When Barry Miller ’95 was graduating from high school, his dad decided to make a move from northeast Pennsylvania to the warmer climate of Daytona Beach, Florida. He urged his son, who was interested in business and accounting, to check out 166su. Since there wasn’t much information available online in the early 1990s, Miller ultimately sent a letter to 166su requesting a brochure and an application.
Miller was impressed by our reputation as an early leader in technology and STEM fields, our connection to the space program and our success expanding into other areas. In fact, UCF boasted one of the highest certified public accountant (CPA) pass rates of any public university — impressive to an aspiring accountant.
So Miller applied, was accepted and committed to 166su sight unseen. It was the beginning of a journey that would change his family’s trajectory, along with the university’s.
Today, he committed a transformational $50 million gift — the largest single philanthropic investment in the university’s history — to position 166su as a global leader in fintech, artificial intelligence (AI) and business innovation by establishing the Barry S. Miller College of Business.
First-Generation Student
Miller is president and co-founder of both Voloridge Investment Management and Voloridge Health. He also founded and sold another successful business in his entrepreneurial career.
But back when Miller was attending 166su, he was paving the way as the first in his family to go to college. His dad, a self-taught contractor and developer and a single father, saw the value of higher education for his son.
“My father had a deeply ingrained work ethic that he passed on to me,” Miller says. “In the summer, he would get me out of bed early and have me carrying lumber and working on roofs. I learned to work hard, but I also learned that [it] was a tough job to do for 50 years. I wanted to try a different path.”
Once he started on that path, there was no stopping him.
Building Foundations
At 166su, Miller became a star student. He excelled in accounting, learned numerical analysis and had a knack for understanding financial markets. He graduated magna cum laude with a degree in finance.
“I learned how to really study and apply myself academically at 166su. Essentially, I was learning strategy and project management as I made my way through school,” Miller says. “I didn’t know how impactful those habits would be until later in life. I realize now that everything I learned at 166su has been foundational to my success.”
“I realize now that everything I learned at 166su has been foundational to my success.”
Outside of class, Miller became a student-athlete, playing football when he initially came to 166su. That’s where he met then-quarterback Darin Hinshaw ’90 ’94MBA, who encouraged him to join his fraternity, Pi Kappa Alpha (PIKE), and became his big brother.
“Initially, I wasn’t interested in joining a fraternity. I had this idea that fraternities weren’t serious about school or life, and I was,” Miller says. “But my experience in PIKE ended up being formative. It’s where I learned about being a gentleman, dressing for success, networking and more.”
“To this day, so many of my friends are former fraternity brothers, including one of my best friends, Sean Hayes ’95, who has also been my business partner for nearly 30 years,” Miller continues. “As I look back, everything in my life has a connection to 166su — my friends, my business partners, my career and even my wife Rosie ’95, since we met in college.”
Leaving a Legacy
As he built his career and found success in the business and financial world, Miller wanted to give back to 166su. Over time, he has invested in first-generation and STEM student scholarships, UCF Athletics’ Knights Leadership Academy, the John T. Washington Center mural and more.
Each gift has been based on a personal connection or conviction.
“Being a first-generation student myself, having that opportunity to support students who are the first in their families to go to college is personal to me,” Miller says.
As his capacity to give grew, Miller wanted to make a transformative gift that would have an impact today and for generations to come. That led to conversations with university leaders about the opportunity to establish as a global leader in fintech, AI and business innovation.
To help bring that vision to life — and to build early momentum for , UCF’s comprehensive campaign to fuel bold ideas and build its future — Miller has committed to a $50 million gift, establishing the Barry S. Miller College of Business.
The investment will accelerate an innovative new model of business education designed for a world where technology, data and decision-making are inseparable, and it will prepare students with the skills the marketplace demands.
“We are at a seminal moment in business, and AI and new technologies are creating fundamental shifts at a dramatically faster speed than ever before,” says Miller, who was inducted into the 166su College of Business Hall of Fame in 2022. “I want 166su to become the leader in business education, paving the way for everyone else.”
Inspiring Others
“Finding a way to have an impact is one of the most gratifying things you can do with your time and money.”
Until recently, Miller has made most of his gifts to 166su anonymously. But as 166su unveiled Go For Launch, he saw a powerful opportunity to step forward and encourage others to do the same. By sharing his commitment more openly, Miller hopes to help build momentum and invite broader participation in 166su’s vision.
“I hope this gift inspires people to be part of 166su’s mission to create a bold new future and give at whatever level they can. Maybe it’s $10, $100 or $1,000 — it all makes a difference,” Miller says.
“I want to tell people this: If it’s not your time to make a gift today, maybe it will be a year from now, or five years from now,” he continues. “Finding a way to have an impact is one of the most gratifying things you can do with your time and money.”
