Alumnus of the Year
The Brother Rice Alumni Association honors Dr. Marc Milia ’89 as the 2021 Alumnus of the Year!
As a loyal alumnus and proud legacy father, Marc Milia is recognized for his dedication to Brother Rice through continued involvement and support, leadership and generosity to the community, and a commitment to Brother Edmund Ignatius Rice’s teachings and values. Marc is a remarkable ambassador for Brother Rice and credits the school for making him a successful college athlete, surgeon, husband, and father.
You can often find Marc lending his enthusiasm and support to school events, fundraisers, and along the sidelines of Warrior football games, attending to student-athletes in need of medical attention. Both Marc and his wife Caroline generously share their time, talent, and treasure to promote the school – most recently as Leadership Chairs for the 2021 Irish Nite auction. Earlier this year, they generously established the Robert & Kathryn Milia Memorial Scholarship to help students in need of financial assistance attend Brother Rice.
Marc graduated from Brother Rice High School in 1989, where he participated in baseball, basketball, football, track and was a member of the National Honor Society. He was recruited by Bo Schembechler and accepted a football scholarship to the University of Michigan. He helped lead the team to four consecutive Big Ten championships (1989-92), was a Golden Key National Honor Society member, and was named an Academic All-Big Ten selection three times (1991-93).
Milia was admitted into the University of Michigan’s medical school in the fall of 1993 but was asked to delay entry to play a fifth year for Coach Gary Moeller, who was in desperate need of an experienced center. In a selfless act of stalling his own career aspirations for the betterment of his teammates and the University of Michigan, Milia delayed entry to medical school and helped lead the football team to an 8-4 record while earning All-Big Ten honorable mention. A year later, Marc enrolled again in U of M’s medical school and eventually graduated Cum Laude.
Following Orthopaedic Surgery residency and training in North Carolina and Pennsylvania, Dr. Milia returned to his Birmingham/Bloomfield Hills hometown to focus his practice in Sports Medicine and arthroscopic and reconstructive surgery of the knee and shoulder. He has been an active member of the Brother Rice community since his return to the area.
Brother Rice had a tremendous impact on shaping Marc into the man he is today. He credits many influential, legendary teachers who played a role in his personal and professional development, like Brother Patrick Hayes ’78, the late Susan Diehl-Jones, John Birney ’76, and Bob Stark ’64. These are some of the names that played essential roles in his academic and athletic pursuits. However, Marc credits former Head Football Coach Al Fracassa as the mentor who had the most significant impact on his growth as an individual.
Perseverance, character, and leadership are qualities Marc learned as a student-athlete during his high school years. These values continue to guide his daily decisions both professionally and personally. Like most alumni, Marc continues to stay in touch with many of his classmates from 1989 – Mike Cook, A.J. Plaskey, Scott Merchant, Joe DiPonio, Dean Moscovic, Scott Lockwood, Casey O’Loughlin, John Rose, Jon Everly, Kerry Mitchell, Adam Havey, Robert Fekete to name a few.
Marc’s parents were steadfast believers in the power of education and instilled this value in their family. Referencing the newly formed scholarship in his parents’ names, Marc stated, “we can only hope that if we can help make the path just a little easier for students today, then it will have a ripple effect and carry on the legacy of our parents.”
Likewise, they are passing this legacy to their children, Sophia and Rocco. The pair sent their parents a heartwarming surprise video message to the Irish Nite event, reinforcing their gratitude for everything their parents have done for them, and pride in all they do for Brother Rice.
We extend our gratitude to Marc, for his ongoing dedication to Brother Rice, our mission, students, and community. He embodies the Pillars of RICE, and is a true Warrior.
All alumni are invited to join us at the Senior Alumni Luncheon to honor Marc and welcome our graduating seniors into the Alumni Association on Thursday, May 6, at 11:00 am. The event will be an outdoor luncheon on Brother Rice High School’s campus. For more information, click here.
