Dr. G. Howard Miller Honored as the 2008-2009 Friar Centennial Teaching Fellow

The University of Texas at Austin Friar Society awarded Distinguished Teaching Associate Professor of History G. Howard Miller, the 2008-09 Friar Centennial Teaching Fellowship on Monday, April 14. The $15,000 award is the university's largest for undergraduate teaching excellence.

In keeping with tradition, the Friar Society interrupted Miller's 10 a.m. class with a trumpet parade by the Longhorn Band.

Miller is known for his popular religious studies courses, including, "Religion in U.S. Popular Culture" and "Jesus in American Culture," which is now available online in full-length video recordings.

"Dr. Miller is a beloved professor who inspires his students to become more holistic thinkers about the role of religion in society," said Bill Bacon, president of Liberal Arts Council and co-chair of the Friar Centennial Teaching Fellowship. "His innovative teaching style, which includes activities such as having students write a religious autobiography, engages students in a way that distinguishes him among faculty members at the university."

Dr. G. Howard Miller is a Distinguished Teaching Associate Professor of History here at the University. He was born in Graham, Texas a small town northwest of Fort Worth to sharecropper parents and is one of five children and the only son.

In high school Dr. Miller was the star of his high school’s band, which won the University Interscholastic League state championship during his senior year. He earned both a bachelors and master degree in music from North Texas State University, now the University of North Texas. After his time at North Texas Dr. Miller attended the University of Michigan where he studied with Pulitzer Prize winning historian Gordon S. Wood and earned his Ph.D. in history in 1970. In 1971 he became an Assistant Professor of History at the University of Texas at Austin and soon thereafter he earned a prestigious postdoctoral fellowship at the Princeton Institute of Advanced Studies. After his time in Princeton he rejoined the faculty here at UT Austin.

In 1974 Dr. Miller was appointed Assistant Dean for the old College of Social and Behavioral Sciences where he was responsible for undergraduate education in the College. In addition to his role as an assistant dean Dr. Miller also served as the graduate advisor for the Department of History for nine years. He is a member of the Academy of Distinguished Teachers here at the University and is a recipient of the Jean Holloway Award for Teaching Excellence, the Eyes of Texas Excellence Award, and the Harry Ransom Award for Teaching Excellence among many other accolades he as received.

Dr. Miller is a dedicated undergraduate teacher. For over 30 years he taught a course on the History of American Religion and also served the Department of History wherever they needed him by often teaching a general survey of American History as a part of the University’s legislative degree requirements. A truly remarkable characteristic that distinguishes him from his faculty peers is his commitment of developing new and innovated courses. In just the last few years, even as a Distinguished Professor, Dr. Miller has developed new courses entitled “Jesus in American Culture”, “Reel Religion: Jesus in American Cinema and Culture”, “Unbelief in America”.