NORMAN MILLER OPENS DOORS OF OPPORTUNITY TO A NEW GENERATION OF
ARMENIAN ENGINEERS
27-08-2012 16:52:17 | Armenia | Press release
New York, NY – The late Norman Miller, born Norair Deirmengian on the
eve of the Armenian genocide, was a master of doors. Early in his
career, he developed the first electrically activated safety edge for
hangar doors. Word spread quickly through the U.S. military, and
strategic air command bases around the world began purchasing them.
Soon after, Norman was awarded the first of many U.S. patents that he
received over this long and successful life.
So the `full circle’ irony hasn’t been lost when one considers how a
man whose career revolved around doors is the same one opening doors
for Armenia’s and Karabakh’s future engineers – through the Norman
Miller Scholarship Fund.
Mr. Miller passed away in 2009 at the age of 94, survived by his wife
Virginia, his five children and 10 grandchildren. His awe-inspiring
transcontinental life story is one of open doors leading to other open
doors. In this way, he could rise from the ashes of the 1915 genocide
to become the embodiment of the American Dream – as an entrepreneur,
inventor, businessman, patriot and philanthropist.
After settling in Philadelphia, graduating from the University of
Pennsylvania business school, serving in World War II while still not
yet a citizen, Mr. Miller eventually wound up owning his own company
Miller Edge. It began manufacturing safety products for the overhead
door industry. The business grew to expand its product line to include
edge sensors for industrial and commercial doors and motorized gates.
In the 1970’s, Norman transformed the sensing technology by adding
pressure sensitive floor mats to protect robotic work cells as well as
smaller touch-sensitive strips for machinery pinch point protection
and door edges for transit vehicles.
These successes equipped Norman with the resources to live out his
desire to help others open new doors to opportunity and reach their
full potential as he did. Armenia was fertile ground.
`We are truly grateful for this opportunity to make a difference in
the lives of youth through his higher education scholarship program,
endowed by Mr. Miller’s family foundation. With this initiative, young
engineering students will be motivated and inspired by Norman’s own
life story and how he used his successes to help change lives,`
remarked Irina Lazarian, executive director of Armenia Fund USA.
The scholarship isn’t the only legacy that Mr. Miller has left to his
ancestral homeland. A few years back, he was as instrumental in
bringing clean potable water to the village of Nor Getashan, located
in war-torn Karabakh. Thanks to his funding of a new water delivery
system, villagers could put away their buckets used for carrying well
water and enjoy drinking water right in their own homes as well as at
the town’s school.
Prior to that, Mr. Miller found a most inventive mission by which to
help the victims of the 1988 Armenian Earthquake. He spearheaded a
collection of copiers and fax machines, had them refurbished and
repaired in the warehouse of his company, packed them with donated
clothing as cushioning, and shipped them to Armenia. Norman believed
that if the people could see how communications could be a door
leading out of the devastation, they could help themselves recover.
It is also fitting that Armenia Fund would be chosen to administer the
scholarship, given that engineering plays such a critical role in
practically every infrastructure project it has undertaken over the
past 20 years – from highways, reservoirs and pipelines to electronic
networks, indoor plumbing, agricultural machinery, farming equipment
and more.
`Building a nation that is built to last requires an army of
engineers, not only with the professional credentials but also a deep
understanding of their country, its society, and the challenges it is
up against. Native Armenians can do this in ways that no other outside
engineer really could. Without such engineers working with us on the
ground, many of our projects would not get off the drawing board,` Ms.
Lazarian noted.
Another reason why the scholarship is so critical is that when Armenia
became independent, the introduction of a tuition-based system in
colleges and universities often made higher education unaffordable for
distinguished high school graduates. As the scholarship will grant
funds to students with exceptional qualities, it will help level the
playing field so that talent and ambition will not be thwarted by
financial constraints.
Since the availability of funds as well as the number of recipients
depend solely on the interest accrued annually and is therefore
subject to change, a rigorous selection process has been established.
This will ensure that the most deserving candidates are awarded. These
requirements can be adjusted in future years, but the current criteria
is as follows:
In addition to the candidate not benefiting from any tuition free
education system, he or she is required to be enrolled full-time in a
qualified technical or engineering high school academy, college or
university in the regions of Gyumri, Vanadzor or Artsakh, as the
starting points. They are also to meet academic subject grade
requirements.
Once those criteria are met, preference is given to students who may
also reside in border villages, are orphans or children of
single-parent households or foster homes, have a physical disability,
are actively involved in student life or have proven leadership and
organizational skills through involvement in extracurricular and
service-based volunteer activities.
A seven-member commission, formed at the discretion of the Hayastan
All-Armenian Fund Executive Director, decides the allocation of funds
and the final recipients.
`All we ask in return is that the student acknowledge and accept the
Foundation’s conditions and assume moral obligation to assist needy
students in the future, if ever in a position to do so, `stated Ms.
Lazarian.
`We encourage these students to try to exemplify Mr. Miller’s own
advice: `Education is never ending. Always strive to better yourself
and use your knowledge to help improve the lives of those around you’.
We hope these students will aim higher in everything they do, aspiring
for the exceptional,’ she added.
Surely, the story of Norman Miller will inspire these students to help
turn Armenia and Karabakh into powerhouses of engineering
expertise – producing world-class professionals involved in challenging
and rewarding work right in their own communities.
`After all,’ says Khoren Bandazian, chairman of Armenia Fund USA,
`the work of nation building is never done. There will always be a
need for talented engineers, in all specialties – software, civil,
chemical, electrical, mechanical and so forth – to keep the society and
the economy functioning at full capacity. The people of Armenia
deserve no less, if they are to compete in a 21st century world.’
News from Armenia and Diaspora – Noyan Tapan