Breed advances his education and career with Clarke 

Miles Breed takes a great degree of pride in his work as Director of Dining Services at Clarke University. He ensures that the students, faculty, and staff on campus have healthy and delicious options that fit a variety of dietary needs. Now, he is not just proud to be an employee of the university, but an alumnus as well.  

“I had always wanted to pursue a degree beyond my A.O.S from the Culinary Institute of America.  Working in the service industry and having a family did not allow for that to happen,” Breed said. “Clarke offered a great opportunity to put my culinary skills to work as well as a change in my work life balance.  The bonus was that I could also go back to school and achieve what I never thought possible.” 

Thanks to the flexibility of the Interdisciplinary Studies program at Clarke University, Breed was able to design an academic plan that fit his needs and interests. He will earn his Bachelor of Applied Studies in Supervision and Leadership in May 2021 and has already applied many of the lessons learned to his work and life.  

“I apply supervision and leadership on a daily basis,” Breed said. “I also took a lot of finance courses.  While I don’t apply that hands-on every day, I certainly use those skills to look at the broad picture of what we do on a daily basis and how our costs effect everything we do.” 

Beyond developing his professional resume, Breed was also able to build new connections with faculty and students inside and outside the classroom. This extended to extracurricular activities like internships, student organizations, and study abroad opportunities. 

“The single best experience I had was going on a mission trip to the working boys’ home in Quito, Ecuador,” Breed said. “I really enjoyed it, but most importantly, felt that I was doing something for the greater good and upholding the BVM core values that make Clarke such a special place.” 

When he walks across the stage on Saturday, Breed will be the first person in his family to earn a four-year degree. And while balancing a family, full-time career, and school were not always easy, Breed would gladly do it all again.  

“You can never stop learning and it’s never too late to achieve your goals,” Breed said. “If you want to do it, just get after it.”