updated Jan. 2010
Alton Miller biographical highlights:
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Articles
(You can view this information chronologically).
See also; (1) Short introduction   –  (2) One-page bio
In the classroom Currently,
In July 2005 I was appointed the Associate Dean of the School of Media Arts at Columbia College Chicago , where I am also a tenured associate professor. That same weekend I completed graduate studies at Goddard College, in Plainfield, Vermont, and was awarded the degree of M.F.A. My thesis was a novel based on my experiences as press secretary to Chicago mayor Harold Washington, titled Chicago Power and Light. Since 1990 I have taught a course in Politics and the Media, first as a Columbia adjunct, then full time since 1999. I still teach one or two online sections of PR Writing each semester. As a Fellow of the Center for Teaching Excellence at Columbia I was named one of three collegewide finalists for "Teacher of the Year." At Columbia College I have served as Parliamentarian of the College Council, served on the Task Force on Governance, and chaired several committees, including the Faculty Handbook Committee and the Bylaws Committee.
Political career highlights:
  • Press Secretary, Speechwriter, Mayor Harold Washington, 1985-1987.
  • Political Consultant, Speechwriter, Mayor W. Wilson Goode (Philadelphia), 1989-90
  • Communications Director, Carol Moseley-Braun U.S. Senate primary campaign, 1991-1992
Campaigning with Harold
  • Communications Consultant, United Auto Workers, Caterpillar contract action, 1993-1998
  • Communications Consultant, Chicago City Treasurer Miriam Santos, 1993-2000
  • Campaign Manager, Spokesman, Miriam Santos for Illinois Attorney General, 1997-1998, and Miriam Santos for City Treasurer, 1998-99
Book Cover: a political memoir Writing career highlights:
Click on a title to jump to its listing in WWW.AMAZON.COM 		Book Cover: collected speeches
Media career highlights:
  • Copy boy (sic), Washington Post, 1962
  • Drama Editor/Critic, Washington Calendar Magazine and Washington Star, Dec. 1976 - Aug. 1980
  • Editor and writer of "The Front Page" (politics, media, arts) section of Chicago Times Magazine, 1989-90
  • Author, CD-ROM presentation for the Illinois Arts Alliance, "The Arts in Illinois are a Billion-Dollar Business," 1996
  • Culture Editor, In These Times , 1996
  • Author, lobbying handbook for the Illinois Arts Alliance, "Democracy in Action," 2000
  • Editor, special Columbia College issues of StreetWise, Fall 2000 and Spring 2001
  • Freelance writer, Chicago and Illinois arts, media and politics: American Theatre, Chicago Tribune, Illinois Politics, Illinois Issues, In These Times, Newsday, etc. 1989-present
Arts career highlights:
  • Press & Public Relations, Washington Theater Club: 1966-68
  • Technical director, set designer, Houghton Lake Playhouse, Houghton Lake, Mich.: Summer 1966
  • General Manager, Wayside Theater, Middletown, Va.: Summer 1968
  • PR & Marketing Director, Associate Producing Director, Arena Stage: 1968-76
  • (Drama Critic, Washington Calendar Magazine and Washington Star, 1976-78)
  • Managing Director, Washington Ballet : 1978-83
  • General Director, Chicago City Ballet: 1983-84
  • Marketing Communications Consultant, lecturer, arts advocate for Illinois Arts Alliance, 1995-present
Washington Ballet
Julie Miles and Hillary Canary
in Choo-San Goh's Synonyms (1981)
Photo by James E. Strickland
Academic career highlights:
  • Columbia College
      Marketing Communication Department, part-time faculty 1990-1999
      full-time 1999-2005
      awarded tenure February 2005
      appointed Associate Dean, School of Media Arts, July 2005
  • Smithsonian Institution, guest lecturer, instructor, 1982
  • Georgetown University summer associates program, visiting lecturer, art history, 1978
Some weeks after 7/17/43
1943
 Personal:

Born July 17, 1943. I lived and worked in Washington, D.C. until 1983, in Chicago 1983-present.
Family: Daughter Julie born 2/4/67; Daughter Victoria born 11/24/07.
Current and recent civic activities: Board of Directors, Community Media Workshop ... Harold Washington Archives and Collection, Advisory Committee of the Chicago Public Library... formerly Steering Committee, People for Better TV/Chicago...formerly Board of Trustees, Protestants for the Common Good... member, National Writer's Union, UAW Local 1981... Hon. Discharge, U.S.M.C. ... Listed, Who's Who in America, 45th edition.
2010
Where'd you get that name?