MyFDU Alumni Profile

CINDY MILLER, LCSW, BA'90

What are your fondest memories of your FDU days?

I loved being a member of the student body. I really enjoyed most of my classes, and the experiments in the psych lab were both fun and informative. The cute boy who sat behind me in introduction to philosophy added to my enthusiasm for that subject, too, and I don’t think I missed a single class!
   
Any professors who had an impact on you?

Yes, the professors who had the greatest impact on me were those who were passionate about their subjects, had a good understanding of how to engage their students and who valued the exchange between all members of the classroom community. There were a number of great professors with whom I had the pleasure to learn from while attending FDU. Professor Shapiro (Masterpieces in World Literature I & II) was one of my favorite and most influential.  

How did your experiences at FDU help you in your life and career?

Studying at FDU reinforced my interest in learning, my self-confidence as a learner, and helped me discover new interests and fields of practice, such as psychology (major), finance and, of course, writing. All of those term-papers helped me to develop time management skills, too! My education at FDU prepared me for graduate school at Columbia University’s School of Social Work.
 
What about the University impresses you today?

FDU continues to offer a vast array of undergraduate and graduate programs (I believe there are more than 100 programs available now). In addition, FDU embraces a global perspective when it comes to educating today’s students, which ensures that its graduates will be well prepared to collaborate as well as to compete in the global marketplace. I also appreciate FDU’s continuing outreach efforts and responsiveness to its alumni community.

You've just published a book about bullying prevention and intervention. What are the most important issues we should know about bullying?

There are so many very important things that we need to know about bullying prevention and intervention which we cover in our book, The Essential Guide to Bullying: Prevention and Intervention.  Here are just a few:

The bullying epidemic has become a national conversation and a cultural shift is underfoot.  Anti-bullying legislation has been passed and schools have been put on notice to become proactive in the prevention and intervention of suspected incidents of bullying.
 
Bullying is effective because it is enabled and often unintentionally reinforced. Inaction equals approval. The power of bystanders cannot be underestimated, and there are numerous ways to intervene on behalf of a target while still feeling safe.
 
Improving school climate is effective in decreasing incidents of violence, aggression, absenteeism and increasing student success. Education works!


About Cindy Miller, LCSW, BA'90


Cindy Miller is a school social worker, psychotherapist, author, educator, and parent consultant. She has been working with children, adolescents, adults and families for over 20 years. As a clinical social work supervisor, she provides education, consultation and supervision to mental health professionals in the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area.

Miller is founder and president of the School for Parents LLC, which assists parents in identifying, understanding and meeting the needs of their children as they grow and develop.

She is the co-author of the new book, The Essential Guide to Bullying: Prevention and Intervention, which provides needed information and insight to parents, teachers, pediatricians, mental health professionals and community leaders to effectively prevent, identify and intervene in bullying situations. She is in the process of completing a manuscript titled, How I Survived My Fourth Grade Nightmare, which details the effects of bullying and what can happen when caring and empathic professionals intervene.

After graduating FDU with a degree in psychology in 1990, Miller earned her master's degree in social work from Columbia University.