2010 POINT SCHOLARS

Katie Miller

Yale University

Sociology

Katie spent the first two years of her undergraduate education as a cadet at the United States Military Academy (West Point). Though being ranked in the top 1% of the Corps of Cadets, being designated as a Distinguished Cadet, receiving Superintendent’s Award for Excellence, and graduating U.S. Army Airborne School, Katie’s feeling of repression under the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy ultimately undermined her personal growth. In response, Katie began advocating the repeal of the military’s gay ban. She became networked by becoming a member of Knights Out and the Service Academy Gay and Lesbian Alumni Association. During her second year, Katie interned with the Service members Legal Defense Network and the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute. In addition, she designed a social network research project “A Network Evaluation of Attitudes toward Gays in the Military in Preparation for the Repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.’” Katie resigned from West Point and now attends Yale University. She plans on continuing her studies in sociology with the hopes of ultimately improving the military’s social policies, especially with respect to the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy.