Myron McGhee, 30 years

Myron is the Circulation Services Coordinator for the Pitts Theology Library within the Candler School of Theology.

Tell us about your career at Emory.

I began my employment with the newly formed Security Unit in Woodruff Library as the first person hired, from 1990 to 1994. In 1994, I transferred to the Circulation/Reserves department and in 2004 moved to Pitts Theology Library.

What are some of your favorite Emory memories?

The pomp and circumstance of Emory's commencement ceremonies are always a highlight for me. I've enjoyed capturing these moments with photography, both for personal keepsakes and for several university departments. Two proud moments were photographing my children, Cana Ferris McGhee (Class of 2019) and Taylor Emmaus McGhee (Class of 2021), as they graduated from Emory College and moved on to advanced studies at Harvard and Boston University.

I've also had the unique opportunity to document the creation of sand mandalas by Tibetan monks for ten successive years, culminating in the exhibition The Mind’s Eye, curated by Juana McGhee (95T) with support from the Drepung Loseling Monastery. Photography has also allowed me to meet world-renowned scholars such as Sister Joan Chittister, Dr. Henry Louis Gates, and public figures like the jazz quartet Yellowjackets, author and Emory alumnus Dr. Ferrol Sams (who sat down on the floor beside me moments preceding his standing-room-only presentation in White Hall!), Ambassador Andrew Young, and three Nobel Peace Prize winners: President Jimmy Carter, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and Rev. Desmond Tutu, as well as former Emory presidents Dr. James T. Laney, Dr. William M. Chace, and Dr. James W. Wagner.

Myron with his wife and daughters.

What are some of the most significant changes you've witnessed?

One of the most notable changes is the campus's transition from a car-driven environment to a more bicycle-friendly and walkable space. Additionally, the conversion of Turner Village into the Emory Conference Center and the complete interior reconstruction of Candler Library stand out, along with the construction of new facilities such as the Rita Anne Rollins Building housing Candler School of Theology and the Oxford Road Building. I've also observed an evolution in the demographics of students attending the college and university.

What do you miss from “back in the day”?

I miss the students with whom I worked, my professors and colleagues who have passed away and the mighty oak trees that once stood in front of Glenn Memorial Church.

Myron is also known for his performances as a singer and guitarist, particularly at Cannon Chapel.

Anything else you would like to share?

Studying and working at Emory for more than three decades is something I never imagined as a younger man. My educational journey at Emory began with earning a Master of Divinity degree from Candler School of Theology in 1995, which was a significant milestone in my academic and professional life. Emory's tuition reimbursement program further supported my educational pursuits, allowing me to obtain a Master of Library and Information Science from Valdosta State University in 2009. I am the person I am today because of my experiences at Emory University.