Randy Carlton Murphy, Jr. never saw himself finishing high school much less going to college and graduating top of the 2020 class at Chattahoochee Valley Community College (CVCC).  He dropped out of high school in 2000 soon after his father died and had no plans for his future.

“It was tough losing a parent as a teenager,” Murphy said.  “My life at home was rough. I was a lost kid in high school seeking approval from whomever I could get it from.  It was tough to fit in at times, because I just didn't know how to.  I soon went on a path of destruction filled with drugs, partying, and other things.”

Murphy says he had absolutely no interest in school, but with some strong convincing from his grandmother, he decided to get his GED from CVCC in 2002. It was an accomplishment and a step in the right direction for a bright future, but it would be many years later before Murphy decided to focus on continuing his education to make a better life for himself and his family. 

“I spent the next 20 years (after dropping out of high school) going through a bunch of ups and downs and working dead-end jobs with no real direction in life,” he said. “I never thought about going back to college because I didn't think I could afford it or that I would actually do well.” 

Murphy buckled down and decided to give school a try a few years ago.  He enrolled at CVCC in 2017, and performed even better than “well” in his classes.  He finished his degree with a 3.9 GPA, earning him the honor of being the recipient of the President’s Award for the Class of 2020.  The award is given to the student who has completed a degree program with the highest cumulative grade point average. 

“It feels great,” he said with excitement.  “It definitely pays off to work hard, and I faced many challenges along the way.  “I was a full-time student with a family and a full-time job, and I played in a band on the weekends to make extra money.  Sleep was very slim.  In one of my last semesters at CVCC, my family went through a house fire.  I was actually in the house asleep when the fire started.”

Things got so tough for Murphy at one point, that he almost decided to take a break for a semester or at the very least, take fewer classes than normal.  He says the encouragement from his family and his faith in God are the two things that kept him going.

“My family kept me motivated. I knew I was helping their future by graduating,” he said.  “They all stayed behind me and kept encouraging me and telling me how proud they were of me. I couldn’t have done it without them.”    

Things look quite different in Murphy’s life these days.  He and his wife, Lauren, have two children, Chandler (8) and Ellie (2).  He currently works in the Technology Department at the Russell County School District, and he plans to pursue a bachelor's degree in Computer Science.  He says he hopes his story encourages others to never to give up on their dreams.

“I don’t mind sharing at all if it can help and inspire someone else,” he said. “It’s a part of my testimony. In the grand scheme of things, it’s all because of Jesus. He is the one who brought me through this. He is a father to the fatherless.”