Meet the Author: Kevin Murray

Hello, there! Welcome to my "Meet the Author" post! This is so exciting! My name is Kevin and I am an Admissions Counselor on the Undergraduate Admissions team. I am also a Drexel alumnus, Philadelphia area native, and BIG fan of sloths. Seriously, I love sloths; I have more than two sloth coffee mugs sitting next to me at my desk right this second. Okay, sorry, let's move on. Beyond loving moving patches of moss, I also am a huge fan of Philly sports teams, finding a new coffee shop in the city, and traveling the world. I especially love travel hacking with airline and hotel points that lets me travel well above my means in business class and in five-star hotels. It is pretty suite (get it? Hotel suite? Sorry).  

As I mentioned, I am a Drexel alumnus — I graduated from Drexel in 2015 with a Bachelor's of Science in Sport Management and a minor in Business Administration. I really loved studying Sport Management and working closely with the staff and faculty of the department because it allowed me to match my passion for sports with my academic pursuits. Through the department, I completed research with Dr. Ellen Staurowsky, an expert in college sport and equity. Our research was published in the Journal of Intercollegiate Sport and accepted for presentation at the NCAA National Convention's Scholarly Colloquium in Grapevine, Texas in 2013. It was an amazing experience to be in a room with some of the best sport academics in the world and talk about our research on the payment of college athletes and Title IX equity.  

Outside of my research at Drexel, I spent a lot of my time working with other students on their development, as well as the student and campus experience. The Drexel Sport Management Student Union (now revamped as the Sport Management Council) hosted a blog, meetings, and multiple events and conferences that I helped to organize and run. Additionally, I was a Resident Assistant and Head Resident Assistant working in our Residential Living office; I worked in Caneris Hall and University Crossings back when we staffed a few of those floors. Finally, I was heavily involved with the Undergraduate Student Government Association (USGA). I started as the Residential Living Representative, then was elected Vice President, and finished my senior year as the President. Working closely with University administrators and student leaders from across the Drexel community was one of the most rewarding parts of my Drexel experience. Something I am really proud of from that time was the purchase of the movable white boards that are still used in our library today. That project was a highlight of how small projects can have large and lasting impacts. 

Born in the Philadelphia suburb of Havertown in the county known more casually as "Delco," I was raised to cheer on the Phillies from the "nosebleed" seats of the Vet and watch the Eagles every Sunday with hot wings and soft pretzels. My favorite sports memory in Philadelphia was being in the stadium to watch the Phillies win the World Series in 2008 with my dad. It was one of the last sporting events we went to together and I will never forget that feeling! This was in the days before Twitter and Instagram, and the commonplace of smartphones, so I don't even have any photos or videos of that night, which is crazy to think about now. The only place those images exist is in my memory, and I sometimes will use that to remember to live in the moment and get my head out of my phone.   

I bring that same goal to my traveling. Although I love a solid Instagram post and caption as much as the next millennial, I really try to spend my time away from home indulging in culture and conversation to learn as much as I can for me, not just for those that follow me on social media. My favorite city in the world (not including Philly) is London, with some other top contenders being Edinburgh, Montreal, Marrakesh, and Singapore. My dream travel destination is South Africa and I will finally knock that off my list in August 2020 (yes, I already have that planned)! 

One of the best parts of my job is being able to travel and introduce Drexel and Philadelphia to a new generation of folks. I love bragging about the Philly food scene, Drexel's co-op program, Cucina Zapata (my favorite food truck on campus), and all the amazing ways you can learn about an industry, the world, and yourself, both on our campus and in this amazing city. I look forward to continuing to talk about my experiences in life, at Drexel, and in the world of admissions through these posts and hope that I can be of assistance to at least one person looking to learn a little more about Drexel or the prospects of going to college!