Seeing double runs in this PFW family

How many college freshmen on their first day would like for their 43-year-old aunt to show them around campus? 

Exactly.

Except Jacqueline Miller, a senior, is cool and fun and has an interesting family story with her nephews Connor and Graiden Miller who just started at Purdue University Fort Wayne. 

Connor and Graiden are identical twins from Muncie, Graiden studying computer science and Connor biology. As they’ve been throughout their lives, they are also roommates. They even showed up for Campus Kickoff wearing the same outfits, which is a great conversation starter and way to meet new friends.

“If we do dress alike, it’s planned,” Connor said. “Usually, we just dress the way the way we dress except for here and there.”

They also planned to meet their aunt for lunch. The Millers are a close family with a history of twins on Jacqueline’s mother’s side. Jacqueline and sister Nina are twins, and Nina has twin 8-year-old daughters. Nina’s husband also has twin aunts and wanted a pair of his own. 

Jacqueline has never married or become a mother, but treats all her nieces and nephews as her own. Graiden and Connor are the oldest of her younger brother’s six boys, so there are always opportunities to pitch in.

“They are my kids,” she said. “Change the kids, you’ll change the world. You give them something to grab onto to find their way, they will change the world for us — and we won’t have a say.”

Jacqueline is studying biology with the hope of rebuilding the family farm located in Dunkirk on the line between Jay and Blackford counties. She’s been an emergency medical technician since 2000, and already has an associate degree in biology. Technically, she’s been a senior since 2015, in part because she has impaired hearing in both ears. She reads lips, body language, and says, “I often make stuff up,” before laughing. 

Her disability limits her course load, but she credits the recent advances at the Disability Access Center for helping her take three courses this semester. 

The farm has been in the family since 1837, and she’s hoping her degree will help it become self-sustaining with an educational component so people can visit throughout the year and grow things, pick things, cut things, pet things, and do all kinds of things.

“My dad always said, `Where you live is where you hang your hat, but home is where your heart is,’” she said. “Your heart belongs on that farm. That was always our home. We were always together and having a good time.”