Ribbon-cutting for David F. Miller Retail Center set for Wednesday

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The Warrington College of Business Administration will hold a dedication and ribbon-cutting for the newly remodeled David F. Miller Center for Retailing Education & Research on Wednesday, October 19 at 4 p.m. at David Stuzin Hall on the business campus of the University of Florida.

Scheduled to speak at the event are Dr. Selcuk Erenguc, Senior Associate Dean for Graduate Programs; Dr. W. Andrew McCollough, UF’s Associate Provost for IT, E-Learning and Distance Education; David F. Miller, former Vice Chairman of jcpenney and for whom the Center is named; Dr. Steven Kirn, Executive Director of the Miller Center; and Rick Lawlor, Vice President of Retail Marketing of Hess Corporation, which is a major sponsor of the Center.

“We believe that our new space will be a boon to the Miller Center’s visibility, accessibility and campus presence, and a major asset in attracting students to and preparing them for successful retailing careers—our core mission,” Dr. Kirn said. “Interesting classes, stimulating speakers, intensive career counseling, social activities and networking, research opportunities, study tours and all the rest of the hands-on experiences are what differentiate the Miller Center and make it a leader in this field.”

The Miller Center’s new space occupies approximately 2,800 square feet of space on Stuzin Hall’s first floor. The Center is equipped with state-of-the art audio-visual displays that feature custom feeds of retail and general news, sponsor company profiles and videos, announcements and other exciting content. The Center’s conference room sports SmartBoard technology and video conferencing capability, and the welcome area and student lounge spaces offer opportunities for students to meet, read the latest business and retailing journals, and gather for special events.

The Miller Center was established in 1986 thanks to David F. Miller, who made a generous gift to endow the Center for Retailing Education & Research. The Center’s major objectives are to stimulate student interest in pursuing careers in retailing, prepare students for entry level management positions, provide continuing education opportunities for individuals currently in retailing, improve communications between retailers and academics so that academics are more familiar with problems facing retailers, and so that retailers can take advantage of new perspectives and insights arising in the academic community, and undertake research on retailing issues, opportunities, and problems.