Millman endowment 'plants seeds' for future management grad students in Smeal

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State Smeal College of Business Professor Emeritus of Management R. William Millman lived by the belief expressed in the Babylonian Talmud: “As my ancestors planted for me before I was born, so do I plant for those who come after me.”

As a graduate student at the University of Florida, Millman benefited from financial support that allowed him to complete his dissertation, travel to academic meetings and conferences and establish himself within management education. Inspired by that and wanting to “pay it forward,” his children Daniel Millman, Rosalyn Millman and Sara Millman Silva have created the Dr. R. William Millman Endowment for Management Graduate Students in his memory. The fund will provide resources to assist graduate students with academic or professional development opportunities, such as research support or conference travel and attendance.

Stephen Humphrey, Alvin H. Clemens Professor of Management and chair of Smeal’s Department of Management and Organization, said he was deeply grateful to Millman’s children for their generous gift.

“Dr. Millman understood that graduate education is the cornerstone of advancing management research and preparing future leaders, and this fund will provide invaluable opportunities for our students to grow and share their work. Honoring their father’s remarkable 30-plus-year career at Penn State in such a meaningful way reflects his legacy of commitment to excellence and education,” Humphrey said.

Millman’s children shared that education was a priority throughout his life.

He earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Toledo and master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Florida. After several years as an assistant professor at Georgia Tech, Millman joined Penn State’s then-named College of Business in 1963.

In addition to his teaching career at Penn State, Millman enjoyed a sabbatical with the Cranfield Institute of Technology in Great Britain and consulting trips to Venezuela, Peru, Zimbabwe and South Africa. He was a member of the Academy of Management and the Strategic Management Society.

Millman spent more than 30 years at Penn State as a professor of management and business administration before moving to the West Coast in 1994.

After he passed away on Nov. 14, 2024, his children wanted to honor his memory.

“My sisters and I were raised to believe that higher education was a way to advance both individuals and society at large,” Dan said. “Throughout his life, Dad’s giving was directed toward the ‘extras’ that he knew were often so hard for graduate students to afford.

"Rosalyn, Sara and I wanted to honor his chosen means for providing assistance and to do it at the place where he dedicated so much of his career. That ultimately led us to Penn State and the Dr. R. William Millman Endowment for Management Graduate Students.”

Sara said that the most important thing to know about her father is that he believed that with proper support, people could accomplish great things.

“My father was the son of immigrants — people with virtually no education to speak of. His mom went to school in Boston; she took ESL courses; she worked. That drive to build the American dream was translated onto my dad and to us, and I feel so honored that Dan, Rosalyn and I can help continue this legacy of creating opportunity where there was none,” she said.

Rosalyn also reflected on the idea of legacy.

“My father was always motivated to help other people succeed,” she said. “He got a lot of satisfaction working with graduate students. By establishing this endowment, we reflect Dad’s purpose to help graduate students pursue opportunities that will complement their studies. That is a perfect legacy.”   

Donors like Dan Millman, Rosalyn Millman and Sara Millman Silva advance the University’s historic land-grant mission to serve and lead. Through philanthropy, alumni and friends are helping students to join the Penn State family and prepare for lifelong success; driving research, outreach and economic development; and increasing the University’s impact for students, families, patients and communities across the commonwealth and around the world. Learn more by visiting raise.psu.edu.