“Make it meaningful.”

These are the words of Lane Miller, NC State Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE) Alumni Hall of Fame member, Distinguished Engineering Alumni awardee and longtime supporter of the department. Miller and his wife, Louise, have taken this sentiment to heart with the creation of the Miller Family Faculty award.

“I guess there’s a little Wolfpack blood running through my veins.”

Miller graduated from NC State in 1988 with a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering. The Millers called the Raleigh area home for the majority of Lane’s 38-year career with LORD Corporation; he retired in 2016 after leading more than 300 engineers, scientists and technicians as the company’s VP of global technology. Their son, Sam, graduated with his Ph.D. from NC State in 2020 after studying under Professor Greg Buckner. Just last year, the Millers made a significant gift to Buckner’s lab as part of Day of Giving. And their giving journey didn’t even start there.

“A few years ago, Louise and I endowed a graduate fellowship. We’ve always had a passion for supporting students,” said Miller. “But after hearing Srinath [Ekkad] talk about the need for faculty support, we finally made the connection that it’s to the student’s advantage to have the best faculty possible. The two are really connected.

“The difference is the ability to innovate, the ability to create value. That’s what we’re trying to encourage with this award.”

Attracting and retaining top-tier faculty creates a positive feedback loop, helping to bring in talented students and increase funding, awards and recognitions. All of these elements come together to create strong departments and a thriving educational ecosystem.

That’s why Lane and Louise established the Miller Family Faculty Award, which will help elevate and support mid-career MAE faculty and bridge the gap between associate and full professors. This award will be given to one MAE faculty member for a period of three years.

“I think one of the things that I really appreciate about Lane is his active involvement with MAE; he attends every advisory board meeting in person and has always been supportive of the department,” said Department Head Srinath Ekkad. “It’s not just about the money itself, it’s about actions. Lane has helped many of the other alumni understand what it means to give and how it translates into success for the department.”

Miller and his family have lived every part of the NC State experience: student, graduate, alumni, donor and parents of a student. These perspectives inform their giving strategy. The Millers place a high value on education and focus on maximizing the impact of their gifts.

“Louise and I have been very fortunate. We’ve seen how an education can affect lives, and education has been a big part of our family’s success story,” said Miller. “We’re blessed to be able to give back, but there’s a little bit of duty in that too… that’s why we give back to NC State, and that’s why we make it meaningful.”

This post was originally published by the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.