Be an NCBA Star Student – Get Good Grades, Get Involved, Give Back
The NC Bankers Association is debuting a new feature called Star Student Profile. Each month we will highlight a student who won, or was a finalist for the NC Bankers Association Foundation college tuition scholarship.
This month the NCBA’s John Sullivan, Senior Director of the Future Bank Leaders Program, spoke with Ashe County High School senior Lane Miller. He will attend Duke University this fall, and is the son of Melanie Miller, who is employed by LifeStore Bank in West Jefferson.
John Sullivan: You’ve accomplished a lot in your life already: salutatorian, 2023 Ashe County volunteer of the year. What are you most proud of?
Lane Miller: Giving back to the community. I believe in the power of giving back. And I plan to give back in some way for the rest of my life.
JS: If you could give your middle school self advice, what would it be?
LM: Take your time – don’t rush through everything. In 10th grade I was already putting pressure on myself about writing my college essay and doing well on the SAT. I learned not to always be in a hurry. I didn’t start working on my Duke application until September of my senior year and I got in. Take time to process and plan what you want to do.
JS: You plan to major in Public Policy with the goal of some day being an attorney. What drew you to Duke?
LM: The first time I visited campus I knew I was going there. At a lot of the top colleges the students are very competitive with each other, working against one another to get ahead. Duke is different. The students are very collaborative. If there’s a common task to accomplish, everybody works together to get it done. I like that.
JS: You’re very proud of being from western N.C. Why is that important to you?
LM: The people in rural Appalachia know each other very well – which can be challenging because news travels fast around here (laughing). At the same time, they have a level of compassion you’d have a hard time finding anywhere else. I’m proud of that.
JS: How do you relax?
LM: Listening to music, watching tv, traveling. I also like going to plays. Jagged Little Pill – a musical based on the Alanis Morrissette album – was really good. And I’ll always remember the night I saw Sweeney Todd in New York because that was the same night I found out I was accepted to Duke.
JS: Time for the rapid response round. Favorite color?
LM: Duke blue, of course.
JS: Best concert?
LM: Taylor Swift, the Eras tour
JS: Favorite musical artist?
LM: Taylor Swift.
JS: Ok, I detect a theme here…favorite song?
LM: “I Look In People’s Windows.” It’s off her Tortured Poets Department album.
JS: What social media platform do you spend the most time on?
LM: Instagram.
JS: Which scares you the most, public speaking or going to the dentist?
LM: Not going to the dentist.
JS: Why’s that?
LM: Because I’ve never had a cavity!
JS: I have to ask, have you ever done anything wrong?
LM: Yes. In the eighth grade my parents took my phone away for having a bad attitude, but I grew out of that (laughing).