COMMENCEMENT
Meet 10 a.m. commencement speaker Jenna Murphy
Published May 2017
NDSU senior Jenna Murphy will urge fellow graduates to share their true selves during her commencement speech at the 10 a.m. ceremony Saturday, May 13, at the Fargodome.
As the class representative, she will give an address titled “Embracing Authenticity.”
“I’ll talk about things that hold people back, like fear and vulnerability, and how they can turn that into a positive,” said Murphy, who is earning a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in English and a minor in philosophy. “We need to share ourselves with the world. We should embrace who we are – that’s where we’ll find our passion, success and satisfaction.”
Murphy is a high-achieving student, maintaining a 4.0 grade-point average as she graduates in just three years.
During her time at NDSU, she also took an active role in a number of campus organizations. Murphy is a senior member, volunteer and event organizer for Sigma Tau Delta, the English honor society. She is a tutor at NDSU’s Center for Writers, where she helps students with writing and communication needs. In one project, she worked with geology students in a discipline-specific project. She also is a member of Phi Kappa Phi honor society and the NDSU philosophy club.
“Jenna is a model NDSU student,” said Bruce Maylath, professor of English and director of Upper-Division Writing. “As a student in class, as an academic tutor and as a research assistant, Jenna has proven herself to be among the most curious, dedicated and hardworking of students.”
Murphy also presented research at the NDSU EXPLORE undergraduate conference, Red River Graduate Student Conference, Geological Society of America’s national conference and the National Conference for Undergraduate Research.
“Jenna Murphy is the most outstanding student I have encountered during my 14 years as a faculty member at NDSU,” said Kenneth Lepper, professor of geology. “Jenna represents everything that a professor hopes to see in a student and what all students should aspire to during their university education years.”
Murphy describes the university as the “100 percent right choice” for her.
“I’ve always felt valued at NDSU,” said Murphy, who is the daughter of Michael and Cindy Murphy of Carrington, North Dakota. “My academic life has been enriched and I’ve had great relationships with the faculty and my peers. NDSU has been a great fit, and it’s been a springboard for me.”
Murphy plans a career in counseling, hoping for a private practice in North Dakota. She will begin her pursuit of that goal when she enters graduate school at NDSU next fall, seeking her master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling.
