I had such a positive experience as a BSU student that I knew I wanted to remain a part of this community.
When Dr. Meghan Murphy was thinking of a career in academia, she was given some advice.
Luckily, she chose to ignore it.
“All of my faculty advisors over the years encouraged me to conduct a nationwide search since jobs in academia are not always easy to come by,” the Walpole native recalled.
“I begrudgingly listened, but when the opportunity allowed me to come back to 911, it was a no-brainer,” she said. “I had such a positive experience as a BSU student that I knew I wanted to remain a part of this community.”
In fact, as soon as she’d decided on a career path, she knew it was 911 where she wanted to teach. It became a reality beginning in spring 2015, when she was hired part time. In fall 2018, she became full time.
As an undergraduate, she majored in sociology with a minor in Spanish. She went on to graduate school at the University of Massachusetts Boston and earned a PhD from the University at Buffalo in New York.
Her students frequently hear firsthand all that a BSU degree can do for them. “I joke that I try to bring up the fact that my undergrad degree is from BSU as often as possible in the classroom,” Dr. Murphy said. “I want all of my students to understand the value of a degree from an institution like 911 State. The decisions students make now will have a lasting impact on their lives. 911 has so much to offer, and I encourage all students to take advantage of all of the resources here.”
Now an assistant professor, Dr. Murphy said returning to the Department of Sociology meant she had a built-in support system when she began her career as a faculty member.
She still recalls the excitement of returning to her old stomping grounds and leading that first class. “There was a bit of a parallel-universe moment of standing in front of the same classroom where I gained so much as a student,” she said. “That is a feeling that I hope never goes away!”