Big Picture Leadership: Immaculata Alumnus Matt Miller Named Distinguished Principal

“I’m a big picture guy,” said Roundtown Elementary School Principal Matt Miller ’18 Ed.D., who has spent 28 years with the Central York school District, including 17 as principal at Roundtown.

This year, Miller was named Pennsylvania’s 2025 National Distinguished Principal by the Pennsylvania Principals Association (PPA), in partnership with the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP).

According to NAESP, honorees must demonstrate outstanding educational leadership, commitment to excellence, and significant contributions to the school, community and profession. As the leader of 563 students in kindergarten through third grade, Miller is dedicated to creating a culture grounded in leadership and relationships. It is no surprise to the Immaculata community that Miller received such an honor.

“We are proud to count Dr. Miller among our esteemed alumni and congratulate him on this well-deserved honor,” stated Marcia Parris, Ed.D., Miller’s academic advisor at Immaculata and current dean of the College of Graduate Studies and Research. “Since his time as a student and later as an instructor with us, he has genuinely demonstrated the exemplary leadership and relationship building skills that inspire those around him.”

For this big picture guy, everything comes down to leadership—no matter what the role is. Additionally, Miller understands the importance of building relationships. Combining his leadership skills with his ability to build relationships led to one of Miller’s proudest achievements: the creation of the Buddy Bench.

In 2013, first grader Christian Bucks visited Miller’s office with an idea to help students who felt lonely at recess. “He asked, ‘What if we have a bench that kids could go and sit on, and that would be a signal that other kids could come over to ask if they want to play?’” Miller recalled.

Miller loved the idea and agreed to do it. Bucks suggested the name “Buddy Bench.” The Associated Press discovered the project and ran a story on it. Things got crazy after that, Miller admitted. “Within 48 hours, it was global. In less than a week, we were on “The Today Show,” filming live from the playground.”

However, the true legacy is the fact that there are more than 30,000 Buddy Benches across the U.S. and on six continents. Miller noted that even a recent animated Disney movie he was watching referenced a Buddy Bench.

The underlying lesson is not to underestimate the ideas of children. “When they come to you in a serious manner and have something on their heart that they want to share—listen to them,” Miller advises.

During Miller’s tenure as principal at Roundtown Elementary, he enrolled in Immaculata’s Ed.D. in Education Leadership and Administration. He wanted a program that offered face-to-face instruction, which he found in Immaculata’s Ed.D. cohort that met every Tuesday evening at a satellite site in York, Pennsylvania. He appreciated the cohort model, which allowed a group of students, from all stages of their careers, to advance through the program together. He explained that by the end of the program, when many were completing their dissertations, they leaned on one another.

“They really became like a second family to me,” he shared. He noted that because of the students’ education at Immaculata, they all went on to become principals or other high-level leadership positions.

He credits his time at Immaculata for deepening his understanding of change theory. “When you make a change, at any system, I don’t care if it’s a school or not, there are definitely things that you can proactively do to set those changes up so that they are efficient, that they are successful,” he said.

Over his nearly three decades in education, Miller has witnessed significant changes at Roundtown, particularly in student diversity. When he began teaching, it was uncommon to have students who spoke other languages. Now, among the school’s 563 students, nearly 20 countries are represented, and many students are multilingual.

Miller said his goal is to ensure all students have the resources they need to thrive. He surrounds himself with staff who can help bring his vision to life—allowing him to focus on connecting with students and families.

“Sometimes you can spend all day long just sitting and dreaming or thinking things up—the big picture—but you’re missing out on the relationship piece,” he added.

Combining vision with connection has defined Miller’s leadership—and earned him recognition as one of the nation’s most distinguished principals.