When the Ed School exceeded its campaign goal last November, campaign co-chairs Elisabeth and John Hobbs decided that the time had come to honor Dean Jerome T. Murphy with a chair of his own. Aware of Murphys modesty, they set out on a secret quest along with former Graduate School of Education (GSE) Dean Patricia Albjerg Graham and John de Cuevas, a member of the Ed Schools Deans Council and Visiting Committee."One of the fun and exciting aspects of this chair was putting it together without Jerrys knowing," said Liz Hobbs, co-chair of the campaign for the GSE.A series of clandestine planning powwows and breakfast meetings got under way early in the year. De Cuevas, a key participant in these sessions, said he was moved by peoples willingness to give to this chair. "I think people wanted to recognize Jerry for the great leader that he is," said de Cuevas.Former Dean Graham agreed that Murphy has an unusual ability to generate loyal support. "Not only does Jerry have a strong sense of what the School should be doing vis-a-vis national issues in education, but he possesses the expertise to both finance that vision and to implement it."Murphys ability to bridge research and action leads people to support the Ed School, said Timothy E. Wirth, president of the United Nations Foundation and chair of GSEs Visiting Committee. "People like Jerry Murphy make the transition from thought to action real, and he does so with enormous enthusiasm, grace, and commitment," Wirth said.The result is funds totalling $3.4 million thus far -- enough not only for an endowed professorship that will bear Murphys name after his retirement, but also for an endowed fellowship named after former U.S. Commissioner of Education and GSE lecturer Harold "Doc" Howe II and an endowed dean's discretionary fund. William F. Thompson, a co-chair of the University-wide campaign and chair of the GSE Deans Council, said the dinner in honor of Murphy last week exemplified what makes the Ed School special and why its campaign succeeded."That room was filled with love -- love for Jerry who personifies the Ed School," said Thompson. "There wasnt one person in that room who wasnt deeply moved by who Jerry is and the values that he stands for."