Annette Murphy Taggart

The Harold Murphy counseling scholarship is named for my father, a long-time member of the Department of Student Personnel and Guidance at East Texas State University. Murphy started his career at ETSU (now Texas A&M University-Commerce) in 1951 as Director of the Veterans’ Counseling Center and Instructor in Student Personnel and Guidance. He moved to full time teaching with the Department of Student Personnel and Guidance, served for five years as Dean of Men in the 1960s, then returned to full-time teaching with the department. Murphy was a charter member of the Texas Student Personnel and Guidance Association (now the Texas Counseling Association), serving both on the governing board and as president of the association. He was instrumental in working with other organizations and the state legislature to pass a licensure law, which raised the academic requirements for professional counselors. Active in his community, he served as a leader in many organizations, and was known on campus for his sense of humor and devotion to teaching. He was well known for teaching doctoral statistics for many years in the College of Education. He served for over 40 years under presidents Gee, Halliday, McDowell, Austin, and Morris.

Our family established the Harold Murphy scholarship in his memory so that others could have a chance to achieve their educational goals. My mother, my sister, and I all have degrees from ETSU/A&M-Commerce. I currently teach in the Applied Sciences department here, and am pleased to remain a part of the university that has meant so much to our family.

Thank you,
Annette Murphy Taggart