It was his first year on the Undergraduate Student Senate, but Ross Miltner was already setting his sights on the top position.

After becoming the senator for community affairs last year, he told his mom, Linda Duckworth, “I think I’m going to run for executive director next year.”

His mom wasn’t surprised because she said Miltner succeeds at everything he does.

His mom was right.

Miltner is the newly inaugurated Executive Director for the 2006-2007 Undergraduate Student Senate.

Miltner said he wanted to be executive director because he saw things in the past year on senate that could have been done better. He said the past two executive directors had very different leadership styles, and he was able to learn from their accomplishments and failures.

“I’m going to try to meet in the middle and get everything done internally, as well as try my best to put out a good face to campus,” he said.

Ross said he is excited to meet with the city manager over the summer about a new liaison program that would link the city and university via internships and class projects for students.

“I plan to contact heads of departments and professors to see who would be interested,” he said. “The possibilities are almost infinite.”

Miltner also plans to push for some kind of reimbursement for the members of the Allocations Committee.

He said members of the USS, All Campus Programming Board and numerous student leaders on campus receive compensation. He said he will push for a $500 book scholarship for the seven at-large members.

Growing up

Miltner grew up in North Canton and graduated from North Canton Hoover High School in 2003. He credits his parents for instilling in him both his strong work ethic and personal values. His father is a professor at the Stark campus, and his mother works as a social worker for the elderly.

Miltner said both his sister and father having ties to the university were factors in his decision to attend the university.

“Kent State is also a really good distance from where I live,” he said. “It’s far enough away to feel that I’m not in my hometown, but it’s close enough that I don’t have to drive three hours if my mom needs something.”

College Years and Future Goals

In addition to the USS, Miltner is a member of the College Democrats and Delta Upsilon fraternity.

After graduating, Miltner said he would like to work in a campus life office at a university. Eventually, he wants to become a dean, vice president or president of a university.

He plans to attend graduate school at Kent and eventually obtain a doctorate in higher education at a large university.

Miltner said he looks forward to improving the university by the goals both he and the senators have planned. Although they do not always accomplish huge goals, he said positive results do happen for all the hardwork they put into their jobs.

“I love going into meetings with administrators or deans and being the only student in the room to give input on behalf of the 20,000 students on campus,” he said. “It’s a nice feeling to know you are the advocate for all those people and are fighting for them.”

Contact student politics reporter Breanne George at [email protected].