Richard Murphy has been named vice president of Academic Affairs at Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College.
Murphy joined the OCtech faculty in 2008 as an instructor and Electronics Engineering Technology program coordinator. He was named dean of Engineering and Advanced Manufacturing Technology in 2013. He continued to teach students and lead both the program and division until 2021, when he was appointed associate vice president of Advanced Manufacturing, Health Science and Work Force Development.
“Richard’s exceptional leadership qualities, dedication to academic excellence and commitment to student success make him an outstanding choice for this position,” OCtech President Dr. Walt Tobin said. “As a proven leader at OCtech, I am confident that he will bring fresh perspectives and transformative ideas to the college. Richard’s vision for advancing teaching and learning and his collaborative spirit will undoubtedly inspire our faculty, staff and students alike.”
Murphy is a graduate of OCtech’s EET program, and received a certificate in Leadership Studies, bachelor’s degree in Technology Leadership and master’s in Instructional Technology from Fort Hays State University in Kansas.
Prior to his tenure at OCtech, Murphy worked for more than two decades in the electronic instrumentation field. He was an instrumentation control technician and technical procedure writer at the V.C. Summer nuclear plant in Jenkinsville, and an instrumentation and electrical control technician and technical trainer at International Paper in Eastover.
Murphy was named OCtech’s S.C. Technical Education Association Administrative Educator of the Year in 2014 and was a member of the S.C. Technical College System Leadership Academy Class of 2018. He received a certificate in Effective College Instruction from the Association of College and University Educators and the American Council on Education in 2023.
“To say I am honored to have the opportunity to serve as VP of Academic Affairs is a tremendous understatement,” Murphy said. “As a graduate of OCtech, I’ve experienced firsthand the transformative power of a high-quality technical education. For the past 16 years, I’ve been privileged to help bring this same experience to others. I’m looking forward to continuing to engage and work with everyone as we move forward with our goal of turning our student’s dreams into realities.”
