A Love Story, Continued

When Professor Jerry Murphy remembers his late wife Susan, he describes someone who never quite fit the mold. Growing up poor in North Carolina, she was relentlessly self-taught — devouring books from her favorite spot in a tree near her home. Though circumstances never allowed for a formal college education, that didn’t stop her from enrolling at HGSE — without a bachelor’s degree — and earning her master’s in education in 1972. 

“She was extraordinarily smart. She was self-motivated. If everyone in the room was saying yes, Susan would say no — or vice versa,” Murphy recalls affectionately. “It's good to have people like that to avoid groupthink. She gave a different angle. She was special in a lot of ways.”

Murphy relied greatly on Susan’s perspective and behind-the-scenes support as dean of the Ed School from 1992 to 2001. She was often the first to read his writings and offer feedback. On a number of occasions, she organized faculty and fundraising events in their Cambridge home, among them a program with Yo-Yo Ma. Murphy’s tenure included a successful capital campaign that raised the largest sum ever by a school of education at the time — including $11 million for financial aid. “She gave a lot to Harvard. I couldn’t have done it without her.” 

Earlier this year, Murphy decided to thank Susan, who passed away in 2021, for the impact she had on his life and on Harvard. In her memory, he established the Susan Littleton Murphy Scholarship Fund, which will be awarded to nontraditional applicants like his wife — such as community college graduates, working artists, delayed-enrollment learners, and in rare cases, even strong candidates without an undergraduate degree.

In a world that so often rewards those who fit in, Murphy believes in “placing a bet on those with big dreams, but a different way of thinking and seeing things.” There are many students who, because of poverty or circumstance, may not fit the standard boxes, but share Susan's creative and independent approach. Murphy knows firsthand that these students have unique and valuable insights into improving American education.  

He intends to support the scholarship with an annual gift for the remainder of his life, followed by a bequest from his estate. “It’s my way of thanking her, by having something in perpetuity,” he explains. “She played a big role, and this gives her a little bit of recognition for that.”

As is so often the case, Murphy’s gift is more than a scholarship. It is a quiet thank-you — a love letter to Susan — and a call to make space for all the dreamers who see what others don’t, and work to make things better. 

To learn more about including HGSE in your own estate or financial plans, click here or email us at giftplanning@harvard.edu.