The humanities and the arts remain central to how universities explore culture, creativity and the meaning of human experience. Dr. Renata Miller leads that work as Dean of the Division of Humanities and the Arts, bringing a scholar’s perspective and a deep commitment to public education to the role. She is devoted to expanding opportunities in the humanities and strengthening the role of these disciplines for future generations.
Dr. Renata Miller. Photo Credit: Courtesy of CCNY.
Miller’s path to leadership in higher education began while growing up in Queens, where two public school educators raised her. Her mother was a New York City High School Principal, and her father was a social studies teacher in a city public school.
“Education was central to my family life,” Miller said. “I was raised in a household that believed that education was really a universal right, and that everyone should have the ability to discover their best abilities and fulfill their potential.”
After attending Townsend Harris High School, a humanities-focused public school with historic ties to CCNY, Miller earned her undergraduate degree at Princeton University before completing a Ph.D. in English literature at Indiana University Bloomington, specializing in Victorian studies.
During college, her academic interests were further shaped by mentorship from renowned feminist scholar Elaine Showalter, who encouraged her to pursue graduate study. After earning her doctorate, Miller accepted a faculty position at CCNY in 2002, a decision she describes as deeply personal.
“For me, it really felt like a full circle moment,” Miller described. “It felt like I was destined to continue my family’s commitment to public education in New York City.”
Miller has held a series of academic leadership roles, including program director, English department chair, deputy dean, and interim dean, before becoming the permanent dean of the Division of Humanities and the Arts.
In her current role, Miller sees the humanities and arts as a central field of study for understanding both individuals and society.
“My main objective as a dean is to provide outstanding access to the humanities and arts for a wide array of students,” she said. “I think it’s important because the humanities and the arts allow us to explore who we are, explore our relationship to others, learn from people across cultural and social differences, and also allow us to imagine new possibilities for a better world”.
Under Miller’s leadership, the division has developed new curricular models designed to connect classroom learning with real-world experience. These initiatives include experiential learning programs, community partnerships and a growing internship network across New York City.
“New York has such a wealth of cultural resources and opportunities available that I felt that it would be a waste not to use all of those resources to provide a really vibrant and engaging experience for our students,” Miller explained.
One of the division’s most significant accomplishments has been the creation of a humanities internship initiative supported by a $5 million grant from the Mellon Foundation. Through the program, Humanities Experiential Learning Partnership Seminars (HELPS), students relate small seminars with closely related internship placements, allowing them to work with cultural institutions and community organizations while connecting those experiences directly to academic coursework.
Miller also highlights the creation of a new Black Studies Department among the division’s major achievements during her tenure.
“Establishing a new department within a university system can be very complex”, Miller said. “But I’m really proud we took that initiative since it represents an important step toward expanding academic inquiry and collaboration”.
Miller remains active as a scholar of Victorian literature, with a focus on the intersection of theater, literature and politics. She recently published a paper examining the friendship between the early 20th-century writer Elizabeth Robins and the novelist Henry James, despite their opposing views on women’s suffrage.
As a mother of two children who grew up during all her years at CCNY, she says her experience navigating both family and academic life has shaped how she leads.
“The entire time that I’ve been working at City College, I’ve been balancing being a mom and my duties here,” Miller said. “That experience helps me better understand how to support my colleagues and students, and show compassion to one another as we all are balancing different responsibilities in our lives”.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Dr. Miller.
Looking ahead, Miller is particularly excited about the future of the arts at CCNY. New investments will support renovations to Aaron Davis Hall and expand performing arts programs. A new studio arts facility just across Amsterdam Avenue will provide improved spaces for students and faculty.
“Strengthening our arts facilities and programs allows us to expand what’s possible for students,” Miller said. “It creates new opportunities for how they learn, how they collaborate, and how they imagine their futures in the arts.”
Sofia is a graduate student at CUNY Brooklyn College, where she’s pursuing her M.S. in Media Studies. Her work centers on cultural affairs, capturing people’s lived experiences, and producing work that is not only compelling and polished but also intentional, inclusive, and aligned with meaningful public impact. In addition to writing for The RICC, she’s a dedicated writer for the Brooklyn News Service.