Spelman College, Morehouse College, and Clark Atlanta University are among the top-ranked historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in the nation. They’re the undergraduate partners in the AUCC, which is one of the largest consortia of African American private higher education institutions in the world. These prestigious liberal arts schools have an agreement with schools of engineering in the eastern half of the United States to offer the program. Students spend three years earning a bachelor’s degree at an AUCC school, and then two years earning a second degree from an engineering school.
Maintaining a diverse scope of academic and extracurricular involvement has been one of Murphy’s priorities throughout her entire academic career. While at Spelman College, as a STEM Ambassador through the Lois Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation Program, she conducted mechanical engineering based research and mentored students through STEM outreach programming. She also worked in the math department as an office assistant and a tutor, and held membership in both AUCC National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) and Society of Women Engineers.
Murphy points to IUPUI’s recruitment team and staff at the School of Engineering and Technology with setting a strong foundation for her success as well as providing ongoing support. “They really cared about me and showed me that they did, even in the hallways,” she said. “They were pivotal in helping me make the huge transition from Spelman to IUPUI. That experience shaped and strengthened me and helped to propel me forward.”
At IUPUI, she served as president and vice president of NSBE, treasurer of the Kappa chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., a tutor in math and science at the Excel Center, an Indianapolis Urban League Mentor for Girl Talk, and an industrial engineering intern at UPS Engineering.
“IUPUI is a great school for non-traditional students,” she said. “The classroom setting challenged me and the expectations of the professors I worked with guided me because it was easy to tell how much they cared about my success.”
She credits most of her collegiate success to the rare opportunities afforded to her as an AUCC DDEP student. As a GSTEM Scholar, Murphy conducted chemical engineering and applied mathematics research at the University of Cordoba in Cordoba, Spain. She also studied innovative engineering practices in Munich and Berlin, Germany. While on the Cultural Vistas Tour, she explored cultural and racial structures in South America in Lima, Peru, with the Council of International Education Exchange.
Following these opportunities, she interned with GE Power at their locations in Atlanta and in Greenville, SC. Amidst offers from various companies, she has accepted a full-time position with Rockwell Automation as a quality engineer in its Leadership Development Program in Cleveland, Ohio.
“Coming from a smaller college in Atlanta, I was surprised by the resources available at IUPUI. These resources make a huge difference in campus culture,” Murphy explained. “For example, working in the various on-campus labs – for what seemed like all night with my class groups – forced me to learn how to be a more available and impactful team member and leader. Going into my first full-time position, I am most excited to show that I can be a great team leader and team player.”
