What started as a job while in seminary turned into a lifelong career for Cristian Murdock. As a student at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky., Murdock began working on the annual fund in the seminary’s development office. After graduating in 1996 with a Master of Divinity, Murdock had done so well that he was asked to work full time.
"I love working with people," Murdock says. "People have often asked me, 'Explain to me what fundraising is,' and I always explain to them it's simple: It’s building relationships and finding individuals that love the university."
Now the vice chancellor for university advancement at Arkansas State University, Murdock’s go-getter attitude led him from cold-calling potential donors to working at universities on capital campaigns worth millions of dollars.
"It doesn’t matter what size the gift, it’s always just one of the most fulfilling things of my job seeing the alum or friend with the happiness of making a contribution," he says.
In addition to his responsibilities at ASU, Murdock will soon begin a term as a trustee for Northeast Arkansas Baptist Clinic in Jonesboro.
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