Director of Development Thomas Murphy and Boys Varsity Tennis Coach Max Schweitzer
Watkinson School, Hartford’s oldest independent day private school for grades 6-12/PG, is pleased to welcome Thomas Murphy (West Hartford) as its new Director of Development and Max Schweitzer (West Hartford) as its new Boys Varsity Tennis Coach.
Murphy grew up in West Hartford, where throughout middle and high school he lived just a mile away from Watkinson’s campus. He comes to Watkinson from the Francis Ouimet Scholarship Fund, a need-based college scholarship fund in Norton, MA, where he spent the last eight years working in fundraising, development, and alumni relations, most recently as the fund’s Director of Development. During his tenure the organization saw record growth in the endowment, continued expansion of unrestricted major giving and annual fund programs, and the creation of brand new alumni engagement opportunities, which centered on a growing career resources program along with a restructuring of alumni networking events.
Having attended Northwest Catholic for high school and having earned a degree in Communications and Media Studies from Fordham University, Thomas is passionate about working in education, and has seen firsthand how philanthropy and education work collectively. “Education has always been incredibly important in my family, and thus I’ve been so fortunate to spend the last eight years raising money for need-based scholarships to help young people attend college,” Thomas said. “I have been so warmly welcomed by the faculty, staff, and students at Watkinson, and I look forward to working with the phenomenal team on campus to create bigger, bolder scholarship opportunities for families, broaden the school’s incredible alumni engagement programs, and continue to establish legacy giving options for our amazing students, parents, and alumni.”
Schweitzer brings decades of tennis experience to Watkinson as both a player and a coach. In 2017, Schweitzer founded a private tennis coaching business and has worked with over one hundred kids and adults, providing both technical help and strategic advice. Additionally, Schweitzer is the assistant director at the Nike Tennis Camp at Mount Holyoke College, the largest sleepaway tennis camp in the country. He will be entering his sixth year at the camp this summer.
A West Hartford native, Schweitzer competed in USTA tournaments in New England and beyond during his youth. His success on the court led to his eventual recruitment to Clark University, where he was a 4-year varsity starter in singles and doubles. At Clark, Schweitzer obtained a master’s degree in interpersonal communication and received the Russ Granger Award for outstanding academic and athletic achievement in his class.
Schweitzer is excited to bring his philosophy of “leading by example, respecting one another, and utilizing the power of two-way communication” to Watkinson.
Watkinson School’s mission is to develop in our students the power to shape their lives and the world around them. Come see for yourself at our next info session for prospective families.
