Student Spotlight: Brittini Miles
Writer / Christy Heitger-Ewing
Photography Provided
The first time Brittini Miles enrolled at Ivy Tech was in the fall of 2009. She majored in health care and was planning to pursue a career in nursing, but before long she found herself on academic probation. The following year she gave birth to her son, so she chose to press pause on her studies.
“I didn’t know if I’d be able to get back into college after that, but I did,” says Miles, who returned to Ivy Tech in the spring of 2020 and opted to change majors.
“I realized I had more of a passion for business than nursing,” she says. “Now I’m taking business management and learning how to run a business so that it’s fair for employees, customers and shareholders.”
Growing up, Miles always heard people say that college was a scam, but her experience with Ivy Tech has been nothing but positive.
“I feel like you’ve got to find the right college and Ivy Tech is perfect for me,” says Miles. “If I need help with anything I know who to call, and they don’t tell you to wait two or three days. They’ll say, ‘Come on up here and we’ll help you right now.’”
She recognizes that she’s older, wiser and more mature now than the first time she was a student at Ivy Tech. As a result, she’s learned not only to ask for help when she needs it, but to also step outside of her comfort zone by networking.
“I’m trying to get into different clubs and organizations to meet people and give me experience on how to talk to people,” she says.
In February of 2023, the Indiana Housing & Community Development Authority asked Ivy Tech to assist them with creating a single-parent housing project. Miles was chosen by the school to serve on a committee that will help select the developers who will build this community.
“I was shocked, honored and excited to be picked,” says Miles, who got to meet the lieutenant governor in the process. “Eight developers made presentations and the committee chose two. I’m grateful for this opportunity. They even put me on their social media page.”
Miles admits that she’s a lot busier now than the first time she was a student at Ivy Tech, but she’s OK with that.
“What I’m learning about myself is I like a challenge,” says Miles, who hopes to one day own her own social media business or perhaps run someone else’s business. Whichever it is, her goal is to make the business successful.
“It’s not just about money either,” says Miles. “I want everyone to be happy. That includes my employees, managers and customers.”
Miles wouldn’t trade her time at Ivy Tech for anything in the world, as everything she has learned there, both academically and socially, has served her well.
“We all go through hard times, but the people at Ivy Tech care for their students from the moment you apply to the moment you graduate,” she says.
