People were at the heart of everything for Dr. Richard ‘Rick’ Murray (BEng’66, LLD’15). Whether he was engineering a bridge to transport people where they needed to go or supporting students at Dalhousie, Murray always found a way to centre the human experience.
When Murray and his family announced a $1-million gift to Dal to support engineering students from Jamaica, he shared: “One of the most important parts of bridge-building is people. Whether you’re building a physical bridge or just trying to bridge a gap between people, it’s always the people that make it successful.”
Murray, who passed away on March 5 at 87, will be remembered as an esteemed Dal alumni, engineer, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. His 50-year engineering career reflected technical excellence, global perspective, and a deep commitment to giving back.
Rick was a steadfast champion of our engineering students.
Faculty of Engineering Dean John Newhook said that Murray was one of the most involved and supportive alumni to the faculty.
“Rick was a steadfast champion of our engineering students,” said Newhook. “Rick was passionate about supporting students’ individual success and helping them achieve their goal of becoming an engineer.”
Murray was awarded a Dal honorary degree during the Spring 2015 Convocation.
Makings of an engineer
Murray earned a Diploma in Engineering and a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from the Technical University of Nova Scotia (TUNS), which later merged with Dalhousie to form the Faculty of Engineering.
Shortly after graduation, Murray accepted a one-year civil engineering contract to work in Jamaica with Alcan, a Canadian manufacturing firm. That one-year contract turned into an 11-year stint in Jamaica where he worked on national infrastructure projects and played a key role in the Canadian International Development Agency’s bridge-building program.
It was this connection to Jamaica that had a lasting impact on his life and further reinforced his commitment to working with local experts and strengthening his connection to the community.
Upon returning to Halifax, he established and served as the president of the firm R. A. Murray International Limited. Murray and his team provided engineering, general contracting, material procurement, and logistical services to countries throughout the world.
Centring students and support
In 2012, Murray and his family created an endowed scholarship to support Jamaican students studying engineering at Dalhousie. The Murray Family Scholarships in Engineering reflect Murray’s belief in education as a pathway to opportunity and are awarded to students who are planning to pursue a career in civil engineering.
Four years later, in 2016, Dal announced its ambitious plans to revitalize Sexton Campus through the Innovation and Design in Engineering and Architecture (IDEA) Project which saw the construction of two new buildings and upgrades to existing spaces. Dr. Newhook shared that Murray was an early and enthusiastic supporter of the project.
Dr. Newhook, left, with Dr. Richard Murray at the opening of the IDEA Project in 2018.
“He believed that success can be attained by not only providing financial support for students, easing the burden of enrolling in a demanding program like engineering, but also by taking care of the whole person,” says Dr. Newhook. “He wanted to create spaces on campus that were both innovative and supportive.”
Murray and his family announced a $6-milliion commitment to the project at the IDEA grand opening in 2018, and his generosity was recognized through the naming of the Richard Murray Design Building and the Murray Engineering Student Centre.
Murray’s exceptional commitment to Dal was recognized through his inclusion in Dal’s loyal donor society, the MacLennan Society, and he was awarded the 2026 Dalhousie Golden Eagle Lifetime Achievement Award.
I was inspired by Dalhousie to get on and succeed and become an engineer.
When asked what Dalhousie meant to him, he shared: “Dalhousie was my introduction to higher education. I admit I was never a great student, but I was inspired by Dalhousie to get on and succeed and become an engineer.”
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