BOSTON – John Murphy became a well-known name on the hardwood both by Suffolk University and its opponents from 2003-07. The sharpshooter from downtown ranked in to the top 10 nationally in 2007 in scoring with 23.4 ppg to finish his career with 1,545 points, good for fifth on the Rams’ all-time scoring list.

Thirteen years since Murphy laced up his sneakers for the blue-and-gold Ram Nation now has a chance to catch up with the shooting guard.

Describe your Suffolk career.
My basketball career at Suffolk was some of the best years of my life. The four years spent with Suffolk basketball introduced me to two great coaches in Dennis McHugh and Adam Nelson, and teammates that became family. Some of these teammates and I have shared numerous trips, text chains, and stood next to me on my wedding day. I really miss the competitive nature of college basketball on and off the court. Whether it was game time, in the weight room, or out on a Thursday night, we were always competing. It was just a great bunch of guys to be around.

Since Suffolk, you’ve moved into the work field. Could you describe your current occupation, what company you work for and the role you have?
My current position is Account Executive at Dell Technologies. This position consists of me covering customers in the New England area, focusing on Enterprise IT data solutions.

How did you land your job?
I started my IT sales career at Oracle Corporation. After six years with Oracle, I made the move to EMC, a Data Storage company based in Hopkinton, Mass. Within a year, EMC was acquired by Dell Technologies and I have been in my current role for the past five years.

Is this your dream job?
IT sales was not originally my dream job, but today I love what I do. My goal coming out of Suffolk was to land a sales position with a large corporation. I have accomplished that goal, with my focus on growing within my role and excelling further.     

Describe your typical work day.
As an Account Executive, I am traveling pretty much five days a week. It can vary from visiting customers and reseller partners to working with our internal team on presentations/proposals. I can also be found at a local Boston coffee shop in between meetings.        

What’s the most surprising part of your job?
The relationships I have built with my customers and colleagues. Some of them are my closest friends today.

What’s the biggest perk of your job?
I would say the flexibility and experiences of my job. Sales is not your typical 9-5, which can be challenging, but also rewarding. Building relationships through entertainment is the biggest perk. I have been fortunate to attend some of the greatest sporting events in Boston history. 

What are you most proud of?
I am most proud of earning Presidents Club at Oracle. It is awarded to the top sales reps at the company. Luckily, it was hosted in Hawaii that year.

How did Suffolk prepare you for your role?
Suffolk was instrumental to my success today. The Sawyer Business School of Management prepared me for the rollercoaster that sales can be at times. The relationships I have built from the Suffolk community have been vital for me in the industry.  Everyone I speak to has some type of ties to the small university next to the state house. 

What’s your favorite Suffolk memory?
I have two that stand out the most;  first, beating our rivals, Emerson in the GNAC tournament my senior year. This game required a complete team effort! After being down by 20 in the first half, we fought our way back in the second half for a comeback win. Second, defeating Johnson and Wales in double overtime at their place, my senior year. The atmosphere was electric and it was one of the best feelings walking out with the win. To top it off, I had my career high in points and rebounds that night.

What advice do you have for current students?
Network, network, network. Get out of your dorm room and really get to know the city of Boston and all the people within the Suffolk community and beyond.

What made you choose Suffolk?
I grew up in North Reading, a small town 20 minutes north of the city. Once I had my visit with then Coach Dennis McHugh, I instantly fell in love with the location and campus. Attending college in the heart of Boston was and still is a huge appeal to me.  

Outside of work, what is your life like? I.E. family, kids, what do you do for fun, etc?
Today, I live south of Boston in Easton, Mass. I am happily married to my wife Aimee. We have three beautiful children; Cameron (5,) Callan (20 months), and brand new to the family is Mia (1 month). We love traveling, especially in the summer visiting our favorite spots on Martha’s Vineyard and Kennebunkport, Maine. My family loves the outdoors and staying active; my oldest son has started golf and basketball, I could not be more excited.

Ram Nation can stay in touch with John Murphy on Instagram @j_murphy_.

Are you a Suffolk Athletics alum who would like to revisit with Ram Nation? Contact Sports Information Director Amy Barry at abarry7@suffolk.edu.