President Jim Murdaugh Named to Florida Trend’s “Florida 500”

Tallahassee State College recently announced that President Jim Murdaugh has been recognized in the Florida 500 for the second year in a row. This prestigious list, compiled by Florida Trend magazine, honors influential leaders who are shaping the state’s future. Dr. Murdaugh’s continued recognition reflects his steadfast commitment and impact on education, workforce development, and student success.

Dr. Murdaugh was named the sixth president of Tallahassee State College on October 18, 2010. His personal vision is to make TSC the college of choice for students, the employer of choice for faculty and staff, and the partner of choice for the community.

He is active locally, serving as a board member of the Big Bend Minority Chamber of Commerce, a member of the Tallahassee Rotary Club, and an honorary board member of the Stubbs Educational Foundation. He is also a member of the Board of Directors of United Way of the Big Bend, where he served as chair for the 2021-22 year. He is also a former chair of the Leon County Economic Development Council.

At the state level, Dr. Murdaugh is a sustaining member and director of the Economic Club of Florida, a member of the Advisory Board of the Florida Technology Council, a trustee on the board of the Florida Chamber of Commerce Foundation, a member of the Florida Chamber Board of Governors, and he serves on the Leadership Florida Northwest Regional Council. He chaired the Florida College System Council of Presidents in 2019-20, advising and advocating to the State’s Executive and Legislative branches the value of the colleges to the social and economic development of Florida. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship.

Dr. Murdaugh has been recognized for his leadership by a number of organizations. The Florida State University College of Criminology inducted him into the Criminal Justice Hall of Fame in 2011. In 2012, he received the Leader of the Year Award from Leadership Tallahassee and was recognized as one of Florida’s Newsmakers of the Year by Florida Trend. The MLK Foundation of Florida honored him with the Pillar of Excellence Award in 2013 and the Humanitarian Award in 2015. Jim was one of four finalists for the American Association of Community Colleges’ national Award of Excellence in Emerging Leadership in 2014, recognizing his efforts to encourage and develop new and emerging leaders at TSC.

He was selected by the Association of College Unions International as International President of the Year in 2017 in recognition of his efforts in building a strong and active campus community and was honored by the National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship (NACEE) as their 2022 Entrepreneurial President of the Year. He has received multiple lifetime achievement awards, including from the Heroes in Public Safety Program in 2020 and the Association of Florida Colleges in 2023.

He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in criminology and a doctorate in public administration from Florida State University. He is also a graduate of Leadership Florida Executive Class VII and the prestigious Senior Executives in State and Local Government program at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.