Div. Student Reaches S. Pole

Victoria E. Murden, a third-year divinity student, trekked 740 miles on skis across Antarctica to the South Pole last week, becoming one of two women ever to do so.

The only other woman who weathered the 60-mile-per-hour winds and temperatures as low as 40 degrees below zero to reach the South Pole was also in Murden's party.

Murden adds this 51-day journey to a list of many other outdoor adventures, including ice climbing in Alaska mountain climbing in the Himalayas and exploring Africa.

One of Murden's former roommates and a second-year divinity student, Annie M. Bovian, said of Murden: "With her, her nature calls for her to do something a little over and above. She doesn't go at anything halfway."

"It's fairly evident from the things she's done in the past that she could be termed adventurous," said Sue R. Rinne, a third-year divinity student who has lived in the same dorm as Murden.

Murden was granted a spot on the all-expense-paid trip by a Canadian travel company, which organized and funded the expedition.

Before leaving, she told friends that her main apprehension about the voyage was the expense involved--the travel agency spent from $70,000 to $80,000 on each participant. Murden said that she felt guilty that so much money was being spent on her expedition, while so many homeless people still need help, Bovian said.

Murden, who did research on Antarctica before going there, also participates in activities here in Cambridge. She is a member of the Divinity School Student Executive Committee, has participated in projects to help the homeless and has organized teas for divinity students.

"Since I've been here, Tory has always been the kind of person who would bend over backwards for people. She mixed well and got along with everybody," Bovian said.

Bovian said that before Murden left, she was very low-key about her trip. She did not want to publicize it before she completed the journey. When she comes back, however, Bovian wants to have a large celebration for her friend.

After reaching the pole, the group returned via Chile, where Murden is now resting. She will then travel to her home in Kentucky, and will return to Harvard for the spring semester.

Bovian said she told her that by going on this trip, she will have made history, and will be better able to do more good.

"She's a marvelous human being. She's one of the people that people will meet during a lifetime and remember," Bovian said.