Accounting Graduate in Control of Her Future, Her Business

June 30, 2020 - Melinda Murphy’s first go-round with college didn’t go so well, but her second attempt nearly 20 years later put her in control of her future. Murphy is the senior accountant and owner of Murphy & Associates, an accounting business that handles bookkeeping, payroll preparation, tax planning, income tax returns and other services.

Murphy, of Rockingham, graduated with an Associate in Accounting and Finance from Richmond Community College in 2017. Before even completing her associate degree, she made the decision to continue her education and start on a bachelor’s degree from Gardner Webb University.

“RichmondCC opened the door for me to transfer all of my classes to Gardner-Webb University, which I began in the fall of 2016,” Murphy said. “The transition was incredibly easy, and I finished my Bachelor of Science in Accounting in December of 2018, thanks to the preparedness and transferability of the classes I took at RichmondCC.”

RichmondCC has a partnership with Gardner Webb that allows graduates from the Associate of Applied Science programs to transfer credits into the corresponding bachelor’s degree programs at Gardner-Webb.

“I started as a junior at Gardner Webb and graduated two years later. I couldn’t have asked for a better transfer experience,” Murphy added.

While Murphy waited much later in life to complete college — and with added challenges of being a single mother working full time, Murphy said RichmondCC made her college experience “easy, relaxed and affordable.”

“When I first started college in 1998, I was lost and had no clue how to choose my classes, but this experience was completely different. The Financial Aid department and Student Services handled everything. My course path at RichmondCC was mapped out. All I had to worry about was doing the classwork,” she said.

 A mother of two children, Murphy was working at Lewis & Lewis CPAs as a bookkeeper and payroll specialist while going to college. She relied heavily on the help of her parents to balance her family and work responsibilities with her school work, but she described her instructors at RichmondCC as “life savers” and “amazing.”

“While all of my instructors at RichmondCC were pleasant and awesome, Matilda Davis and Jennifer Lambeth were the two that impacted my educational experience the most,” Murphy said. “Ms. Davis was extremely supportive from the start, she helped me map out my course path early on and made sure I stayed on track. She was always there to answer my questions.”

Murphy found a kindred spirit in Lambeth, who also has a background in public accounting.

“Mrs. Lambeth encouraged me to continue my education and not stop with my associate degree. Without her support and encouragement, I may not have pursued my bachelor’s from Gardner-Webb,” Murphy said.

Starting her college education at RichmondCC was a great option for Murphy.

“If you’re looking for higher education, RichmondCC provides an affordable and quality place to get started. But, if you’re looking to get an associate degree, or even a diploma, RichmondCC couldn’t be a better choice,” she said. “Just in the accounting realm you can achieve a bookkeeper’s certificate, accounting certificate and QuickBooks certifications, in addition to the associate degree.”

While Murphy enjoys owning her own accounting business, she has considered becoming a teacher because of the personalized attention she received from her instructors at RichmondCC.

Whatever she eventually decides, one thing is for sure, this RichmondCC graduate is in control of her future.

For More Information

To learn more about the Accounting & Finance program or enrolling this fall semester, call RichmondCC at (910) 410-1700 or visit Admissions.