Reflections Magazine Issue #71 - Spring 2010 | Page 4

Column

from the editor
There have been stories that have emotionally
moved me over the 20-plus years I have worked
in journalism and communications. However,
few have emotionally overwhelmed me. This
was one. As Gregg calmly and eloquently recounted the unimaginable circumstances of his
childhood, I could barely keep my focus enough
to record his words; my fingers seized up on the
keyboard at several points during the interview
as I struggled to keep my composure. I was
in shock.

Gregg Milligan:
Mission Accomplished

The full story of Gregg’s appalling and deplorable childhood can be found in his book, “A
Beautiful World,” which he released in the fall.
My focus for this issue was to tell the 1985 Siena
Heights graduate’s “happy ending”—including
his unlikely and remarkable path to conquering
all these seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

Ask yourself this question: What were you
doing at the age of 11?

But conquer he did, and Siena Heights played
no small role in his success story.

I was probably playing in the back field, trading
sports cards with my friends, going to the library
with my dad or fishing with my grandfather—
all while handling the usual academic workload
of the seventh grade. All pretty much normal
activities for a pre-teen boy in my day.

Despite finally teaching himself how to read,
then how to study, and finally graduating from
high school—all while living from place to place
to place—he didn’t think a college education
was within his reach.

What was Gregg Milligan doing at age 11?
Learning how to read, how to tie his shoes, and
most shockingly—how to escape and overcome
years of physical, mental, emotional and sexual
abuse by a person who he was supposed to
trust the most.

4

Reflections Spring ’10

Enter Siena Heights, specifically Pat Palmer,
who was a track coach and a faculty member
at the time. After a chance meeting between
the two, Gregg got his opportunity to go to
college. And he made the most of it. He graduated from Siena with honors and, as a member
of the Saints’ track team, even experienced the
acceptance he craved so much. Nearly 30 years
later, he is a successful member of society.
And more importantly, he is a successful father.
Last May, his son, also named Gregg, graduated
with honors from Siena Heights, and I have
the privilege of working with him each week
as he helps develop our web site.

Many colleges and universities, especially the
small, private ones like Siena Heights, claim to
provide “personal attention” and their students
are “not just a number.” These messages are
almost standard operating procedure for higher
education marketing offices. And I’m sure at
some level most deliver on those claims. However, I’ll let Gregg tell you what separates Siena
Heights and its mission from everyone else:
“I wouldn’t have gotten this from any other university,” he said of the opportunity Siena provided. “I did not apply to any other university
because I knew I would not be accepted. Many
others like myself don’t realize what Siena does.
They have given back to the world more than
they realize. They are turning individuals like myself who are not contributing into people who
are functioning members of society. … There is
a direct financial and societal gain in what Siena
is doing. I know for a fact because I’m it.”
Wow! Talk about a testimonial.
Competent. Purposeful. Ethical.
Mission accomplished.

Doug Goodnough
Editor