Alumni profile:

Ted Miller ’86

Master of Science degree in kinesiology
Vice President and Sports Education Director
Human Kinetics Publishers

Ted Miller“I was as disoriented as Dorothy was in her dream travel from Kansas to Oz,” described Ted Miller, telling the story of his stormy trip to Manhattan to begin graduate school in 1984.

Battling a major Midwest snowstorm was worth it, he wrote. He made friends who helped guide his education and career. He has been with the kinesiology publishing company for more than 25 years.

“Thirty years ago, after obtaining my BS degree in psychology from Bradley University, I applied to the small number of schools that at that time (1984) offered dedicated graduate programs in sport psych. My options were further limited by my desire to start grad school immediately after completing my undergrad work in December,” he wrote. “I chose Kansas State over North Texas, and was soon on my way through a major Midwest snowstorm to Manhattan, Kansas, for the first time, one day before the start of the spring semester.”

“Nonetheless, I found I loved the subject matter, was impressed by the faculty, and made good fast friends among the kinesiology grad assistants as we all shared an office space that would have been a great backdrop for a TV sitcom,” Miller continued.

What was his next move?

“Given my passion for writing, underwhelming desire to teach, and even less desire to be a sport psych consultant, I set my sights on someday working for an emerging publisher in our field: Human Kinetics. And I determined the best way to do that would be to work on one of HK’s journals while studying for my PhD.”

He headed to the University of Iowa on the recommendation of his K-State adviser Eddie McAuley (now at the University of Illinois). McAuley earned his doctorate under Diane Gill there. She was editor of the Journal of Sport Psychology (now Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology).

At Iowa, Miller also met doctoral student Dave Dzewaltowski.

“It was while completing my Ph.D. course work and comprehensive exams and assisting Diane with the journal that I confirmed my desire to work at Human Kinetics. HK founder and president Rainer Martens had become aware of my work and, through Diane (a former student of his at Illinois), learned of my interest,” Miller wrote.

“He called, interviewed me on the phone, and invited me to accept an HK internship.”

“In January 1989 I started what has been a rewarding 25-plus-year career with Human Kinetics,” Miller added.

“During that span HK would grow from 72 employees, all based in Champaign, IL., to our present 280 employees, nearly 40 of which are working in offices based in Canada, England and Australia. My role expanded to managing editor, and then development director of the American Sport Education Program for 3 years, to consumer division director for 14 more, and now vice president.

“It’s been quite a journey since my days in the Little Apple, but one that I was better equipped to make thanks to my education and experiences at K-State.”