CONWAY, Ark. (May 9, 2018) – Hendrix College alumnus Madison Murphy ’80 has been named Trustee Emeritus for his leadership, philanthropy, and service to the College. The honor was announced at the May 2018 meeting of the Hendrix College Board of Trustees.
For more than three decades, Murphy has served in a wide variety of Murphy Oil Corporation positions. He is chairman of the board for Murphy USA and president of The Murphy Foundation, and was instrumental in the creation of the Murphy Arts District in El Dorado. He served a 10-year term on the Arkansas Highway Commission, on numerous civic, arts, and business boards, and was the recipient of the 2006 Arkansas Cultural Enrichment Award, the 2004 U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Wetlands Conservation Award, and the 2018 Arkansas Tourism Person of the Year.
Murphy joined the Hendrix Board of Trustees in 1995 and served as chair from 2001-2011. Under his leadership, Hendrix launched the nationally-recognized Odyssey Program and added a number of new programs and facilities to enhance the academic, co-curricular, and student life experience. In 2014, he was awarded a Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Hendrix at the College’s 130th Commencement.
“Hendrix has been enriched in so many ways through Madison’s generosity and commitment to the students and faculty of this institution,” said Hendrix President William M. Tsutsui. “Through his professional life, and his numerous community service and philanthropic endeavors, he has exemplified the College’s highest ideals, and the impact of his leadership at Hendrix has been nothing short of transformational.”
Tsutsui also announced the creation of the Madison Murphy Leadership Scholarship, a highly competitive academic merit scholarship for new students at Hendrix. Recipients will be chosen based on GPA, leadership and extracurricular activities, recommendations, and standardized test scores.
“I can’t think of a more appropriate way to honor Madison’s role in shaping Hendrix than to connect his name to something that will shape the lives of students for years to come,” said Tsutsui. “We are so grateful for all that he has done for Hendrix, and we’re excited to honor his legacy in such a meaningful way.”
Murphy said he was “honored and humbled” for the recognition from his alma mater.
“I owe Hendrix an enormous debt of gratitude,” said Murphy. “I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to serve on the Board of Trustees and, most importantly, for my time as a student at Hendrix. It was a life-changing experience that broadened my horizons, instilled a lifelong intellectual curiosity, and helped me to understand and appreciate the world’s rich diversity from cultural, economic, and social perspectives.”
About Hendrix College
A private liberal arts college in Conway, Arkansas, Hendrix College consistently earns recognition as one of the country’s leading liberal arts institutions, and is featured in Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About Colleges. Its academic quality and rigor, innovation, and value have established Hendrix as a fixture in numerous college guides, lists, and rankings. Founded in 1876, Hendrix has been affiliated with the United Methodist Church since 1884. To learn more, visit www.hendrix.edu.