Name: Kevin Murphy
Major: Finance, IT (Minor)
Graduation Year: 2017 (BS), 2018 (MBA)

What have you been up to since graduating from Monmouth?
Upon Graduation from Monmouth I secured a job with a Private Equity firm, Guardian Capital Partners, based just outside of Philadelphia. Guardian is a traditional leveraged buyout private equity firm where we invest in majority stakes of private companies in the consumer products, niche manufacturing, and business services sectors. I interned with the firm through my final MBA year in 2018 and was lucky enough to get offered a full-time role thereafter. Since being hired as an Analyst in June of 2018, I was recently promoted to Associate in October of 2020. 

What is your fondest memory from your time at Monmouth?
My fondest memory of Monmouth would either be the first day of practice in my freshman year or winning the MAAC Championship senior year. Both are very meaningful to me; one began my journey and development into the person I am today and the other concluded my 14-year lacrosse career on a high-note achieving the goal the seniors and coaches established that very first day of practice back in 2013.

If and when you have the opportunity to travel anywhere in the world, where would you choose and why?
Not sure I can pick one place, there is too much out there that I have not had the chance to experience, yet. Hopefully, when I have the time and opportunity, I can cover everywhere from Europe to New Zealand and over to South America and Africa. Personally, I want to be able to experience as many cultures and ways of life as possible.

If you could master one skill right now that you don't have, what would it be?
The Piano – a few of my cousins knew how to play from a young age and it is something that has always intrigued me.

You recently helped put together Business school and lacrosse alumni network. How will that be beneficial to the current and recently graduated players?
This is a tool that myself and few others from my class had talked about establishing for the current and future teams as they begin to look for jobs and internships. This is beneficial because it gives the guys an array of options and opportunities coming out of school, not only in business but across all industries. The job and internship process can be daunting and having a mentor in your specific field of interest to ask detailed questions or seek advice can be instrumental as most of us have now been through the wringer. This also allows for the younger team members to reach out to the alumni, ask questions and help get an idea of what they may want to do down the road or what major might be right for them. 

How did your time at Monmouth prepare you for life after graduation?
My time at Monmouth, both on the field and in the classroom prepared me well for life after graduation. The work ethic and mental toughness established from lacrosse and the time management and independency formed from the classroom (while balancing lacrosse) are invaluable when working in a fast-paced and high-intensity work environment. Monmouth, overall, provided me with the wherewithal to understand and execute on what would be expected of me in all settings of life, from job expectations to relationships with family and friends.

Between your former teammates and coaches, who has had the most impact on your life?
Coach Fisher had the biggest impact on my life simply by recruiting me to play at Monmouth.  I had never heard of Monmouth prior to Fish reaching out (I did not call him back at first) and educating me on what he was trying to build at Monmouth from a lacrosse standpoint. I had initially committed to a different school prior to learning about Monmouth but was sold on the fact that my parents would be able to attend every game, while I received an awesome education next to the beach, nonetheless. After getting on campus, Fish instilled a no-nonsense, blue-collar type culture that I was also raised on and was the type of environment I could thrive in. I took these values to the classroom and in my job searches which eventually allowed me to separate myself from other candidates in a highly competitive industry and land a job.