Empowering Tomorrow: An Alumna Legacy Through Scholarship
April 2024
James “Jim” Murphy first set eyes on Karen Beth Kulig at a Dunellen High School football game in 1966. She was a twirler, and he felt “magic”, the instant their eyes met. Two weeks later, at a dance at the Dunellen Firehouse, Jim and Karen saw each other again, and with that same magic in the air, Jim eagerly walked up to Karen and asked her three questions: “Can I have your phone number?”, “Will you go out with me?”, and “Will you marry me?”. Karen responded to the latter two questions with a hesitant look, then continued to write down her number with an eyebrow pencil - which Jim still has today.
Jim and Karen were married five years later, but not before Karen attended Caldwell University, where she received her teacher’s certificate in history for secondary education. Karen and Jim then raised their family in North Plainfield: a son, James, and a daughter, Erin.
Karen always felt her calling was to teach elementary students, so she decided to attend Kean University, where she received her elementary certification. Like many Kean students, Karen took classes at night while working during the day. Jim would drive her to classes and spend time studying in the library while he waited. He fondly remembers the excitement of watching Hank Aaron hit his 715th home run on Kean’s campus in 1974!
Karen went on to teach fourth grade at Our Lady of Mount Virgin in Middlesex, and later became a first- and second-grade teacher at Vander Veer Elementary School in Somerville, where she was named Teacher of the Year in 2006.
On June 25, 2021, the day before the couple’s 50th wedding anniversary, their son Jim suffered a medical emergency. Three days later, Jim was diagnosed with glioblastoma. The next morning, Karen suffered a debilitating stroke. Despite Karen’s medical services getting discontinued after her time in the hospital, Jim and the rest of the Murphy family refused to give up and reached out to various other institutions for help, including Kean University.
Their phone call to Kean was not only answered but met with empathy, optimism and resolution. Dr. Claire Mulry, Patricia Higgins and the entire Occupational Therapy staff welcomed Karen and the Murphy family with hope and enthusiasm. When other institutions ignored the family’s calls or turned them away, Kean University’s Occupational Therapy team did not hesitate to provide support. Karen’s time receiving Kean’s clinical services became an experiential learning opportunity for the Occupational Therapy students, which included tasks like using a pivot disc to enter and exit the car.
Unfortunately, Karen passed away due to complications from her stroke in December 2023. The care and attention that Kean’s Occupational Therapy Department demonstrated to the Murphy family and the opportunities the family provided for students at Kean in return were beyond measure. As a way to both remember Karen and support the future students of Kean, the family wishes to express their gratitude for the support of the Occupational Therapy staff by creating the Karen Beth Murphy Memorial Scholarship. The intention of the scholarship is to help students with financial burden while showing gratitude for the help and professional level of care received from the department’s staff.
This Founders Day, we not only honor the institution's anniversary but are reminded of the gratitude and mission of Kean University. Founders Day is a time to honor and celebrate Kean's past, present and future while recognizing our faculty, staff and students. Kean’s motto, “Always Learning”, encompasses a strong commitment to the ongoing pursuit of knowledge, growth and self-improvement. Gifts such as the Karen Beth Murphy Memorial Scholarship will continue to help Kean students receive the world-class, innovative education the university continues to be known for.