That was then. Miller now said she just loves learning. “I’d take four courses and think, hey – these would go into this or that degree,” she said, laughing. “But then I’d think oh, it’s too late now, and thinking about the work involved was intimidating.”

But when she turned a “certain age,” Miller decided to just go for it. And she did – with her dad and Dominic Garvey in mind. Mary Miller and Garvey, artistic director of Carousel Music Theater for 25 years, worked together on many summer productions.

“My dad, and my mom, too really, always supported me in everything I wanted to do. Everything,” Miller said. “And, Dominic was always telling me (imitates his voice) ‘you need to get a doctorate; you don’t need another master’s degree.’ And I kept saying ‘I can’t, I can’t, Dominic.”

And yet, she placed it on her bucket list.

“When I was getting my choral conducting masters, besides leaning all of the physical movements, was the history; studying Gregorian Chant; Medieval, Baroque and the Renaissance music. I’m just fascinated by history,” she said. “And it all goes hand-in-hand: our art, our music, our theater, writing ... that’s what our history is.”

Miller said she spent three semesters on her thesis exploring science, technology, engineering and math’s (STEM’s) impact on the ability to participate in music, with a concentration on secondary school music.

On the ongoing STEM versus STEAM (‘A’ for arts) debate, Miller said students will always need math and sciences; her concern is about the STEM courseload monopolizing students’ time.

“In all of my research I found nothing that said STEM is the only way to teach kids 21st century skills,” Miller said. “In fact, you get all of the same skills in music classes. The skills learned – collaboration, leadership, thinking outside the box, creativity, the ability to analyze – these are all things that music teaches.”

Shrinking enrollment plays a supporting role. Miller said that “back in the day” she taught four drama and four chorus classes; now she has one of each. Miller became certified in U.S. history to make up the lost arts classes. She also teaches psychology, Holocaust history, and is adding a U.S. government class to her days.

Miller realizes the arts compete not only with STEM, but with sports, afterschool jobs, and home responsibilities.

“I want to get more kids involved in music at Edgecomb Eddy and Southport (Central) schools,” Miller said. “These schools, and Georgetown, have music once a week. There are so many performance opportunities (including festivals) for kids and many of them are in our state.”

As the new school year approaches, she's looking forward to finding ways to address these challenges.

Miller said, once again, she’s really finished earning degrees, but with her love of learning and challenging herself only time will tell.