Niota’s Emily Miller ’26 named the 2026 LeQuire Award winner at Maryville College
April 15, 2026
As Maryville College President Dr. Bryan Coker began to describe the accomplishments of this year’s winner of the prestigious LeQuire Award, Emily Miller of Niota, Tennessee, was flooded with both recognition and gratitude.
After all, Miller had already graduated in December with cum laude honors. When Coker described the winner’s post-graduate journey to the Physician Assistant program at the Emory & Henry School of Health Sciences, she knew then that the LeQuire Award was hers.
But to receive it in addition to another coveted trophy, the A. Randolph Shields Award, presented to the graduating senior who has the most outstanding four-year record in the Biology major? It seemed impossible, Miller said.
“Considering that my classmates are exceptional students, I was definitely surprised to be recognized as the outstanding senior in Biology,” said Miller, who also earned a minor in Health and Wellness Promotion. “For the LeQuire Award, I realized it was me by the description Dr. Coker provided, but as I was listening, it still felt unreal to hear everything that I had accomplished. I knew my hard work paid off, but this was an opportunity to be proud of myself, and overall, I felt immense gratitude for the support system this institution provides.”
The LeQuire Award, established in 1987 by descendants and friends of Maryville physician Granville Dexter LeQuire and his wife, Ellen Brickey LeQuire, includes a cash gift to help defray the expenses of applying to medical school and an engraved pewter julep cup. Miller received the award on Friday, April 10, at Maryville College’s annual Celebration of Student Achievement, held in the Clayton Center for the Arts. Each year, the recipient of the LeQuire Award is selected from among the graduating class by the College president, with nominations coming from faculty members in the Humanities and Natural Sciences divisions.
“This year’s recipient embodies the qualities this award seeks to recognize — academic excellence, meaningful clinical experience, and a genuine commitment to serving others,” Coker told the assembled audience members of faculty, friends, family and fellow Scots. “There is no doubt she will make a profound impact in the healthcare field.”
In a serendipitous turn, Miller graduated from the same high school as last year’s winner of the LeQuire Award, Grace McDonald ’25: McMinn County High School in Athens, Tennessee. Next month, Miller will begin her Master of Physician Assistant Studies program, and she credits the support of her faculty instructors and advisors for getting her to this point in her academic journey.
“I truly enjoyed my studies at Maryville because of professors’ consistent efforts to make concepts engaging and help students succeed,” Miller said. “The faculty provided unwavering support during my time at Maryville and encouraged me to pursue my goal of becoming a physician assistant.”
Last fall, Miller earned top recognition for her presentation in the annual Natural Sciences Symposium, where she shared her research on the effects of diclofenac exposure on the gastrointestinal tract of Xenopus laevis metamorphs (basically, a study examining how a commonly used anti-inflammatory drug affects the digestive systems of developing African clawed frogs, a species frequently used in biological research). In addition to her academic prowess, Miller has proven herself on the course as a member of the Maryville College Women’s Golf team, and her outside endeavors have also given PA plans a boost: She’s worked as a patient care technician at Starr Regional Medical Center, and as a medical assistant at Blount Memorial Hospital. As if all those things weren’t enough, Miller has volunteered to work with clients at The Gate: Gateway to Independence, a supportive environment for young adults with disabilities.
Needless to say, Miller feels she’s adequately prepared for the academic demands of graduate school, she added.
“The rigors and diversity of my coursework allowed me to build the grit that it takes to succeed in academics and the healthcare field,” she said. “I feel confident to pursue graduate school because of the transferable skills I learned in the classroom and lab. Being able to complete a thesis, as well as have hands-on experience in multiple facets of biology, provided me with unique opportunities that made me a better student.”
“Emily is relatable, reliable, professional and completes all of her endeavors with integrity,” said Dr. Jennifer Brigati, professor of Biology, chair of the MC Division of Natural Sciences and Miller’s advisor. “I am proud that we get to call her an alumna of Maryville College.”
