Date of publication: Jul 29, 2019

George Miller

Associate Dean for Academic Affairs: Temple University

Date of birth: March 18, 1971

Hometown: Wilmington, Delaware

Number of years in Japan (cumulative): 1 (as of July 2019)

Q1: What was your first encounter with Japan?

My father served in the U.S. Navy in Sasebo, Nagasaki Prefecture. He met my mother there. They moved to the States right before I was born but I've been traveling back and forth to Japan all my life until last year when I moved to Tokyo. Sasebo is like home to me.

Q2: Please state your motto in life and why you have chosen it.

Make the most of every day and don’t let the little things get in the way. Life is a gift, you know? The world is an amazing place. It’s so easy to get bogged down by the annoying minutiae of daily existence but it’s better to appreciate every opportunity in front of you. Think about how to surmount the issues. Try to make the world a better place for all.

Q3 : Over your career, what achievement are you the proudest of?

I published a music magazine in Philadelphia for eight years before moving to Japan. It was a side project that I did while working at the university. That experience — championing a burgeoning creative community — was easily the most rewarding thing I’ve done in life. I met so many brilliant, talented, awe-inspiring people and we told their stories.

Q4 : What are your goals during your time in Japan, your current position or in life?

I believe that universities should do more than just teach their students. The best universities are community leaders, offering ideas for all, and providing spaces for the public to share their ideas. As the oldest and largest foreign university in Japan, I hope that we can be a rallying point for ideas as Japan tackles the difficult questions about its future.

Q5 : What wisdom, advice or tips can you give to people living and working in Japan?

Watch, listen and absorb. Don’t judge. Appreciate the differences and revel in them. I ride a bicycle everywhere and when I have time, I roam the city, usually with no set plan in mind. When I see or hear things, I stop and investigate, often stumbling across parties and matsuri (festivals) and random events. I take pictures and talk to strangers. I try to be a fly on the wall and just observe but I also don’t mind jumping into the middle and dancing with the crowd, if that’s welcomed.

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Last updated: Jul 29, 2019