ProfilesCora Nunnally Miller

In July 2015, members of the University of Georgia family grieved the loss of one of its dearest friends, Cora Nunnally Miller. Cora was a passionate advocate for animal health, conservation, and the arts, and she wholeheartedly believed in the impact higher education could have on these causes.

A devoted animal lover, Cora grew up riding horses on her father’s farm outside of Atlanta. After a frightening back injury, however, she gave up riding and instead focused her talents on training Whippets. She showed her beloved dogs competitively across the country, was a founding member of the Whippet Health Foundation, and served as president of the American Whippet Club.

Cora was a long-standing supporter of UGA’s College of Veterinary Medicine and the Hugh Hodgson School of Music, named after her stepfather Professor Hugh Leslie Hodgson, the first music professor at UGA.

She formed a close friendship with Sheila Allen, dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine, who frequently visited Cora (and her Whippets) at her aptly-named home, Hound Hill.

“She was a very distinguished and elegant woman who deeply trusted that her generous donations would be used where they were most needed to support the programs she was passionate about,” said Allen. “Her gifts have been truly transformative for the College of Veterinary Medicine and the School of Music.”

Cora was the primary funder for the new Veterinary Medical Center, which includes a state-of-the-art teaching hospital for small and large animals.

She anonymously gave more than $33 million to the University of Georgia Foundation throughout her lifetime and granted the University permission to share her story only after her death. She never sought personal recognition for her extraordinary generosity. Instead, Allen said she drew, “immense gratification simply from watching the impact of her gifts.” She has undoubtedly made an incredible, lasting impact on UGA and will be greatly missed.