As Preston Miller entered his senior year at Vassar College, he decided to continue his education; however, the biochemistry major was uncertain of what path to pursue. Upon completing a forensic anthropology course, Preston became fascinated with the field. “Solving mysteries as a day job sounded too good to pass up. I decided a career in forensics was the perfect marriage between science and law enforcement,” he said. His next decision would be where to attend school. While scouring the nation for the top forensic science programs, the Dallas, Texas, native found himself repeatedly encountering Marshall University. After scheduling a visit to Huntington, West Virginia, it did not take long for Preston to know he would be calling the Mountain State home, at least for a couple years. “I was impressed with the beautiful facilities and passionate attitudes of students and faculty alike. I knew then that I had made the right decision in choosing Marshall and that this was an institution where I would be given the tools necessary to succeed and accomplish my personal goals,” he said. The Marshall University Forensic Science Graduate Program has been named the top program in the United States for 7 out of the past 10 years based on the Forensic Science Aptitude Test. The program is nationally accredited by the Forensic Science Education Programs Accreditation Commission through the American Academy of Forensic Science. It is one of 17 FEPAC-accredited forensic science graduate programs in the U.S. and the only digital forensics graduate program accredited by FEPAC. In 2014, Preston was named the J. Edgar Hoover Scientific Scholarship recipient. This is a prestigious award bestowed annually on a deserving candidate based on his or her interest in pursuing a forensic science-related career. Preston was the first recipient to be unanimously selected for this award, which he summarizes as life changing. Preston credits the J. Edgar Hoover Scientific Scholarship for giving him recognition and credibility in the forensic community. Preston graduated from Marshall University in 2015 and cites formative experiences during his time on campus, chiefly the autonomy to teach forensic courses, that helped prepare him for his future endeavors. A little over one year after graduation, Preston has published his first book, “Learning Python for Forensics,” through Packt Publishing. Python is a programming language that Preston uses to solve forensic problems. “I believe the J. Edgar Hoover Scholarship and teaching are major contributors to why a publishing company approached me to write a book on forensics,” said Preston, who was offered a job at an internationally recognized firm in New York City after completing his internship with the company in 2014. In his new role, he enjoys the unpredictability and interesting work each day brings. His favorite part of his job is learning. “Technology is constantly changing, we frequently have to identify and utilize novel methods of examining electronic systems,” he said. Although he is already accomplished in his field, Preston is only getting started. “I am a lifelong learner and will always seek to advance my understanding of digital forensics and analysis techniques,” he said. “Continuing to cultivate my knowledge and expertise in this field is my current priority.” A year ago, Preston spoke to a group of donors and said, “I hope I have made you proud in your choice to support Marshall University and that you continue to do so. I hope you know your generosity truly affects students who attend Marshall. Thank you for all that you do and continue to do for Marshall University.” Mission accomplished, Preston; your alma mater is proud. Analyzing the Future Marshall Alumni frequently pride themselves on the kinships formed during their years as students. It is rare to go anywhere in the tristate area and not encounter someone wearing Marshall attire, a vehicle adorned to represent the Herd or a Kelly green flag with an “M” flying in a neighborhood. The community is deeply connected to Marshall, and Marshall is motivated to continue helping Huntington. On July 15, 2016, President Jerome Gilbert led 11 of his top leaders to assist with Habitat for Humanity in the Fairfield area of Huntington. “We are all in this together, and we want to help the community any way we can. We’re going to continue to do things like this to draw Marshall into the community and the community into Marshall,” said President Gilbert. President Gilbert (pictured right) has taken several other opportunities to volunteer this summer. He assisted the Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine and Marshall University School of Pharmacy with flood relief efforts in West Virginia. He also pitched in at Lose the Training Wheels, a camp hosted by the School of Kinesiology in the College of Health Professions that teaches participants with disabilities how to ride a two-wheeled bicycle. Constructing the Community, Building Marshall