Five Questions with Ron Korvas and Maureen Murphy
The President’s Council is a senior leadership advisory group. Learn more about the President’s Council members in this new people@Emerson series. Each month, two members will share what guides their work at Emerson.
Ron Korvas
VP, Institutional Advancement
Q: How long have you worked at Emerson?
A: I started at Emerson on June 1, 2016. I have worked in higher education for the past 41 years.
Q: What department(s) do you oversee?
A: I oversee the areas of advancement services, alumni relations, communications, fundraising, and marketing.
Q: Why did you choose to work at the College?
A: I was attracted to Emerson for a number of reasons. I found its mission and its goal to be a global leader of higher education in the arts and communication to be very compelling. I love that the College is located in such a vibrant area of Boston. I am excited to help provide the leadership for Emerson’s first–ever comprehensive fundraising campaign. And I was excited by the opportunity to work with President Pelton.
Q: What values guide your work?
A: I am guided by the philosophy of “servant leadership.” I try to hire smart, hardworking, and caring individuals who are passionate about higher education. I try to provide them with the vision, tools, and training they need in order to succeed and then celebrate their successes.
Q: What is one change you would like to see at Emerson that would make it an even better place to work or study?
A: I want to help create a culture of philanthropy at Emerson, and I want to do a better job of thanking all the members of our community for their many contributions to Emerson.
Maureen Murphy
VP, Administration and Finance
Q: How long have you worked at Emerson?
A: I have been here since October 2010.
Q: What department(s) do you oversee?
A: Administration and Finance comprises Facilities/Campus Operations (Business Services, Construction, and Real Estate); Finance (Controller, Budget, Treasury and Risk Management); Disbursement (Accounts Payable and Procurement); and Human Resources (Employment, Benefits, Training, and Payroll).
Q: Why did you choose to work at the College?
A: I have worked in higher education for 30 years at three other institutions (Research 1, Research/Liberal Arts, and a start-up). I was fortunate to have the opportunity to work at Emerson, which focuses on undergraduate education.
Q: What values guide your work?
A: Since arriving at Emerson, I have seen many positive changes that resonate with values that are important to me: more collaborative relationships with all areas of the College, more transparent financial processes that aid in solving problems and creating solutions, and trust and respect for different perspectives—which, in combination, enhance the College’s strategic goals.
Q: What is one change you would like to see at Emerson that would make it an even better place to work or study?
A: It would be great to see Emerson College be voted as the best college to work at in the Northeast. Perhaps a lofty goal, but with progress being made on the Service Excellence initiative, and improvements in compensation and benefits and training and development programs, the College is moving in the right direction.