21.5 A Cleveland State Great: Professor Sy Murray

Both Tanisha Briley and Robert Fowler learned from one of the best. Professor Sylvester Murray is professor emeritus at Cleveland State University, where he maintains office hours and brings a wealth of experience from his illustrious career as a city manager and a leader in public administration. He has served as the president of both the American Society for Public Administration (ASPA) and the International City/County Management Association (ICMA), underscoring his significant influence on the field.

Professor Sylvester Murray has served as City Manager of Ann Arbor, MI; Cincinnati, OH; Inkster, MI; and San Diego, CA. Read Professor Murray explain how he got involved in city management:

In my senior year, [a professor] came to me and asked what I wanted to do with my life. I told him my ambition was to become a lawyer so that I could go back to Miami, become the mayor, and do things for my people.

He said, “Are you aware that Miami operates with a council-manager form of government?” I said, “No. So what?” And he said, “Well, the mayor doesn’t do things in Miami. That’s a person called a city manager.”

He went on to say, “The advantage of being the city manager is that people select you based on whether you are qualified to be city manager. The mayor has to convince people that he is qualified.

“If you really want to go back and run the city of Miami, you need to go into city management.” And that’s how I got into the profession.

Professor Murray didn’t look back. His insights and teachings have profoundly impacted students and professionals alike, fostering the next generation of public service leaders. Levin School students still have the opportunity to meet with Professor Murray and accompany him to ICMA and related state conferences. Contact your professor if you’d like to meet with Professor Murray or explore careers in city management.

Professor Murray with students at the Levin School’s 2024 homecoming party.

Reference

https://icma.org/articles/pm-magazine/remarkable-management-life