Florida Construction News staff
The University of Miami’s school of architecture is naming a newly created construction management track in honour of Thomas P. Murphy Jr., a Florida construction industry leader.
Twenty years ago, Thomas P. Murphy Jr. acted on a need to prepare the next generation of builders with hands-on training and proficiency with cutting-edge technology. He approached the University of Miami to create a construction management track and pushed this idea for years until it became a reality.
Recently, the University recognized his contributions by naming the Murphy Construction Management Program in his honor.
Murphy launched his career in construction at the university in 1968, as a 19-year-old student, he became the youngest licensed contractor in Florida’s history. At the age of 20, he started his construction company.
Years later, he returned to campus as a successful businessman—as the founder, chairman, and CEO of Coastal Construction, an award-winning company with a distinguished roster of clients and many high-profile projects across Florida.
In 2014 Murphy made a donation to honor his father and create the award-winning Thomas P. Murphy Design Studio Building, a state-of-the-art building at the School of Architecture designed by Arquitectonica and built by Coastal Construction. Upon its debut, the design studio received multiple awards, including the 2018 Building of the Year from World-Architects.
“It is an honor to continue supporting the University of Miami School of Architecture and now the construction management program,” Murphy said. “Supporting these bright young minds, who will become the next generation of builders, is very important.”
His latest gift will help build a strong pipeline of talent in Miami.
“Education has the power to transform lives, and we believe that every talented individual deserves equal access to educational opportunities,” said Rodolphe el-Khoury, dean of the School of Architecture. “With this endowment, we are investing in the potential of future construction management students, enabling them to pursue their dreams and make a lasting impact on the industry.”