A supportive boss, a generous benefit and hard work see this graduate to the finish line

A supportive boss, a generous benefit and hard work see this graduate to the finish line

It was a short walk across the stage for Terence Miller to accept his bachelor’s degree in business administration with honors May 13 at Fayetteville State University. But it was a long, four-year journey requiring personal grit and determination that got him to that point, supported by his supervisor’s encouragement and GoTriangle’s tuition assistance benefit.

A bus operator when he joined GoTriangle in 2017, Miller worked tirelessly when the COVID-19 pandemic hit and drivers were in short supply. To keep transit running, he, like other bus operators, worked overtime. Soon, he was helping train new operators as the agency ramped up recruiting efforts. And when he was promoted to transit supervisor in 2020, he joined the ranks of other supervisors pitching in to drive buses to keep GoTriangle routes running. While he worked long hours, Miller attended Johnston Community College, earning his associate degree in 2021, before pursuing his bachelor’s at Fayetteville State.

His supervisor, Brian Andrews, gave him the initial nudge to apply to college because he told him that his degree would give him more career opportunities, Miller says.

“Talking to Brian actually pushed me to want to do it,” he says. “So, that’s one reason why I ended up doing it.”

In 2017, GoTriangle was offering a $1,000 tuition benefit to employees, but Miller realized he needed more aid, so he inquired if GoTriangle could raise the

amount offered. As luck would have it, GoTriangle’s Human Resources department was about to raise the reimbursement to $3,000, and that increase came at the perfect time.

“The tuition reimbursement helped me with paying back [loans],” Miller says. “So, I’m not in that much debt as I would have been thanks to the tuition program.”

As classes went online during the pandemic, he did not have to travel to college, which also helped. 

What’s next? Miller says he briefly contemplated heading back to college for a master’s degree but quickly realized that he needed a break from academia.

“I’ve been going for four straight years, so now I would just like to see what opportunities there are in the company,” he says.

This spring, GoTriangle is celebrating our graduates, whether they are employees, their children or grandchildren as they move on to new academic heights!

Learn more about GoTriangle careers and our generous benefits package, of which tuition reimbursement is just one option