Mollie Murphy and Tim Curran: A USU love story
Though their degrees have the same label, Murphy and Curran both have different concentrations in their respective studies. Murphy studies the rhetoric of social justice activists, while Curran studies interpersonal relationships and health. Their studies and personal desires for education eventually brought Curran and Murphy to pursue their Masters degrees at the University of Montana.
“You always say its because our desks were next to each other,” Curran said jokingly to Murphy. While in their Master’s program, they got to know each other inside and outside of the classroom, spending a lot of time together in a group of students.
As they spent more time together, their relationship progressed. Murphy said, “I just remember going to the office and being kind of upset if he wasn’t there. Or if we were going to some social event, wanting to hang out with him and starting to notice that I was pulled to him.”
They were steady friends for about eight months before they started to date.
“We were just friends for a while, and then we just kinda slowly realized we had a lot in common and decided it’d be better if we dated,” said Curran.
One of the biggest things that brought the two together was their similar sense of humor.
“We always laugh at each other’s jokes. Sometimes we’re the only ones laughing. I think we’re always laughing together. Always. That’s probably the best part,” said Curran.
The two also described being drawn to aspects of depth in each other’s character. Curran said, “I liked that Mollie has strong ideas, really independent thinker. That’s attractive to me. Someone who you can have an original conversation, who doesn’t just say what reflects what you’ve been told your whole life.”
Murphy said, “He’s just really nice and caretaking. Actually, I taught about emotional intelligence today and you were my example of someone who’s really in tune to other people’s emotions.”
Following their Master’s degrees, Curran and Murphy went on to the University of Georgia together and earned PhDs in Communication Studies.
As they have moved through their education and research, both have been strong motivators for each other.
“The academic job market is competitive,” said Murphy. “But then it’s even more competitive when you’re a couple. Everyone said, ‘If you’re gonna get a job as a couple…you have to be a good candidate.’ Once (Tim) started publishing things and teaching more stuff, I was like, ‘I need to keep up.’ That ended up working to both our favors.”
The two have been able to inspire each other without letting that motivation become negative.
“It’s like a balance between trying not to be comparative or competitive but pushing each other and celebrating any small accomplishment,” said Murphy.
As they have been together, their work has influenced one another’s. Curran said, “The things I write about now definitely changed. Or how I even look at a study, because I’ll do survey research and statistics. I’ll start to think about, ‘Well, why am I seeing these results?’ or I try to explain that in the paper. I definitely see Mollie’s influence in my paper.”
“I see more of his influence in my teaching, I think,” said Murphy. “I find myself speaking to a lot of his research and that sort of stuff, and borrowing his stuff on mental health and the family.”
This mutual motivation led them to both get jobs on Utah State’s campus as professors in the Communications department. The two talked about their appreciation for Utah State and its students, as well as the opportunity to work together.
“I think the best thing about working together is we spend almost all day, every day together. That’s really nice,” said Curran. “Like we just took our dogs for a walk and it’s 1:00 in the afternoon. We can just drive home, do that and come back. So we’re always together. I like that.”
Murphy and Curran’s passion for USU extends to the city of Logan, Utah as well. One especially big part of that is their common love of the outdoors. “We’re always on the trails like Green Canyon or Bonneville. We are there like five times a week.” They regularly go out with their two bloodhounds, Roxy and Hannah, who are “all (they) talk about these days.”
The couple shared some of the most valuable things they have learned since being together.
“I do study relationships, so I think they’re important anyway,” said Curran. “But I do think it’s a nice reminder how my quality of life is high, but it’s probably mostly because I enjoy my romantic partner and we’re around each other all the time…Picking the right person to spend all your time with can matter a lot.”
Murphy went on to say, “I’ve learned to be more empathetic, and I have a hard time getting out of my own head. But when you have a stable romantic partner—or even a stable friend, even if it’s not a romantic relationship—if you have somebody else to be thinking about, it’s more motivation to not be self-focused.”
When asked to share a snapshot of memory about the other person, Murphy turned to Curran and mentioned moments of him with their nephews and their dogs.
“I think of pictures of you holding Brady’s hand and pulling Caleb in the wagon. You’ll totally be present with the kids. Or walking the dogs and pet them. Just very caring toward vulnerable things, like animals or kids. You always step in to help out with the kids and be with them and the dogs.”
Curran shared a simple memory of Murphy as one of his favorites.
“A snapshot of you for me is when I made that stupid bean rub thing, remember that? I made this horrible meal and I was so mad. I just got so angry because it took so much time. The kitchen was a mess because of it, and it came out horrible and I was fuming. I was so mad. And I look over and she’s in tears laughing at me. And that alleviated it all, made me feel better. I was so mad and I look over and she thinks its so funny. And I was like, ‘Okay, just think about it a little differently.’ That’s usually the best part of Mollie.”
Curran and Murphy look forward to travelling together and are considering publishing something teaching-related together. For now, though, the two are learning how to relax and have more peaceful time together.
“You kind of have to relearn that after graduate school, have to learn how to relax a little bit, have more balance in life,” said Curran. “So those are the goals these days. To just kind of exhale.”
This kind of exhalation will help Murphy and Curran continue to enjoy the beauty of their relationship, built on one simple theme: together.
—jordan_forest12321@yahoo.com