Bethany Murphy, a senior environmental engineering major in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, has been named a 2020 Marshall Scholar. Founded in 1953, the Marshall Scholarships finance young Americans of high ability to study for a graduate degree at an institution in the United Kingdom in any field of study. Murphy was one of 46 students selected from around the country, and is Syracuse University’s third Marshall Scholar. Over the next two years, she will pursue master’s degrees at the University of Bristol and the University of Sheffield.
Below, Murphy talks about the scholarship and her experiences.
You hope to one day lead the Institute for Water Resources, the primary U.S. Army Corps of Engineers organization that works on water policy. Where will you study as a Marshall Scholar, and how do you believe this experience will help you prepare for your journey towards that goal?
In my first year, I will undertake an M.Sc. in water and environmental management at the University of Bristol. In my second year, I will undertake an M.Sc. in water engineering at the University of Sheffield. Pursuing these programs will enhance both my policy and technical engineering skills, which will prepare me to come up with creative solutions to water issues that the Institute for Water Resources deals with. Studying these subjects in the U.K., as opposed to the U.S., will introduce me to a new water geography and different ways of approaching water management and policy. At the same time, it will allow me to build personal and professional connections in the U.K.
You are a member of the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC). What has this experience taught you?
ROTC has taught me what it means to be part of something bigger than myself and how important it is to stay dedicated to your goals. It has pushed me physically and mentally in ways that my academic experience alone could not have, while also developing my leadership and communication skills. I am grateful for the training opportunities and mentorship that I have gained by being in ROTC, and for the support the Army has given me as I have grown personally and professionally. I look forward to serving after graduation and contributing to the organization in a way that helps my soldiers grow, too.