Hall of Fame
Doris Miga, Professor Emerita of Sociology, has been a proud supporter of the Utica College basketball and intramural programs for over 40 years. In 1997 the intramural basketball league was re-named the Doris & Walt Miga Intramural Basketball League in honor of their dedication and support of the league. To this day, Doris and her husband Walt can be seen attending nearly every home basketball game.
Affectionately known by most as “Mother” Miga - she has been a faculty mentor for the men’s basketball team for over 20 years and her relationships with countless athletes have proven to play an intricate role in the success of the UC basketball program.
She began teaching at UC in January 1963 and still teaches part time. Honors bestowed on Doris include the Distinguished Teaching Award, Alumni Outstanding Faculty Award, Honorary Alumna Award, and Student Life Award. She continues to serve as a member of the board of the Oneida Community Mansion House. She was a board member of St. Luke’s Home, St. Luke’s Memorial Hospital, and the Lutheran Homes Foundation.
Miga served with distinction as a member of the Utica College Board of Trustees, and she has had a distinguished career in higher education. She upheld the College’s mission through her devotion to students, and she has faithfully supported the College’s fundraising efforts through her own contributions and through her efforts on behalf of the Office of Institutional Advancement.
She received her bachelor’s degree from SUNY Albany and earned her master’s from Syracuse University. Before joining the UC faculty in 1963, she was a high school social studies teacher and also taught GED preparation and adult education classes.
A native of Utica, Doris and her husband Walter reside in New Hartford, and are the parents of two sons, Wester, a UC graduate, and Wesley, a graduate of Syracuse University.
