From dropping out of college to becoming a businesswoman and entrepreneur, Shakea Miller has made history as the first Black woman to open a technical college in the state of Alabama. Her story is summed up by as many as one word: inspiring.
“I've never really looked at myself as being the owner of a college,” said Shakea Miller, Founder and Chancellor of the 1 on 1 Technical and Theological College in Phenix City, Alabama.
With southern roots, Miller grew up in Troy, Alabama. In her youth, she moved around a lot and attended several different schools, including Charles Henderson and Prattville High School, where she graduated from. Miller said she never imagined she would be where she is today.
“My goal was originally to be a doctor,” Miller said. “I ended up getting pregnant young, so then I had to choose to either go to school or get a job and take care of my child.”
Miller, who was 19 at the time, was studying at Alabama State University when she chose to withdraw and start working instead. Soon after, she transitioned to a trade school in Montgomery, Alabama, where she became a Certified Nursing Assistant, phlebotomist and Clinical Medical Assistant. She continued hopping from job to job until inspiration struck.
“I worked in the field for a few years, became a car saleswoman in Auburn, and then started a tax business,” Miller said. “With the money I saved up, I started a staffing agency that staffed medical personnel.”
This staffing agency is what eventually led her to open her very own technical college. After one hospital reached out to them about staffing issues, they settled on a solution of training new staff with classes. This struck an idea in Miller.
“I was like, well, I could teach those classes because I've already had that trade,” she said. “I ended up reaching out to the state, asking them what I would need to do to teach those classes.
“Once we realized how much money we were going to have to invest in it, I decided just to open up a whole college.”
With this idea, in addition to Miller’s experience and determination, the 1 on 1 Technical College was born in 2019 and renamed to 1 on 1 Technical & Theological College four years later.
Starting out with only a handful of trades in the medical field, the school has grown to offer over 60 classes in healthcare, cybersecurity, business administration and paralegal, among others. The college offers a handful of associate degrees, as well.
Miller explains that while the college serves to provide educational opportunities for those in the surrounding area, it stands for much more.
“It was about giving single moms, and parents in general, who were in my situation and couldn’t afford to stay in college, something that can allow them to come into a field and get a job,” Miller said. “A lot of times, we go to college, get degrees and a lot of people are not able to find jobs in their degree and their niche.
“That was my ultimate goal. To have an outlet where people can go get a trade fairly quickly.”
What Miller didn’t know is the impact it would have. From starting off with little to no assistance to opening during the height of Covid-19, the journey didn’t come without its fair share of challenges. The students, Miller said, are what make it all worth it.
“The emails we get, the acknowledgment of when a student graduates and goes to another college or get management positions in the field that they got certified - those are the high points,” Miller said. “Just watching them walk across the stage and seeing how happy they are, it feels good.”
Looking forward to the future, Miller focuses on expansion. She hopes to not only introduce several more classes and draw in more prospective students, but also to offer 100% of classes in person as well as online.
The college is also working toward a partnership with Troy University’s Phenix City campus to bridge the gap between their respective health care programs. The partnership will allow students to earn affordable trades as they simultaneously work through their degree.
Recently graduated from the University of Phoenix, Miller continues to serve as the technical college’s chancellor and dean. Her story serves as a monumental example of what can come from hard work and dedication. She hopes it will inspire others to do the same.
“Even though you may go down a different path, maybe a path that doesn't look like where you dream to be, keep going,” Miller said. “Go after your goals and it can happen, just keep on striving for better and for more.”
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