes all of our day trips, all the games that we do. We also work together with the leadership programs, which I advise Intercollegiate Leadership-Wilkes-Barre. I also organize the calendars and the reservation system for the room reservations in the student center. I also oversee the Student Government vans, and I work very closely with Student Government to oversee the clubs and organizations. I’m also the adviser for yearbook and Missy, and I are both advisers for Programming Board.”

The Beacon: What is something interesting or surprising about you?
Howells: “I hate living things that fly; I hate birds, I hate bugs, I hate bats.”
Miller: “I can juggle. I was the president of the juggling club in high school. By myself I can only juggle three things but with a partner I can juggle five things.”

The Beacon: What is your favorite part about your role?
Howells: “Definitely the interaction with the students but I also like exploring the different learning experiences that we can offer students outside the classroom.”
Miller: “I definitely would say my favorite part is the interaction with the students. With where our offices are located, we’re very accessible to the students being right behind the Info Desk and for me every day is a little bit different. I think just meeting and getting to know a lot of the students on a personal level are probably something that I have the ability to cherish more than a lot of people on campus.”

The Beacon: Any current TV shows you like to watch?
Howells: “Modern Family,” I think it’s hilarious and “America’s Next Top Model” is my indulgence. Those would probably be the two shows that I watch religiously.”
Miller: “ ‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,’ and I’m a huge ‘Seinfeld’ fan.”

The Beacon: If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?
Howells: “I would go to London because I’ve never been there, and I just think there’s so many interesting things; not only is it historical but it’s trendy and there’s tons of sites, and it would be another stamp in my passport.”
Miller: “Florence Italy, would probably be my No. 1. I studied abroad there in college for four months,. and I would love to go back and see it again. The other place would be Australia because I went when I was about 12, I went on a guided tour with my mom and a group of people from a local university, and I just remember it being just a beautiful country.”

The Beacon: What do you like to do in your down time?
Howells: “I’m a huge movie buff; I love going to the movies or watching movies. I do like to cook, and I do like to golf. For cooking, I love to try making new and different things for breakfast and dinner that you wouldn’t be able to get out, and I rarely follow a recipe.”
Miller: “I like to exercise. I’m very passionate about sports so I also try to play both softball and baseball when I can. I help out with the wrestling team that takes up a lot of my free time in the winter. I also like any kind of pick-up sport.”

The Beacon: What do you like best about being at Wilkes?
Howells: “I always wanted to be a teacher but I didn’t find my fit in high schools or grade schools so I think that the maturity level and the attitude of the students really works for me, but I do like the fact that it’s a small school; I’ve gone to small schools my entire life so I wouldn’t know what to do at a big school; it seems like I fit.”
Miller: “Wilkes gives me the opportunity to not only do what I do in Student Development but also work with the wrestling team. I think that would be unique to Wilkes and I wouldn’t get that opportunity everywhere else. I also really like the location of Wilkes-Barre, I’m just about halfway between New York where I did my undergraduate work and my hometown of Wellsboro.”

The Beacon: What is in your refrigerator now? (Favorite thing to eat)
Howells: “There’s always eggs and cheese in my refrigerator. I like eggs in any form and cheese on anything. I even take out a slice of cheese and just eat that sometimes.”
Miller: “Chicken cutlets and broccoli raube.”

The Beacon: What is on your iPod right now?
Howells: “Justin Timberlake, the “Wicked” soundtrack cause I love that show, and Adele. Those are the ones I listen to the most.”
Miller: “I have a vast collection of Billy Joel, I also have a lot of Jay-Z and The Script. Probably the three most played on my iPod.”

The Beacon: Favorite dining services food (from Student Center cafeteria, Rifkin Café, Café at UCOM)
Howells: “Omelets hands down! Every time they’re up there, I get them.”
Miller: “My favorite sandwich is from Rifkin. It’s the chicken, bacon and pesto sandwich.”

The Beacon: What is something you think people should know about Student Development?
Howells: “I think they should realize that we offer other things other than fun. We are totally the funnest department on campus but I think that they don’t realize that we offer so many educational experiences as well like our leadership programs. There are so many different aspects to us.”
Miller: “I think the biggest thing that we would like people to know about Student Development is we do more than just the fun trips.
I think that’s what most people see and most people associate Student Development with but we also do a lot of leadership and educational development things as well.”

The Beacon: If you were in a band, what would the name be?
Miller: “Too Old for This”

The Beacon: What is your favorite Wilkes memory?
Howells: “Getting in the toilet with my co-workers, that was a good experience and it was my first block party; that was a good time. We laughed so hard that day, it was so funny.”
Miller: “Probably traveling to Iowa with our wrestling team for the Collegiate Wrestling National Duels at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, IA.
Our connecting flight was cancelled because it was snowing so bad and we ended up having to rent vans and drive through this blizzard and it was a cool experience to go through with the group of guys, you get a lot closer to people.”

The Beacon: What is the best part about your role?
Howells: “I really like the event planning and the interaction with all the students.”
Miller: “Just being able to connect to the students on a personal level. I think the students feel very comfortable coming in and talking to us and that’s think as a result of just us being very accessible to the students with whatever they need. I think most people know that we’re always here if they need us.”