Author

Ira Murray

Associate Director, Vanderbilt University Initiative for Race Research and Justice

Ira Murray is associate director of research and development at the Vanderbilt University Initiative for Race Research and Justice. His work focuses on the intersection of race, racism and society in partnership with communities to co-create tools and resources to address issues of racial justice.

Murray has served as a nonprofit executive in Jackson, Mississippi, and has worked with several historically Black colleges and universities throughout his professional career. He is a native of South Carolina and a third-generation HBCU graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Florida A&M University. He holds a master’s degree from Vanderbilt and a doctorate from the University of Pittsburgh.

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Scholarships available for the Executive Certificate in Religious Fundraising 

Applications for the Thomas H. Lake Scholarship are now open! This scholarship supports participants in the Executive Certificate in Religious Fundraising (ECRF), a program designed to help religious leaders explore the spirituality of fundraising and gain skills essential for their work. 

Applications will be accepted until Monday, August 3, 2026. Applicants should expect to hear a decision by the end of August.

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