Dr. Janet Gorman Murphy McCarthy, 76, president of Missouri Western from 1983 to 2000, died May 15, 2013.

“Dr. McCarthy will be sadly missed by the entire Missouri Western family,” said Dr. Robert Vartabedian, Missouri Western’s current president. “She was a great leader and has left a lasting legacy here.”

Dr. McCarthy became Missouri Western’s president on July 1, 1983, the first woman
to lead a four-year university in the state. She had previously served as
acting chancellor of the Massachusetts State College System and president of
Lyndon State College in Lyndonville, Vt.

“She was from the east coast, and she spoke faster than I could listen,” said her friend, Bill Hurley. He was president of the Board of Regents at the time Dr. McCarthy retired, and he spoke at her campus memorial service in June.

“She had a rough start, but she won people over with her charm,” said Dan Boulware, who had also served as Board president during her tenure. “She had to earn her respect in Jefferson City, and she was effective and powerful.”

“As a student, I always knew Dr. Murphy fought the good fight for us,” Melody (Moss) Smith ’87, said. “She was a powerful force with legislators. Our community is better because she came to St. Joseph.”

Obie Austin ’95 said he met Dr. McCarthy his first day of class in a College 101 course that
she was teaching. “I didn’t know then how much she would change my life. She made me realize that my struggle was not my destination,” said Austin, who described himself as an inner city kid living in a drug house. “She made me know that once I succeeded, I had to turn around and do that for someone else. She is truly my champion.”

Dr. McCarthy’s 17 years at Missouri Western saw a significant expansion
of the University campus, including the construction of Spratt Hall, Murphy
Hall, Vaselakos and Leaverton residence halls, the Baker Family Fitness Center
and the Department of Conservation headquarters, as well as the Glenn E. Marion
Memorial Clock Tower. Every classroom on campus was also made technologically
“smart” with up-to-date presentation technology during her tenure. Three
buildings – Potter Hall, the Hearnes Center and the Blum Student Union  – received significant expansions.

Under her leadership, Missouri Western established its four-year nursing program, the
physical therapist assistant program, the health information management
program, the honors program and the Law Enforcement Academy. She spearheaded
the creation of programs such as the Barbara Sprong Leadership Challenge, the
R. Dan Boulware Convocation on Critical Issues and Access Plus, a program to
better serve under-prepared students which brought Missouri Western three national
awards.

“I loved this woman,” said Joyce McMillian, an employee in admissions. “She was approachable. We saw her in our office at least once a week and she did not come to talk about our jobs or how things were going regarding Missouri Western. She came to get to know us and she remembered things you told her because she would mention them weeks, even months later. She was a class act and I still miss her.”

When she was president, Dr. McCarthy established the Edwin D. Gorman Public Service
Internship in memory of her father, and in December 2012, she helped create the
R. Dan Boulware Scholarship Fund with a lead gift.

She retired in South Dennis, Mass., and in 2001, she married Dr. James McCarthy, who had served as executive vice president at Missouri Western for 18 years. He died in 2010.

During her retirement years, Dr. Janet McCarthy served as the chair of the UMass Cape Cod Alumni Scholarship Fund and enjoyed travel and time spent with friends and family. She is survived by a sister-in-law, nieces and nephews and their spouses.

“Many of us loved her and truly felt that she was our friend,” McMillian said. “We have the highest respect for her, for her position, and the work she did for our college. We truly felt like a family.”

An endowed scholarship has been established in memory of Dr. McCarthy – the Dr.
Janet Murphy McCarthy Memorial Scholarship. Contributions to that
scholarships or the Edwin D. Gorman Public Service Internship fund can be sent
to Missouri Western State University Foundation, 4525 Downs Drive, St. Joseph,
MO 64507.

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