Journalism George Miller

Photo Courtesy of mookieland.org

    Now an assistant professor at Temple University’s School of Communications and Theater another of George Miller’s goals were achieved.
    Miller who is now the teacher of several classes in the Journalism department at Temple University would be quick to stop someone who tells him that he is no longer a journalist. To George Miller teaching is just as as much an important part of journalism as any other reporter or photographer.
    Miller, has held jobs in many different facets of journalism. From 1994 to 2005 Miller was a staff photographer, features writer, general assignment reporter, and police beat writer for the Philadelphia Daily News. He also has appeared on Fox 29 “Good Day Philadelphia” to talk about issues in the city involving politics. In addition he has written pieces for the Philadelphia Weekly, The Inquirer, and several other papers and magazines around the city.


    Before assuming his current role at Temple, Miller was a adjunct professor at Loyola University of Maryland and Wilmington University in Delaware according to his website mookieland.org.
    Miller now lives in the Northern Liberties neighborhood of Philadelphia with his girlfriend, two cats, and his beloved dog Mookie. His girlfriend Wendy Daughenbaugh is the founder of the multimedia production company NOBIS and according to their website, is a veteran reporter, writer, and editor. Millers dog Mookie consistently appears in the classes that he teaches and is also where the inspiration for his website mookieland.org came from.
    In addition to his assistant professor position at Temple University George Miller founded  a magazine called Jump. A music magazine that is focused on the Philadelphia music scene, Miller said, “Jump is a magazine that features a diverse array of artists.”
    He said that he does a majority of the work, from writing, photographing, and finding advertisements. “I do everything here, I even handle the business side.” he said when asked about his role. But, Miller did mention that he gives upperclassmen students the opportunity to be part of the process by meeting with them for ideas or letting them help with a story.
    Miller teaches several classes in Temple’s journalism department including Journalism and Society and Writing for Journalism. He has also designed several courses like Entrepreneurial Journalism and the graduate level course Writing II.
    George Miller uses his teaching to spread his love of journalism. His classes are hands on and he often gives tips on ways that a young journalist can display what they know in a manor that will help get their work noticed and maybe lead to a job. He urges his students to not only be good journalists if thats the path that they choose, but to be better consumers of information and learn to understand flaws in the journalistic process.
    During his several trips abroad as a professor Miller has worked with his students on many different Journalism projects outside of their respective internship and education programs.  On his trip to Armagh, in Northern Ireland Miller was the editor for a blog where photo Journalism students could post pictures that they took in their time in Ireland. He made a similar blog site for his trip to Andiamo nelle Marche, a small town in Italy. On this site students were able to find and produce their own multimedia projects that include photography and writing. In London, England he worked to produce another blog that focused on London’s diverse music scene.
    When miller was a student his goal was to become a a report at a small town paper and a teacher consecutively. So he would say that he has accomplished his goal. “Becoming a teacher was always in the plan for me” he said.
     Miller has received several awards for the stories that he has written and would constantly turn and display his favorites while scrolling down the extensive list on his website.
    “George Miller is a really great professor and is truly dedicated to journalism” said Tatiana Swedek a freshman in Miller’s Journalism and Society class.
    When asked what his goals are now that his earlier expectations have been met Miller joked about quitting his job at Temple and running for mayor. He made sure to urge the fact that he was not quitting his job for a while and said, “I could see myself running the magazine full time though.” He did say that this was just a dream and he still does not see himself leaving his current teaching position just yet.