MEET KEVIN M U R P H Y, V I C E PRESIDENT OF MARKETING AND C O M M U N I C AT I O N S
FROM SHOW-ME STATE TO SUNSHINE STATE a v e m a r i a m a g a z i n e | s u m m e r 2020
In April 2020
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, Ave Maria University welcomed Kevin Murphy as the new vice president of marketing and communications. He joins us from Kansas City where he previously worked for Catholic Charities with President Ice as the executive director of marketing and communications and where he rebranded the140year-old organization. Sitting in his sunny office on the West side of the Canizaro Library, he shared a bit about himself, his plans for communicating Ave Maria University’s message, and his Catholic faith.
Q: How did you first hear about Ave Maria University? A: Ave Maria University came on my radar
when they first discussed launching it. I remember seeing it in a news story, and as soon as I saw the concept, I was hooked. I remember thinking, ‘Wow, I’d love to be a part of that.’ I wrote a letter to Tom Monaghan saying, “Look, you are going to need someone in marketing.” I don’t recall if I sent that letter or not, it was so long ago.
Q: All these years later, what brought Ave Maria University back on your radar? A: Ave came back up when Chris Ice took
the position of president — he was my boss at Catholic Charities. A few weeks into his new role, he gave me a call and said, ‘Boy, we could really use your services down here.’ I’ve lived in Lee’s Summit (just outside Kansas City) my whole life but wanted to be open to God’s will. I have always wanted to put my skills in marketing to work for the Church. I even started a side business called Mount Nebo Market-
