“I’m the first one here and the last one to leave,” said Los Medaños College staff Andrew Murphy, joking that most of his day is spent at the college he once attended as a student. Bay Area born and raised, Murphy says his students are his main motivation and his driving force behind his work within the campus community around him.
A former student-athlete and LMC alumni, Murphy describes his introduction to the school while working at his old job at Popeyes. “How I stumbled here was I used to work down the street at Popeyes and I saw the college nearby, so I signed up for classes,” said Murphy
While it might’ve started as convenience, Murphy said he never saw himself as a college student. “Just coming to the campus, I didn’t even envision myself as a college student. I didn’t think I was going to be successful. I didn’t know if, you know, I was even good enough for college,” Murphy said.
He soon realized he needed to invest in himself before taking on the role of helping others. While before he was taking only one class at a time while working, Murphy said his motivation to strive to a higher position was due largely because he didn’t have the education for it.
Murphy reminisced about quitting his job to fully commit to school, “I remember that’s kind of when I quit on my birthday. So as they were bringing out a cake, I was actually giving up my two week notice because I knew I had to commit fully otherwise I thought I’m never going to finish school.” Murphy said.
Additionally, he credited LMC with shaping his career and identity,“ I think LMC has allowed me to not only give myself an opportunity to achieve a degree in education, but also just find who I am as a person and my passion of helping others,” said Murphy.
Recognition is important but so is discovering who you are as a person. For Murphy, LMC is more than a workplace. “I think like LMC to me it has always been my home and I think it will always be my home.”
Murphy is dedicated to his field of work as he’s contributed to multiple projects and programs. Such as RISE, Umoja and Brothers of Excellence.
The RISE program at LMC supports students who have been incarcerated. Murphy described his experience working directly with incarcerated individuals trying to support their needs in any way possible.”It’s about going to the prisons and doing the presentations so that they know that college is an option and it’s great that we have funds for it, whether we got the money or not,” said Murphy.
After being awarded the 2nd Annual LMC Presidents Classified Professional Exemplary Leadership and Service Award, Murphy said he struggled to accept the recognition.
“So I think even with this award, like when I won it, I was like, oh, I won it? Like, I don’t know how to act and I don’t know how to, because, again, I spend my energy helping others. So I think I never really take time to congratulate myself,” Murphy said.
When asked about the EOPS program at LMC, the Extended Opportunity Programs and Services, Murphy said it is more than a program but it is a community he takes pride in being part of. “It’s a community. And I feel like the staff members that are around here, like myself, including all my other coworkers, all bring that same type of support energy, and I think it builds over to our students,” said Murphy.
“Because I just know how much LMC means to me, I just kind of wish I could share just even a percentage of that with other students to realize the benefit of what community college, especially ours in our area, has for students,” said Murphy as his motivation always being his students first.
Murphy’s humility to students is one of the best pieces of evidence that he is one of the various noble staff we have here at LMC. Through his dedication and support, he continues to impact the campus community, we are all grateful and honored by his presence.
