In 1992 Dwayne Murray (‘97) was studying sociology through Syracuse University’s Maxwell School, and he was enjoying a semester abroad in London when the iSchool first flew onto his radar. He seized the opportunity to take a couple of classes being offered by visiting iSchool professor Jeffrey Katzer, and found the coursework to be surprisingly well-aligned with his interests and career ambitions.
Murray remembers a project assignment that had him endeavoring to bring the NBA to London. Using the precursor to the modern-day social media industry, he had to sell the scheme to all of the “stakeholders” in England’s capital city. Murray appreciated the process of hypothesizing the upsides and uses of social media (way before its current ubiquity), and predicting how to use it to get the city amped up about the idea. That exercise, among many of the other lessons derived from Katzer, inspired Murray to fully pursue a degree from the iSchool when he returned to Syracuse, NY. By that time, having nearly completed his BA in sociology, Murray doubled down and dedicated himself to finishing with a BS in information studies, as well.
Murray now serves as the Deputy Director at Syracuse University Office of Veteran and Military Affairs. In his position right now, his goal is to make as many real connections as he can with students, staff, and all 1,500+ individuals involved in the relationship between the university that he loves so dearly, and the Army – which provided him with his first career and a lifetime’s worth of experiences.
His current job checks all of his boxes. He’s a Syracuse University graduate, a student athlete, a veteran, a first-generation college student, a city kid from the Bronx, etc.. Murray has great respect for every student at Syracuse. Not just for getting accepted, but for showing up every day and grinding, and being innovative, and competing. With genuine passion, Murray says “I just want to spread Orange joy. My achilles heel is the threat of taking on too much, because I want to help everybody.”