A New Chapter for OHC - Pat Murphy Stepping Down and Applicants Sought

The Oberlin Heritage Center announces that its Executive Director, Patricia Murphy, plans to step down at the end of August, after 22 years in the position. Board of Trustees President Nicholas Jones stated that "We are sad to see Pat leave, but deeply grateful for the visionary leadership she has shown over these two decades. With her high professional standards and her unstinting concern for the welfare of Oberlin, Pat has been a great asset both to the Heritage Center and to the community. She is leaving OHC in a very positive position."

As the Oberlin Heritage Center's first professional director, Murphy led the way for a dramatic expansion of the 110-year old history organization, which now has some 700 members, a strong professional staff, a solid intern and volunteer team, an extensive program of tours, lectures, and educational opportunities, a collection of artifacts relating to Oberlin history, and a campus of historic buildings in the center of Oberlin. Under her leadership, the Oberlin Heritage Center achieved accreditation by the American Alliance of Museums, a status few small museums attain. She also provided leadership in institutional planning and heritage tourism. She secured National Register historic district status for downtown Oberlin and played a key role in reconstructing the tower of the New Union Center for the Arts.

Murphy commented that "I have found it very rewarding personally and professionally to help the organization become a strong community and visitor resource over the past twenty-two years. It has been a tremendous gift to work (and live) in a community with such amazingly talented, caring and generous people who appreciate and support the preservation and interpretation of Oberlin's rich history and its wealth of historic buildings." She looks forward to having more time to enjoy family and friends, travel, and running and will spend the fall in northern Wisconsin. Murphy also plans to devote time to research and writing while exploring other opportunities.

A national search for Murphy's successor will begin in April.

Job Announcement and Application Information

Attachments


Press Release: A New Chapter for OHC