Welding student, Metallica Scholar seeks better life for kids
鈥淲elding is a form of art,鈥 said Metallica Scholar and ECTC welding student Megan Miller. 鈥淭his is something I鈥檝e always wanted to do. I鈥檓 more of a physical type of person and I don鈥檛 want to sit behind a desk.鈥
Miller has been at ECTC since spring of 2023. After graduating high school in 2010 in Georgia, she had a rough patch that included drug addiction and homelessness. Now married to a military veteran, she has four children 鈥 two boys and two stepdaughters.
鈥淚鈥檓 working on building a better future for my kids,鈥 she said. 鈥淭hey drive me to be a better person every day.鈥
Jared Spalding, Welding Technology professor, selected Miller as a Metallica Scholar because of her exemplary class performance.
鈥淢egan Miller was nominated for the Metallica Scholars scholarship because of her hard work and professionalism in the welding program,鈥 he said. 鈥淪he continues to prove to her class and instructors that she is among the best welders in the program and works diligently and safely in all her course work. I expect to see Megan as a leading professional in the welding industry in the very near future.鈥
Miller chose to study at ECTC because of the college鈥檚 location and flexibility. She will use the Metallica Scholars scholarship to purchase welding materials for class.
鈥淚t feels really special to earn this scholarship,鈥 she said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 usually win a lot of things, and my dad loved Metallica growing up, so this is sentimental, too.鈥