USC Rossier Board of Councilors member Don Leisey EdD ’73 made a generous gift to the school’s Annual Fund in the memory of his former professor Leonard L. Murdy BS ’48, MS ‘50, EdD ’62, who passed away at the age of 90 in November.
Gifts to the Annual Fund provide flexible unrestricted support for the school’s highest priority needs, including student scholarships and faculty support. Leisey’s gift provides support to the school at The Academy level, which is Rossier’s leadership giving society for gifts of $500 or more.
Leisey spent two decades in K-12 public school administration before moving into a successful career as an educational entrepreneur. Currently, he is President of Leisey and Associates and Co-Director of the International Academy for Educational Entrepreneurship.
A longtime active supporter of Rossier, Leisey has been a member of the school’s Board of Councilors for more than a decade, and has been giving to the school since 1983. He said he wanted to give to the school in honor of the esteemed late professor because of the impact Murdy has had on his academic and professional life.
“Dr. Murdy had a profound impact on my career, as many USC professors have had, and he gave me the tools to compete for top administrative jobs. His teaching on school administration and leadership was outstanding,” Leisey said. “His door was always open, he took a great interest in his students, and we all thought very highly of him.”
USC Rossier Professor Emeritus Murdy was a preeminent faculty member from 1973 to 1994, and was considered an authority in the field of educational administration. He was awarded emeritus status in 1998.
Murdy spent 25 years as a public school administrator, 12 of which he served as a district superintendent with Fullerton Joint Union High School District.
As a consultant, Murdy worked in over two hundred school districts in the area of Board-Superintendent working relationships. He was a valued member of the Dean’s Superintendents Advisory Group (DSAG).
“I want to acknowledge people who have made an impact on my life, and Dr. Murdy was an outstanding gentleman,” Leisey said. “I felt very strongly about wanting to remember him, and I hope that others will give to remember those professors who impacted them.”
