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By rdnewsNOW staff

melinda mills

1987 Thurber grad turned Oxford prof enters school’s hall of fame

Dec 8, 2025 | 4:50 PM

A professor from Oxford University has been inducted into Lindsay Thurber Comprehensive High School’s Hall of Fame.

Professor Melinda Mills returned to her old stomping grounds in Red Deer earlier this fall to share an inspiring message about bravery, authenticity and perseverance, Red Deer Public Schools says in a release on Dec. 8.

Melinda graduated from Thurber in 1987, moving from then-River Glen School and serving as social convener of the student council.

She earned her Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in Sociology with a specialization in Demography from the University of Alberta, where she coordinated the first Métis Settlements Census and spent summers working as a fire tower lookout.

In 1996, Melinda received a scholarship to pursue her PhD in Demography at the University of Groningen (Netherlands), graduating with the highest distinction.

melinda mills

1987 Thurber grad turned Oxford prof enters school's hall of fame

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A recording of her presentation at the Hall of Fame ceremony was shown to Grade 12 students last week.

“One thing is about bravery and being yourself. When I was a student here, I was just myself and I had to find my way. I think it’s your superpower to be yourself and don’t be embarrassed about it,” she said.

“It’s not necessarily true that you will know what you want to do, you’ll find your way, you’ll graduate and get a job. Well, guess what? There’s no linear path.”

Mills also spoke of her time at Thurber, noting she tried everything, from mechanics to drama to physics.

“Don’t wait, don’t think that ‘I can’t do this’ and have imposter syndrome,” she said. “I never thought I’d be a professor at Oxford, running a big institute. You just have to embrace it and believe in yourself.”

Mills has been recognized internationally numerous times, including being appointed a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 2018 by Prince (now King) Charles, election as a Fellow of the British Academy, and awards such as the Trailblazer Award (2022) from the European Association of Population Studies, and the Clifford C. Clogg Award (2020) from the Population Association of America.

She continues to serve as one of three Special Advisors to the European Commissioner for the Economy and sits on several international boards, including the Data Science Advisory Board for the UK Prime Minister’s Office.