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Closing out the 2020-2021 academic year together on campus is no small feat. The success of Curry's students, faculty, and staff has only further demonstrated the power and strength of the College's close community, say leaders of the Curry Family Council. As Vice-Chairs of the newly formed group's leadership committee, Mitchell Murphy and Bonnie Pierson-Murphy P '22 commend the College's unwavering commitment to supporting student success in a time of extraordinary circumstances.
"The past year was challenging and a great lesson in resiliency," says Bonnie Pierson-Murphy, parent to Matthew Murphy '22, a politics and history major. "We feel fortunate that Matthew was able to be on campus and avoided the virus by being vigilant. Curry did an exceptional job of making in-person, on-campus college a reality that many other schools could not offer. And the communications with parents were top notch. I know that Matthew was successful in his classes because of the support of the Curry community."
By joining the new Curry Family Council and its Leadership Committee by making an annual gift, the Murphy family invests in the College's future. Council members gain unique access to special virtual events throughout the academic year featuring key College leaders, including President Kenneth K. Quigley, Jr., and Provost Dr. David Szczerbacki, among others.
"We were intrigued by the opportunity to open a line of communication with the administration and be more involved in the College," says Pierson-Murphy. "It helped us plan ahead and make sure that Matthew had the best chance to manage his college program through the pandemic.
The health and safety of our students is paramount – knowing the Curry plan of action helped us assess what made the most sense for our son. Being part of the Council meant we had access to the administration to discuss our questions, rather than just exploring the website."
Fellow Curry parents Neil and Kim Augustine, whose daughter Alexa Augustine '20 is a community education graduate, were also motivated to be among the first group of families to establish the Curry Family Council. Both parents serve as Chairs of the Leadership Committee.
"My husband and I got involved because we wanted to give back to the school that gave Alexa so much. We wanted others to be able to appreciate the incredible resources that the school offers and to take advantage of all of it," says Kim Augustine. "This Council was just an idea, and we wanted to help bring it to life. The leaders of the school are incredible, and we wanted other parents to be able to feel more connected. We felt lucky that we had a connection that helped get us involved, and we wanted to help make that connection for others. From what we have heard from the new members of the Council, they are thrilled to be a part of it and enjoy getting to know other parents and learning so much from the School's top administrators. In a year like last year, it was more important than ever to make these connections."
In its inaugural year, the Curry Family Council organized "Virtual Student Send-Offs" last July and August to welcome first-year students and transfer students to the Curry community, introduce new families and share an overview of the opportunities and services available at Curry to help students in their transition to college life. With new programming in development for this summer, the Curry Family Council offers parents opportunities to meet and engage with fellow parents to share and hear from each other on their student’s success, challenges, or experiences throughout their collegiate career at the College.
Also, this summer, the Augustine family will pass the torch of Chair of the Curry Family Council to the Murphy family and welcome Rick Ochterbeck P '22 as Vice-Chair. The Augustine's feel strongly that they will stay connected to the Curry community. "We feel like we are a Curry family for life."
"Alexa made lifetime friends at Curry, and she found her passion: teaching. For us, there is no greater gift than finding the perfect school for your child," adds Kim Augustine. "Someone told us a long time ago that the name of the college your child attends doesn't matter. There is a perfect school for every kid, and finding the perfect school is what matters. We believe that we found the perfect school for our daughter, and nothing makes us happier."
"We are forever grateful to Curry and what it did for Alexa. She will always stay involved as an alumnus, and the school will always have a special place in our hearts."
All Curry parents are invited to join the Curry Family Council and its Leadership Committee. Get more information on ways to get involved, email sally.murray@curry.edu, or visit Curry.edu/familycouncil