Note: This message was originally sent on September 1, 2022
You’ve heard them all: “Zags help Zags,” “Once a Zag, always a Zag,” and “Educating people the world needs most,” but Tom Miller ’72 is a Gonzaga alum, former faculty member, benefactor, former Regent and most recently, the University Marketing and Communications’ interim news service manager, who lives out these slogans and our shared mission in all he does.
In addition to teaching classes in journalism at Gonzaga, Tom served as a copy editor for the Spokesman-Review and had several other various journalistic experiences, including with the Catholic News Agency in Hong Kong and Bangkok before “retiring.” His keen eye for grammar, punctuation, style and his unwavering journalistic integrity was a blessing to Gonzaga University for the past year. As he filled in between the retirement of Peter Tormey in 2021 and the recent hiring of Dan Nailen, Tom published and distributed 83 news stories celebrating student achievements, program announcements, alumni successes, benefactors, donations and grants, research, expansion and community connections. Three of Tom’s major feature stories gained national attention, and he helped copy edit five major publications including three issues of Gonzaga Magazine, the 2022 Report of the President and Gonzaga Law Magazine.
But most of all, we are all grateful for the 1,000+ acts of kindness Tom shared with colleagues across campus. He offered his helpful observations, ideas, jokes, great catches, connections with people, smiles and so much more.
“I can’t think of another professor who remembered where I was from, and even took chances at pronouncing my last name, in the same caring way that Tom did,” recalled Kara Hertz ’01, one of Tom’s former students who now serves University Advancement as assistant vice president of alumni and external relations. “He took the opportunity to get to know each student. So, getting to see the genuine care and attention for the alumni and students stories he wrote while here in advancement shouldn’t have been a surprise. He’s truly a gem, and the Gonzaga community is better because of him.“
Another alum who experienced Tom’s impact as a teacher as well as in the role of a colleague is Dave Sonntag ’96, who is now associate vice president of marketing and communications.
“As a student I cringed to see my draft articles come back bleeding red from Tom’s keen editing pen, but it sure made me a better writer,” Dave said. “To have the chance to work with Tom over the past year in an entirely new way and see the experience, storytelling, and camaraderie he brought to our team was invaluable and I’m deeply grateful for Tom. He’s a true Zag.”
Tom is forever a Zag, embodying all that we strive to be each day. So in this last week of Tom’s formal time at GU, we want to say thanks for everything, Tom! Now, go relax! (but stay close by)
our way