Former students, colleagues and community leaders shaped by Richard Murray’s influence gathered on April 9, 2026, at the historic Eldorado Ballroom to honor his six decades at the University of Houston. Throughout the evening, speakers reflected on his lasting contributions to Houston and Texas politics and his role in helping lay the foundation for the Hobby School and inspiring careers in public service. 

^{Master of ceremonies Doug Miller and program speakers Houston Mayor John Whitmire, Texas State Sen. Carol Alvarado, Texas State Rep. Jolanda Jones, former Houston Chronicle journalists Nene Foxhall and Alan Bernstein, and Houston Chronicle columnist Joe Holley with Richard Murray.} 

During the program, stories shared at the podium and among attendees underscored Murray’s wide-reaching impact as a respected pollster, educator and mentor, touching generations of students and public servants across Houston and beyond and informing public policy and political analysis. Hobby School Dean Jim Granato highlighted Murray’s work in establishing the Center for Public Policy in 1981 and connecting students to public service opportunities. 

Chaired by Hobby School Advisory Board member Kathryn McNiel, the celebration benefited the Hobby Fellows program, which will provide University of Houston students with the experience to serve as full-time legislative interns in Austin during the 90th Texas Legislature in 2027.  

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About the Honoree 

Richard Murray is a professor emeritus in the University of Houston’s Department of Political Science and a senior research fellow at the Hobby School of Public Affairs. Since arriving at the University of Houston in 1966, he has been a leading voice in understanding Texas politics and demographics. After leaving full-time teaching in 2021, Murray continues to study the state’s evolving political landscape with the same curiosity and rigor that defines his 60-year career. Murray played an instrumental role in establishing the Center for Public Policy’s polling operations in 1981 and helped launch the Civic Houston Internship Program in 1996, which has introduced more than 1,800 students to public service. A native of Louisiana, he earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in government from Louisiana State University and a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Minnesota. 

Support the Hobby Fellows program and make a gift in Richard Murray’s honor by contributing any amount.