Paul Murphy ’84 P’16, ’19, ’22
“The longer I'm here, the more I learn. It is a rich place of deep traditions, but is hardly traditional.”
Paul D. Murphy ’84 P’16, ’19, ’22 joined the Academy mathematics department in 1988 and served as head coach of the boys’ varsity swimming team during his first year. In the years since, Mr. Murphy has served as a house counselor in America House, the cluster dean of Flagstaff Cluster for six years, the director of summer session for three years and, most recently finished his seven year term as the dean of students and residential life. During his time in summer session, Mr. Murphy created The Lower School Institute, an intensive five-week program serving students entering eighth grade. As dean of students and residential life, he oversaw all aspects of residential life on campus. He is most proud of widening leadership opportunities by helping institute student co-presidents of the school and cluster co-presidents, instituting student feedback methods for house counselors, the renovation of Bishop Hall, and creating the community conduct council.
In addition, he served for 10 years as head coach of the boys’ water polo team and, since 1991, as the head coach of the girls’ varsity swimming and diving team, which has won seven New England championships and produced 21 All-Americans. As a member of the math department, Mr. Murphy was named the first recipient of the Harris Family Instructorship in 2005 and in 2016 was named to the Class of 1915 / Garrigues Teaching Foundation. He has served on numerous committees, including the Headmaster’s Advisory Committee, the 1996 Faculty Steering Committee, the Grade Task Force, and chair of the 2004 Commons Planning Committee.
During the 2016-2017 school year, Mr. Murphy, as a Tang Institute Fellow, developed and coached Andover’s first fully online geometry courses during the summer of 2017.
Mr. Murphy holds a B.A. from Bates College and an M.S.T. from the University of New Hampshire. He is married to Debby Burdett Murphy ’86, former senior associate dean of admission and later, director of alumni engagement. They have three children and a small dog named Jessie.
Interests
I enjoy teaching at Andover because it allows me to teach in multiple classrooms—in the math classroom, in the pool, and in the dormitories. My family and I also enjoy weaving our lives with the lives of the students and their families. Over the years, we have been lucky to be part of an ever-growing family of Andover and Abbot graduates and their families!