MACON — Mercer University’s Center for Collaborative Journalism in a ceremony on Friday, Dec. 8, was formally named for alumnus J. Reginald (Reg) Murphy in recognition of his contributions to the journalism profession and his alma mater. The ceremony took place at noon at the Center for Collaborative Journalism, 1675 Montpelier Avenue.
A native of Gainesville, Georgia, Murphy began his journalism career while an undergraduate student at Mercer in the 1950s, covering local news, sports and the state capitol for the Macon Telegraph. He went on to serve as a reporter for, and then editor of, the Atlanta Constitution. In 1959 he was chosen as a Nieman Fellow at Harvard University.
Murphy later served as editor and publisher of the San Francisco Examiner and publisher and CEO of the Baltimore Sun. From 1996 to 1998, Murphy was president and CEO of the National Geographic Society.
In addition to his achievements in the field of journalism, Murphy served as president of the United States Golf Association from 1994 to 1995, and among the many boards on which he has served as a member and/or officer are: Board of Visitors, College of Journalism, University of Maryland; Board of Trustees, The Johns Hopkins Hospital; Board of Trustees, San Francisco State University; Board of Trustees, California Institute of Technology; and the Baltimore Literacy Foundation. In 2012, he served as executive-in-residence at the College of Coastal Georgia, and he currently serves on Mercer’s National Journalism Advisory Board and the boards of the Coastal Georgia Historical Society and Coastal Georgia Foundation.
Murphy wrote a biography of another notable Mercer alumnus, former U.S. Attorney General Griffin Bell, titled Uncommon Sense: The Achievement of Griffin Bell. Murphy has remained a loyal alumnus and supporter of the University, having served five terms on the Mercer Board of Trustees. He was also the Distinguished Alumnus Award recipient in 1971 and awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University in 1975.
Murphy and his wife, Diana, have been loyal supporters of several areas of the University, including the Mercer Athletic Foundation, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and Mercer University Press. In recognition of their generous support, they were named Life Members of The President’s Club in 2000.
About the Reg Murphy Center for Collaborative Journalism
The Reg Murphy Center for Collaborative Journalism (CCJ) is a unique partnership between Mercer University, The Telegraph, Georgia Public Broadcasting and 13WMAZ, with generous support from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and The Peyton Anderson Foundation. The Center’s groundbreaking collaboration has students, faculty and veteran journalists working together in a joint newsroom. Learning in a “teaching hospital” model, students engage the community using the latest digital tools and leave with a strong portfolio of published work. Learn more at ccj.mercer.edu.
