College welcomes new gift planning director
Murphy has launched a series of workshops to make gift planning easier to understand.
Photo by Becky Kirkland
Sonia Murphy joined the Office of College Advancement in August as the new director of gift planning. Murphy will work with friends and alumni who wish to make long-term gifts to any area of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, including charitable remainder trusts, will bequests, charitable gift annuities and gifts of retirement plans.
Murphy most recently served as director of gift planning for the Salvation Army, and, before that, she was a financial adviser for Merrill Lynch.
Murphy has already made tremendous strides in acquainting herself with the College's people and programs as well as reaching out to those interested in planned giving.
In October, Murphy launched a planned giving workshop series that will continue through March. By bringing the workshops to communities throughout North Carolina, Murphy has helped make the concept of gift planning accessible and easier to understand.
"Gift planning is a major decision and takes time," she says. "One of my biggest goals is to educate donors and help them figure out the best ways to meet their charitable and personal goals."
Although her impeccable English hides it, Murphy was born and raised in Paris. An avid golfer, she won the French Junior Championship at age 15. A golf scholarship from Wake Forest University brought Murphy to the United States, and she competed in the "Futures Tour," an LPGA-prep series, for several years after graduation.
When a persistent ankle injury required surgery, Murphy was no longer able to compete at such an intense level. That's when "Plan B" kicked in, she says: a career in gift planning.
"The programs in this College are amazing," she says, "and I'm excited to be part of a great team raising support for it all."
- Suzanne Stanard
Murphy most recently served as director of gift planning for the Salvation Army, and, before that, she was a financial adviser for Merrill Lynch.
Murphy has already made tremendous strides in acquainting herself with the College's people and programs as well as reaching out to those interested in planned giving.
In October, Murphy launched a planned giving workshop series that will continue through March. By bringing the workshops to communities throughout North Carolina, Murphy has helped make the concept of gift planning accessible and easier to understand.
"Gift planning is a major decision and takes time," she says. "One of my biggest goals is to educate donors and help them figure out the best ways to meet their charitable and personal goals."
Although her impeccable English hides it, Murphy was born and raised in Paris. An avid golfer, she won the French Junior Championship at age 15. A golf scholarship from Wake Forest University brought Murphy to the United States, and she competed in the "Futures Tour," an LPGA-prep series, for several years after graduation.
When a persistent ankle injury required surgery, Murphy was no longer able to compete at such an intense level. That's when "Plan B" kicked in, she says: a career in gift planning.
"The programs in this College are amazing," she says, "and I'm excited to be part of a great team raising support for it all."
- Suzanne Stanard