The Atlantic City man who gained national attention for
breaking up a fight in a video that went viral is going back to school.
And he’s not leaving home to do it.
Stockton University has given incoming student Ibn Ali Miller a $1,000 scholarship and a Leadership Award for his positive influence.
“Ibn is the type of student that truly represents the best of the Stockton community,” said John Iacovelli, the university’s dean of Enrollment Management.” He cares about others and is willing to step in and assist whenever he can.”
Miller, 26, said he is finally ready for college, and Stockton is a good fit. His first try was about six years ago, when he went to the College of New Jersey in Trenton while working full-time at Harrah’s in Atlantic City.
Off from work Wednesdays and Thursdays at the time, he would get out of Harrah’s at 4 in the morning, then need to be in Trenton by 8 a.m. Wednesday for three classes. He had a fourth class on Fridays.
“I wouldn’t get home until 8, 8:30 at night,” Miller told BreakingAC. “It would be 36 hours of not sleeping.”
Already a dad starting a family at the time, he gave up school for work. But after two failed business attempts, he decided to try school again.
At Stockton, it will be easier to work and go to classes.
He will major in psychology, a change from the history/education double major he had the first time around.
“The plan is to help the underserved,” Miller said. “You can’t help the underserved if you can’t completely understand the mentality.”
The 2008 Atlantic City High School graduate is also hopeful about the campus being built on the site of the old high school. Although the man who “bleeds A.C.” is waiting to see the dream come to fruition before he can fully believe.
In the meantime, he will go to classes and keep working for his family, including his wife and six children ages 1 to 10.
“I’m very excited to finish my education,” Miller said. “College is not for everyone, but I’m realizing it is for me.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPatlD0kdGw
