Donna Shaw Murphy - Class of 1978

Donna Shaw Murphy graduated from MHS in 1978 and went on to attend the University of Georgia where she earned a BA in Management Information Systems from the Terry College of Business. She started her first career at Digital Communications Associates (DCA) as a Systems Engineer and eventually became a Territory Sales Manager. Later, Donna decided to take a break from the IT world to raise her three children. She then started her second career in residential real estate. She is currently a realtor and the Managing Partner of Donna Murphy Realty Group in Alpharetta. Donna became a member of the Atlanta Realty Association's Emerging Leaders Class of 2019 and has chaired the Governmental & Community Affairs Committee for the Atlanta Realtors Association.

Donna currently serves on the Board of Directors and as a member of the Board of Trustees for the Atlanta Realtors Association. She also serves as a contributing member on the Georgia Association of Realtors Governmental Affairs Committee. Donna has a strong commitment to giving back to her community. She serves on the Board of the Alpharetta Chamber of Commerce, is on the Advisory Council for North Fulton Community Charities, and is a member of the Alpharetta Rotary Club. Donna also serves as the Chief Convener of her Scottish Clan Shaw and is a host at the Highland Games at Stone Mountain every fall. Donna is a member of the MHS 100th Anniversary Committee and the Chair of the Alumni Association sub-committee.

Donna spent five years at MHS, starting as an 8th grader in what was known at the time as the Sub-Freshman class. She stayed busy as a student! Donna was involved in Student Government serving as the President of both her Sub-Freshman class and Sophomore Class, and the Student Body President her senior year. She lettered in cheerleading and track, was the captain of the Flag Corps, and a member of the National Honor Society, the Beta Club, and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. She was the recipient of the American Legion Post 201 Scholastic and Leadership Scholarship. She was also on the Homecoming Court her senior year.

Some of Donna’s favorite teachers were Mr. Reese, the Student Council Sponsor that she spent a lot of time with planning school events; her cheerleading sponsor Ms. Lyman; Coach Stephens, her P.E. teacher; Mr. Cole, the band director; and Mr. Suddath, her Math teacher.

Some of her favorite memories as a student were “cruising” through town, cul-de-sac parties on the weekends, church youth group on Sunday nights, going “steady” with her boyfriend, and weekend dates to the movies. She remembers having a Farrah Fawcett hairdo and wearing bell bottoms, peace signs, tie-dye, and glitter nail polish. During Donna’s time at MHS, the student population came from a very large geographic area--Milton being the only high school North of Roswell and the Chattahoochee River. But she thought of the student body as family. She made life-long friends, many of whom went to school together from kindergarten through graduation. They grew up together and watched out for each other. Summing up her time at Milton, Donna said “It was a great experience! Some of the best years of my life. Milton prepared me well for college and my future. I graduated as a solid, confident young woman ready to make my mark on the world both in my career and personal life.”