Murphy named Nicholls State’s fifth president

Dr. Bruce T. Murphy was unanimously chosen as Nicholls State University’s fifth president last week.

“Nicholls is a great institution, and together I want to take us to the future,” Murphy said after the announcement.

The University of Louisiana System Board of Supervisors chose Murphy, Air University’s vice president of academic affairs, over fellow finalist Mirta Martin after conducting back-to-back interviews with the candidates Sept. 10.

“He has a unique blend of higher education leadership and military experience,” UL System President Sandra Woodley said. “I expect we will see great things from his presidency.”

Murphy is slated to assume the position in mid-January. Larry Howell, the interim president and No. 2 under retired president Stephen Hulbert, will oversee Nicholls until then.

“The role of the president is to facilitate the dreams of all the different constituencies: the students, faculty, staff, alumni and community,” Murphy told the UL board. “You have to learn what those dreams are, and then you have to get the financial resources to enable them.”

The president-select also said he’d work to establish relationships, audit academic programs and grow the regional university’s enrollment.

Murphy retired from the U.S. Army as lieutenant colonel. His wife, Jeanne Picariello Murphy, was colonel when she retired from the same military branch.

Murphy has served in his current capacity for eight years. He was the founding dean of the school of business at Pittsburgh’s Point Park University and founding director of the graduate program in organizational leadership and chair of the Walker School of Business at Mercyhurst College in Pennsylvania.

He received a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of California at Berkeley, masters’ degrees in business administration and systems management from the University of Southern California, a master’s in arts from Teachers College at Columbia University and a doctorate in education from Vanderbilt University.

Murphy, with 21 years of military service, has taught military science at Vanderbilt and leadership at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

“My first priority is student opportunity and success, and that comes in many forms. The more successful students are the ones involved in activities,” he said earlier.

The search committee received a list of 17 candidates in mid-August from the search firm R. H. Perry and Associates. In total, the firm received 46 complete applications for the position. The committee named its six semifinalists on Aug. 19 and held on-campus interviews last week before naming its finalists early this month.

Stephen Michot, Nicholls’ faculty senate president, said instructors support the hire.

“The faculty are extremely pleased with the board’s decision to select Dr. Murphy as the next university president,” Michot said.

Murphy’s hire also drew praise from the athletics department and student delegation.

“On behalf of our student-athletes, coaches and staff, I want to congratulate Dr. Murphy on his appointment as our new president,” Athletics Director Rob Bernardi said. “We look forward to his leadership as we work together towards advancing Nicholls, which we care so much about.”

Rusty Bruce, a senior history student from Cut Off and president of Nicholls Student Programing Association, said he feels Murphy’s experience with SACS accreditation will be an asset to the university.

“I’m pleased with the board’s decision (last week) having followed the process from the beginning and listened to the interviews,” Bruce said. “I’ve witnessed a large participation on the student leaders’ part throughout the process, which shows our interest and concern for the future of our university.”

Dr. Bruce T. Murphy