Wilson Alumna Returns to Teach

Alumna Michele Miller has returned to Wilson as a lecturer in equine studies.

Miller graduated in 2021 with a Bachelor’s degree in Equine Facilitated Therapeutics and a minor in Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management. While at Wilson, Michele was the president of the EFT club. She also worked part time at the barns from her sophomore year until graduation. She is now completing her Master of Science in Organizational Leadership.

“I have always loved being a part of the Wilson community,” Miller said about why she came back to teach. “It is such a unique place that genuinely strives to be accepting of all and to help everyone reach their goals. This is also what I try to do in my everyday life, so it felt like coming home.”

This semester Miller is teaching three classes for those in EFT and the teaching and training track of equine studies. She has also taught Equine Biomechanics/Kinesiology and some equitation classes.

“Teaching someone else how to teach forces you how to really break down what you do automatically,” Miller said.

Senior Abigail Gross, who has taken riding and teaching lessons with Miller, says Miller is experienced and has taught her to go easy on herself and to take her time while teaching.

Freshman Kloe Dillman, who volunteers for the EFT club, says Miller is compassionate and always happy to teach the volunteers at every opportunity. 

Before coming back, Miller worked at a summer camp where she earned a certification from the Certified Horsemanship Association. She also started an EFT program at an established lesson barn.

That barn needed someone who understood EFT and how to integrate it into an existing program. It was winter when she arrived and there was no indoor arena, but despite this, Miller managed to grow the student base by working with psychologists and a physical therapist.

At Wilson, Miller hopes to build more partnerships with local EFT facilities to provide students with more internship opportunities. She also wants to partner with facilities that have programs for Veterans so that students get to experience the broader reach of EFT.

When asked about the additions to the EFT program Miller hopes to implement, Gross said she thought it would be useful, informative and give students good experience, especially working with adults and PTSD.

Miller has loved horses from a young age even though none of her family is horsey. She grew up going to summer riding camps, but when her family moved her sister had a health crisis, Miller began volunteering at Majoda Stables in New Jersey, where she first learned about EFT and developed her passion for it.

“I found out what a horse was and then I decided I liked them. And I decided that’s what I was doing with my life,” she said.