“The Colonels for the Colonels”

“The Colonels for the Colonels”
Bruce Murphy Named Fifth President of Nicholls State University

Baton Rouge, La. – Bruce T. Murphy was unanimously named the fifth president of Nicholls State University today by the Board of Supervisors for the University of Louisiana System.  Currently serving as Vice President for Academic Affairs at Air University in Alabama, Murphy will officially take the helm at Nicholls in mid-January.

“We’ve got the Colonels for the Colonels,” said UL System Board Member Jimmie “Beau” Martin who made the motion to appoint Murphy.

Both President-Elect Murphy and his wife, Jeanne Picariello Murphy, are retired from the U.S. Army.  They earned the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and Colonel, respectively.  The Colonel is Nicholls State’s mascot.

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

During his interview with the board, Murphy detailed his goals for the university including establishing relationships, conducting a thorough academic program review, and growing enrollment and the university’s mission of serving the region and beyond.

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

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

“I have over 30 years of service in a uniform and a suit.  That has taught me duty, commitment, and honor,” said Murphy.  I will always give my best to any organization I’m affiliated with and advance and protect it.”

Prior to his current position at Air University, Murphy served as the Founding Dean of the School of Business at Point Park University in Pittsburgh.  He was also Founding Director of the Graduate Program in Organizational Leadership and Chair of the Walker School of Business at Mercyhurst College in Pennsylvania.  He taught military science at Vanderbilt University and leadership at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.  Altogether, he spent 21 years in military service.

He received a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of California at Berkeley and a Master of Business Administration and Master of Science in Systems Management from the University of Southern California.  He also earned a Master of Arts from Teachers College at Columbia University and a Doctorate in Education from Vanderbilt University.

Nicholls President Stephen T. Hulbert, who led the university for a decade, formally retired from the university on Aug. 1.  His second in command, Lawrence W. Howell, currently serves as the Interim President.

Founded in 1948, Nicholls State University is classified by Carnegie as a Master’s Medium University and by the Southern Regional Education Board as a 4-Year IV institution.

For more information about the search including Murphy’s résumé, visit www.ulsystem.edu/NichollsSearch.

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