Bettina P. Murray received masters’ degrees in a several fields relating to education including the Teaching of English as a Second Language (TESOL). She specialized in Language, Literacy and Learning for her doctoral work at the Fordham University’s Department of Education. Professor Murray has taught at other colleges in the City of New York University system before coming to John Jay in 1996. One of her areas of interest is in the field of college learning and reading strategies and she has published an article entitled “College Students’ Strategic Reading: Examining Two Teaching Approaches for Summarization Expertise” in the Association of Literacy Educators and Researchers Yearbook, vol. 32 (2010). Dr. Murray is presently doing research on the subject of culturally responsive literature which makes pedagogical connections between the curriculum and the historical heritage of individuals. Recent publications in this field include “Researching college community services engages isolated foreign-born English language learners in campus life,” Miller, P. C., Rubrecht, B.G., Mikulec, E. A., Tsuyoshi McGivern, CU-H. (Eds.), in Readings in Language Studies: A critical examination of language and community, The International Society for Language Studies,” (2016) and “Differences in expressions of social justice evidenced in college students’ fables” in M. Montero, Watze, J. L., & Miller, P.C. (Eds.), in Readings in Language Studies: Language and Social Justice, International Society for Language Studies, Inc. (2014); “Use of the fable genre for college literacy with students born in the United States and foreign-born English language learners (ELLs),” The Tennessee Foreign Language Teaching Association, The TFLTA Journal, vol.4. (2013).

Professor Murray has been involved in the establishment of, and remains active with, two scholarship programs at John Jay College: The Jerry McCabe Scholarship for members of the national police force in Ireland to do graduate studies in public administration or criminal justice, and the A. Brean Murray Scholarship for immigrant students to do undergraduate studies. Professor Murray was a member of the board of trustees of The John Jay College Foundation, Inc. from 2002 to 2015.

At John Jay Professor Murray teaches a variety of courses in the Communication and Theatre Arts Department. Frequently these courses have been linked to the SEEK department or The College First Year Seminar programs.