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Murr and Harmon named to All-SoCon Faculty & Staff Team


Last updated December 20, 2021

By News administrator

Furman’s Scott Murr and Brad Harmon have been named to the All-Southern Conference Faculty and Staff Team, which was announced Monday, Dec. 20, by the league office.  Two representatives each from all 10 member schools were recognized by the league.

While the selections were left up to each institution’s discretion, the recipients all shared the common characteristics of demonstrated service to the institution and contributions to campus life and the local community. Faculty members selected have demonstrated strong contributions to teaching, research and/or service, while staff members are being recognized for bringing out the best in others and creating conditions for success.

Murr, a 1984 alumnus (physical education) and an assistant professor in Furman’s health sciences department, teaches a variety of courses within the health sciences curriculum ranging from a general education requirement course (Wellness Concepts) to laboratory technique-based courses (Analysis of Human Performance; Graded Exercise Testing Practicum). In addition to teaching at Furman, Murr is also the director of the Molnar Human Performance Laboratory. Murr’s research focuses on assessment and analysis of human performance and how aging impacts lifelong running.

With his experiences in the lab and as a competitive age-group runner, Murr is co-founder of the Furman Institute of Running and Scientific Training (FIRST) and is co-author of Runner’s World Run Less Run Faster (2019) and Runner’s World Train Smart, Run Forever (2017). Murr’s collaboration with several of the athletic teams on campus stems from his commitment to assisting coaches and student-athletes finding balance between peak performance on the field or court and in the classroom.

Harmon is the Assistant Dean for the First-Year and Second-Year Experience at Furman, where he is responsible for working collaboratively with faculty, staff, and administrators to implement an intentional set of programs and initiatives that facilitate first-year and second-year undergraduate students’ transition, thriving, and success.

A 1997 alumnus (history) of Furman whose career includes work in both academic affairs and student life, Harmon is primarily responsible for the first-year and second-year academic advising program and collaborates with Student Life to plan and implement new student orientation. He serves as the lead administrator for the annual campus-wide Peer Educator and Peer Mentor Institute and develops training modules and workshops for first-year experience peer mentors.

Over the last five years, Harmon has been one of the leading administrative voices behind the development of Furman’s Pathways Program pilot, an integrated two-year experience, where he has also served as an academic advisor and instructor. He also serves as the academic director for Furman’s Engaged Living learning communities program and works with faculty and housing and residence life staff to support the development of the academic content for the residential experience.

Harmon currently serves on the editorial review board for the Journal of The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition, a semiannual refereed journal providing current research on the first college year and other significant student transitions.

The complete list of SoCon faculty and staff recipients include: The Citadel’s Kevin Skenes and Stephanie Fye; ETSU’s Natalie Smith and Jeff Shell; Furman’s Scott Murr and Brad Harmon; Mercer’s Chris Grant and Rick Cameron; UNC Greensboro’s Chris Kepley and Zach Smith; Samford’s Larry Harper and James Carlson; Chattanooga’s Mark Schorr and Christopher Stokes; VMI’s Col. James A. Coale and David Copeland; Western Carolina’s Alvin Malesky and Roger Turk; and Wofford’s Jameica B. Hill and Jeff Burney.

“The conference celebrates the outstanding work and accomplishments by these talented faculty and staff members at each of our member institutions,” SoCon Commissioner Jim Schaus said. “These are in essence the conference’s annual MVP awards for faculty and staff.  We will publicly recognize these awards winners during a home men’s basketball game this year. Please take a bow for a job well done!”

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