February 16, 2001 - Victoria Murphy, a resident of Oyster Bay, NY and a member of the C.W. Post Council of Overseers, will receive the Mary M. Lai Model of Faith Award from the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University on Sunday, February 25, 2001. A mass will be held at 5 p.m. in the campus' Interfaith Chapel, and the award will be presented during a dinner hosted by the Catholic Campus Parish immediately following the mass.

The Mary M. Lai Model of Faith Award - named for Long Island University's Treasurer and Vice President for Finance - is presented annually to an individual who exemplifies the Catholic ideals of devotion, compassion, understanding, healing, and commitment and successfully incorporates these ideals into both personal and professional life. A devout Roman Catholic who attends mass daily, Mrs. Lai has served as the Chief Financial Officer for Long Island University for more than 50 years.

Mrs. Murphy graduated from C.W. Post magna cum laude in 1991 with a bachelor's degree in music. She and her husband, Stephen, who is president of S.V. Murphy & Co., Inc., created a scholarship in 1998 for students in the vocal music program at C.W. Post. The Vicki Murphy Scholarship Fund bestows five scholarships each year to exceptionally talented singers at the graduate level who have strong career potential.

Mrs. Murphy has appeared as a mezzo soprano soloist with the New York Virtuosi Chamber Symphony, LaMama, ETC, and with Operaworks where she performed the roles of the Keener Woman in "Riders to the Sea," Mrs. Nolan in "The Medium," and Anna in "Maria Stuarda;" and with the St. Paul Center Stage where she played the roles of Marian in "The Music Man" and Grace Farrell in "Annie." In the early 1990s, she performed with the C.W. Post Summer Opera, where she sang Cherubino in Mozart's "Marriage of Figaro" and Meg in Verdi's "Falstaff." Mrs. Murphy also served a producer and performer with the Manhasset Bay Opera Association.

In addition to her many musical activities, Mrs. Murphy has been actively involved in numerous fundraising efforts, including for the Manhasset Bay Opera Association, the North Shore/Long Island Jewish Health Care System, and the National Center for Disability Services, which honored her as its "Woman of the Year" in 1996. She has performed benefit soloist concerts for Red Cross of Nassau County, St. Patrick's College in Ireland, the Irish-American Sports Foundation, Wild Geese, St. Paul the Apostle Church, the Interfaith Nutrition Network, and Telecare. She has served on the advisory board of Momma's House home for single mothers and as president of the Orchestra Guild for the New York Virtuosi Chamber Symphony.

Stephen and Victoria Murphy have two sons, Bryan and Gannon, and Victoria is now pursuing a master's degree in communication arts at New York Institute of Technology.

Proceeds from the award dinner benefits the Catholic Campus Parish Ministries at C.W. Post. The parish uses the funds to support educational programs; outreach projects - including the Tekawitha Project through which it assists Californian Native Americans in need; student retreats; and financial assistance to students in need. For reservations or information, call Father Ted Brown at (516) 299-2229.

* note to editors: photo of Mrs. Murphy available on request