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Release date: May 9, 2006 Emory Seniors Win Top Honors — and $20,000 — for University Service
They are the first to admit that they rarely agree on much. They do, however, have a lot in common. Outstanding scholars, campus leaders and devoted volunteers, each will receive one of the university's top student honors, the 2006 Lucius Lamar McMullan Award – which includes $20,000 each, no strings attached. Described as "joined at the hip" in their dedication to work together for the common good during their college career, the unprecedented decision sought to honor both students for their collective and individual service. "Interdependency remains a word that many people embrace, but do not enact. J.B. and Devin acted interdependently — in the Emory Scholars Program, the Student Government Association and a number of Emory organizations," says Bobbi Patterson, outgoing director of the Emory Scholars Program and faculty member in religion. "Part of the beauty of how they worked and lived interdependently involved their willingness to be different, to approach an issue or a problem from alternate perspectives, to use different theories and methods, to argue — and then work their way into a shared and innovative next step," she says. "These two men, with their high levels of maturity, lived interdependency at its best at Emory." The two, who are Robert W. Woodruff Scholars (the university's most prestigious academic scholarship), are described as natural leaders who assume leadership positions in almost every group they join. They first got to know each other when they were paired together their freshman year as partners in Emory's nationally ranked debate program, known as the Barkley Forum. Nearly four years after they first met, Tarter and Murphy say they both started laughing when they found themselves summoned together in the dean's office. "It had to be either really good, or really bad. We had no idea what to expect," says Murphy. Both say they are humbled to have received the award and happy as well. The money will be used to help fund their graduate careers: Murphy is headed to New York University to study for a Ph.D., while Tarter will go to Harvard Law School. A nationally ranked debater in high school, Murphy used his verbal skills to lead the campus through many sensitive debates on race relations and sexual orientation, demonstrating as one recommender stated "the character to resist the subtle seduction that comes with power, by employing responsible advocacy (rather than) self-centered advocacy." Similarly, Tarter also has stood out in his four years at Emory as a mature and politically conservative voice on campus. Through his involvement with the College Republicans, student government and his writings in student publications at Emory, he led the campus in openly and candidly debating the important issues of the day in a way that built community instead of dividing people more, his nominators noted. Through Emory's Student Government Association, Murphy and Tarter worked together closely on many issues. Murphy was president pro tempore of SGA this past year, serving as a liason between the executive and legislative branches. He held the same position his junior year with the Emory College Council. Tarter served as the SGA's attorney general for three terms. Together, they addressed what they described as "common sense" issues that affected students and the university as whole, whether it was student government election reform, chartering new student groups, controversial student meal plans or working with DeKalb County off-campus on a sound ordinance that resulted in a reasonable compromise on outdoor events with the surrounding community. "We both love Emory and want what's best for the community. So when we come together on an issue, we bring different strengths and constituencies," Tarter says. "Often we'll agree on the same course of action for totally different reasons. We essentially strived to bring people together in dialogue to work on positive change," Murphy says. They also helped develop an annual debate program for Emory's Charter Week, served on an academic standards committee, volunteered with the Emory Scholars Program, and took part in the planning of the university's Transforming Community Project, a five-year, in-depth examination of race at Emory. Individually, Murphy is graduating with a bachelor's degree, with highest honors, in interdisciplinary studies in society and culture. Besides receiving the McMullan Award, he also will serve as the 2006 Class Orator. Elected to Phi Beta Kappa in his junior year, Murphy also has received two national scholarships: the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship in 2003 and the Beinecke Scholarship in 2005. Though he spent most of his life wanting to be a lawyer, Murphy now seeks a career as a professor, in which he hopes to examine race, gender and sex from a philosophical and cultural perspective. At NYU, Murphy plans to pursue an interdisciplinary doctorate in American studies. Murphy was an active member of the Barkley Forum until his junior year. He stayed involved as a volunteer with the Urban Debate League in Atlanta, which develops debate programs in inner city high schools and middle schools. He shared his considerable debate skills with students from across the country the summer after his freshman year during the Emory National Debate Institute, a two-week residential tournament training program for 300 predominantly inner city students and teachers from across the United States. He also worked as a volunteer with the Computer Assisted Debate Project, a program targeting 1,500 middle school students living in Atlanta Housing Authority communities. Murphy served on two commissions that advise Emory President James Wagner about issues of race and ethnicity, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered concerns. He is the son of Donna Murphy of Spartanburg, S.C., and a 2002 graduate of Paul M. Dorman High School. Tarter will receive both a bachelor's degree, with highest honors, with a triple major in political science, economics and history (with a math minor) and a master's degrees in political science. He has received many accolades for his academics and involvement in various honor societies, including induction into Phi Beta Kappa and the Levitas Award for most outstanding political science graduate. While no longer a competitive debater, Tarter has remained involved as a volunteer judge in the Barkley Forum's Urban Debate League and has coordinated volunteers for the forum's national debate tournament for high school students. He also was deeply involved in the Emory Scholars Program. He revamped and oversaw an advising and mentoring program for freshman scholars, and coordinated events for the program's annual recruitment weekend. He also served on Emory's Center for Ethics advisory board as a student representative. Once he finishes law school at Harvard, Tarter says he hopes to enter the national political arena as an advisor and policy maker. This past year, he served as the Sen. Sam Nunn Presidential Fellow at the Center for the Study of the Presidency in Washington, D.C. In addition to internships at the Heritage Foundation and two Senate offices, Tarter served on the Georgia Secretary of State's student advisory committee developing ways to decrease voter apathy and increase civic participation by college students. He also has done interviews and commentary on politics with CNN International, BBC Radio, NBC, Chicago Tribune and NPR. Tarter is the son of Victorija Laucius and James Tarter of Twin Falls, Idaho (83301), and is a graduate of Twin Falls High School. The McMullan Award, endowed by Emory alumnus William L. Matheson in honor of his uncle, is given to a graduating senior who exhibits "outstanding citizenship, exceptional leadership and potential for service to his or her community, the nation and the world." The donor's intention is to allow a student to do something he or she wouldn't otherwise be able to do. This is the first and likely last time the award will be given to two individuals in the same year. They will receive the awards during the Emory College diploma ceremony May 15. ### Emory University is known for its demanding academics, outstanding undergraduate college of arts and sciences, highly ranked professional schools and state-of-the-art research facilities. For more than a decade Emory has been named one of the country's top 25 national universities by U.S. News & World Report. In addition to its nine schools, the university encompasses The Carter Center, Yerkes National Primate Research Center and Emory Healthcare, the state's largest and most comprehensive health care system. Subscribe to News@Emory RSS feeds for automatic updates of the latest news at Emory. |
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