Murtagh earns prestigious Higgins scholarship
Dennis Murtagh may rate among Salem High’s top-ranking scholar athletes, but he is not without some flaws in the classroom.
He collected A’s or an average of 90-or-better in 33 of 35 subjects over four years. The challenge of AP calculus, principles of engineering, anatomy/hhysiology, pre-calculus, physics and psychology were no problem for the 18-year-old senior.
Nonetheless, basic keyboarding (a B-plus) in his freshman year and wood construction major (an 88 average in the first quarter of his senior year) denied Murtagh an all-A journey through high school. He survived those two B’s, finishing 19th on the senior academic ladder.
“Keyboarding and wood construction weren’t my things, I guess.” Murtagh said halfheartedly before breaking into a chuckle.
Doing everything else well apparently was Murtagh’s thing. So much so that during last week’s Salem High Awards Night, he received the thrill of his young lifetime when was announced as the recipient of the second annual Paul J. Higgins Student-Athlete Scholarship - which designates $10,000 to the winner.
No essay is required, nor is any type of interview. Candidates are subject to the observations of Salem High coaches, teachers. guidance personnel and administrators, including Principal David Angeramo.
The generosity of Higgins’ four children - sons Mark, Tom and Jimmy, all former SHS football captains, and daughter Maryellen, a former three-sport Witches’ captain - introduced the scholarship a year ago, when Tom Long was the inaugural winner. Long was 24th in his senior class with a 3.85 GPA, was active in track in field and a member of the football team as a wide receiver/defensive back who didn’t miss a practice in his two years.
The Higgins Scholarship is not all about being a star athlete. Simply, it is to reward a student-athlete who competes in at least one varsity sport and fits Mr. Higgins’ philosophy and ideals. The Peabody native served Salem High with greatness for 38 years in a number of capacities, including faculty manager, athletic director and assistant principal.
Mark Higgins, the family’s scholarship spokesman and principal at the Carlton School, covers the process himself.
“Leadership in school, the athletic field and in the community; that’s a big part of the criteria. Dennis was a perfect fit in all areas,” he said.
Mark Higgins, who will become principal at the Witchcraft Heights elementary school next fall, said that he and his siblings wanted to give something back in appreciation for what Salem High had done for them and what better way than honoring their dad with a significant scholarship in his name? His brother Jimmy, a Harvard alumnus and executive for Citicorp in New York, first conceived the idea of the scholarship, and it took off from there.
Typical of Murtagh’s character is that when the scholarship winner was announced, his first thoughts were of his parents, Dennis and Kathy, and what a blessing it would mean to them in terms of helping defray college costs.
“My parents just put my sister Meghan through Merrimack College, and that was a big (financial) hit for them,” said Dennis. “Now it’s my turn to attend Merrimack, and it’s considerably more expensive than when she attended college. It’s unbelievable - awesome - that I can help them with the scholarship.”
Murtagh was looking at total costs of about $41,000 (tuition, room and board) until he received a $13,000 academic scholarship. Meghan’s freshman year as a commuter added up to about $23,000.
He has an interest in civil engineering and said he’ll try out for the scholarship-laden Division 1 Warriors’ hockey team, whch plays in Hockey East.
“I’m very low key,” Murtagh volunteered, “but when I heard my name (as the Higgins winner) I got the chills. It was such a great feeling. It’s going to be a long time before I get this smile off my face. I’ll be indebted to the Higgins family forever.”
Murtagh was a two-sport captain at Salem High in baseball and hockey, a two-time NEC baseball All-Star and four-year varsity member in each sport. He batted .328 and .325 the past two seasons in baseball. Hockey-wise, he had 43 goals and 86 total points the last three seasons and was very much a part of the ice hockey renaissance at the school.
He also devoted time to Salem-Swampscott Youth Hockey as well as youth baseball clinics.
“Dennis is dedicated to everything he takes on,” Salem baseball coach Mike Ward said. “I was at Salem High when Mr. Higgins was both AD and assistant principal; nobody was more highly respected than Mr. Higgins. He was there for you. His children were top-notch student-athletes. Dennis fits that mold.”
“What sets him apart is his leadership ability,” Kristian Hanson, the Witches’ hockey coach, said. “He’s on the road to success.
“He was our go-to guy for two years, but he was more than just a skilled player. We had a young team this past winter with only four seniors, and he set an example, sacrificing his body by blocking shots. That’s when you especially noticed him. He’d block two-three shots a game, much to his credit.”
source:salemnews
