Jacki Murphy ’74

Our final Alumni of the Year recipient has been called many things over her five decades on this campus: A leader, mentor, colleague, friend, deeply respected and dearly loved. We are delighted to finally present this very long-overdue award to one of the first women to inhabit this campus as a student, and one if its biggest champions ever since. From the Golden Knight class of 1974, we are thrilled to recognize Jacki Murphy as a 2024 Alumni of the Year.

Jacki arrived on campus in 1972 as a junior transfer student from an all-women’s college in Chicopee, Massachusetts. The welcome she received was less than warm, however. An Edmundite teacher in one of her first classes always called students by ‘Mister’ plus their last name. He refused to change his ways for Jacki, so he called her ‘Mister’, too. Another faculty member insisted on supplying those little exam ‘blue books’ to the males, and pink books to the few females in the class. Jacki protested both situations loudly, but to no avail. That adversity created a sense of resilience, and as Jacki has said about powering through, “Still, I persisted. I said, ‘I’m going to do this’ ­– so, I did it!”

During her senior year, Jacki joined the residence hall staff and served as an RA in Purtill Hall. That experience pointed her to a possible career in student development, and she enrolled in a master’s program in student services in higher education at UVM, while working as a resident director in Lyons Hall. As luck would have it, upon graduating from UVM, the Director of Admissions position opened in at St. Mike’s, and a life-long career in enrollment was launched.

In Admissions, Jacki worked alongside VP for Admissions and Enrollment Jerry Flanagan. They made a dynamic duo, complimented one another, and served as perfect spokespeople for the school they both loved. Jerry recently said, “Jacki was one of the hardest working people who was ever on the team – anything she did, she did it well. She was a pioneer, and we never would have had the success we had in admissions if we didn’t have that teamwork for all of those years. She is such a good friend and my rock. I owe my success to her.”

Another longtime friend and colleague Robin Astor recalled, “Jacki’s pragmatic yet passionate commitment to her work and the challenges inherent to college recruitment made her a revered and deeply respected colleague and leader in that field.”

St. Mike’s became an even bigger part of Jacki’s life when she met the legendary athletic trainer Zaf Bludevich on campus. Many students were surprised to learn over the years that the two were married – maybe because they were both so busy and always going in different directions, or maybe because even Jacki seemed like no match for Zaf’s never-ending supply of puns. In any event, they did in fact get married in the Chapel in 1979 and raised their amazing girls Bryce and Zoe on and around campus. The girls attended the Early Childcare Center and camps and were able to emulate Jacki’s incredible work ethic by watching her in action all those years.

Heidi St. Peter was another person keeping a keen eye on Jacki. “When I first met her, as a college student working in the admission office, I would tip-toe past her office because I thought she was scary,” she explained. “I didn’t want to say or do the wrong thing. I wanted her to think I was good at my job because the more I watched her, the more I knew the woman got things done. She was often in the background, in the roots, raising other people up. I witnessed her later, through my work in MOVE, as a giver. She volunteered in her community, went on service trips with students, served in professional organizations, and always, always, she ran. I admired her routine, her style, her work ethic, her steadiness. Jacki is a powerful woman and such an example of the best of St. Mike’s.”

Like Jerry Flanagan, Jacki tried to retire, but like Jerry, she got sucked back in and served as Interim Vice President of Enrollment and as Assistant to the President. She even joined the Alumni Board after a request from Angie Armour. “As wonderfully eager as volunteers sometimes are,” Angie explained, “it was nice to have someone who had seen and done it all say ‘yes, we did that’ or ‘we can try it again but here’s why it didn’t work before.’ Jacki brought a perfect mix of reality and gravitas to the Alumni Board. She also agreed to appear in St. Mike’s 50 Years of Women video in 2022. It was a gift to hear her words and perspectives on the College then, now, and in the future. It made today’s Purple Knights realize that they stand on the shoulders of Jacki and strong alumnae like her.”

According to Judy Flanagan, “Jacki always answers the call. She puts her money where her mouth is. She ran for the Select Board in Colchester, and she volunteers in town. She steps up, she’s a worker, a planner, and gives a balanced perspective.”

Jacki and Zaf’s steadfastness and resilience were put to the test over the last number of years when their beloved daughter Bryce, a UVM med school graduate, global health advocate, promising surgeon and beautiful human passed away after a long illness in June 2022. Jacki and Zaf have soldiered on, joining their daughter Zoe in raising money for melanoma research, and supporting dear friends like the Flanagans through their own immeasurable loss.

A few years ago, Jacki was interviewed for an alumni spotlight. When asked for strategies that can help women achieve a more prominent role in their organizations, Jacki said, “Look for opportunities to add value to a situation. Try to have a positive outlook and understand that things often do not change without real hard work and persistence. Your views, opinions, and contributions will matter if you follow through and prove to be reliable and honest.” Jacki, you have been all of those things and more over fifty years on this campus. You bring immeasurable value and are one of the most prominent and beloved women in St. Mike’s history. For those reasons and so many more, we are proud to present you with this 2024 Alumni of the Year award. Congratulations and thank you.