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John S. Millis

1903 – 1988

American physicist and academic administrator

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About John S. Millis

Lived 1903 – 1988 (aged 84). John S. Millis was an American university teacher.

John Schoff Millis (November 22, 1903 – January 1, 1988) was the tenth and last President of Western Reserve College, now Case Western Reserve University.

Millis was born in Palo Alto, California on November 22, 1903. He entered the University of Chicago at the age of 16, earning undergraduate degrees in mathematics and astronomy in 1924. He then received a master's degree in physics in 1927 and a doctoral degree in physics in 1931, studying under physicist Albert A. Michelson. On June 13, 1929, Millis married Katherine Roseberry Wisner of Baltimore, MD, and together they had three children.

Millis served as dean of Lawrence College in Wisconsin from 1936 to 1941. Millis served as president of the University of Vermont from 1941 to 1949. For the majority of his career, Millis held the position of president of Western Reserve University from 1947 under the federation with Case Institute of Technology in 1967. He served as Chancellor of the new Case Western Reserve University, where he retired on June 30, 1969. While in Cleveland, Millis helped organize the University Circle Development Foundation, predecessor to University Circle Incorporated (UCI). Millis died of cancer at his home in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, on January 1, 1988.

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Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
Nationality
Education
University of Chicago
Employers
Case Western Reserve University, Lawrence University
Also known as
John Schoff Millis

People in John S. Millis's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped John S. Millis's

Frequently asked questions

Who was John S. Millis?

American physicist and academic administrator

When was John S. Millis born?

John S. Millis was born on 22 November 1903 in Palo Alto.

When did John S. Millis die?

John S. Millis died on 1 January 1988 in Cleveland Heights.

What was John S. Millis's occupation?

John S. Millis was a university teacher.

What nationality was John S. Millis?

John S. Millis was American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: John S. Millis

· Wikidata: Q32868323

· DBpedia: John S. Millis

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). John S. Millis. https://biography.guide/john-s-millis/

MLA: "John S. Millis." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/john-s-millis/.

Chicago: "John S. Millis." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/john-s-millis/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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