Joy, Laughter, and Determination: Remembering Ludlow Miller

by Katie Newsom, Former Executive Director of the Philadelphia Outward Bound School

I will never forget my first Advisory Board meeting with the Philadelphia Friends of Outward Bound (PFOB). It was September of 1997, and we met in the meeting room of the Fairmount Park Horticultural Center. Ludlow Miller was the Board Chair of this group of passionate and committed Philadelphians who had a bold vision – to inspire the next generation of Philadelphia’s leaders through the experiential education programs of Outward Bound.

Ludlow, an alumnus of a Colorado Outward Bound School river rafting adult expedition in the 1970’s, joined the PFOB Advisory Board c.1995 and was promptly elected Board Chair in 1997.

With first-hand experience of the life changing impact of Outward Bound, he embraced the challenges and opportunities facing the bold vision of the Board: to build a strong and sustainable Outward Bound School in Philadelphia. There was never a doubt in Ludlow’s mind that students and teachers in Philadelphia’s schools – primarily public schools with a few private schools, too – would benefit from educational experiences that unlocked their untapped potential as human beings.

Truthfully, today’s Philadelphia Outward Bound School (POBS) would not exist if it were not for the determined leadership and creative problem solving of Ludlow Miller. No barrier was insurmountable. No challenge stood in the way of progress. What began as a great idea by a small number of dedicated people came to life under Ludlow’s watchful eyes.

As I began the work of building the structure and roadmap for a high-performing non-profit educational organization partnering with the School District of Philadelphia, Ludlow made the donor connections. He was shameless in asking for funding support so that Philadelphia public school students and teachers could participate in Outward Bound experiences. I’m not sure if anyone ever said “no” to Ludlow as his pitch was clear and his passion unwavering. I’m not sure I ever said “no” to Ludlow, either. His enthusiastic energy coupled with the charm of a true gentleman were hard to say “no” to anytime.

There were some difficult times during Ludlow’s tenure as Board Chair. Navigating organizational change is difficult, and surprisingly, navigating organizational change at Outward Bound took on some tricky twists and turns. Ludlow was in it to win it and met these challenges with charm and determination. I remember many times when the path forward looked dark and foreboding yet Ludlow always found a way to move ahead with humor and grace. I wouldn’t let him step down as Board Chair until we had a firmly established organization in place. Together we completed two IRS Form 1029’s establishing independent 501(c)(3) status for both the Philadelphia Outward Bound School and the Baltimore Chesapeake Bay Outward Bound School (now the Chesapeake Bay Outward Bound School). Years later, we launched the new facility project that resulted in a successful $18.5M campaign for The Discovery Center and the Center’s grand opening in September 2018.

Ludlow Miller changed the lives of thousands of Philadelphia students and teachers. He paved the way for The Discovery Center, the permanent home for the Philadelphia Outward Bound School. He ensured the lasting survival of the Philadelphia Outward Bound School with fundraising coaching and investments, with legal advice and guidance, and with enthusiastic recruiting of just about anyone who he knew to join in our mission to change lives through challenge and discovery. Most importantly, he did this work with joy and laughter, with good humor and grace, and with confidence in me, in the Board, in the staff and in the significance of the educational experience that is Outward Bound.

I will never forget your laugh and your smile, Ludlow. May the wind be always at your back, my friend.

To serve, to strive and not to yield.