Bridget O’Connell ’95, ’97G, ’07 Ph.D. was not to begin with slated to visit Lehigh but can with confidence point out that she generated suitable choice just after becoming employed to perform to have the fresh new track-and-field group. As a good about three-date graduate–generating this lady student, master’s and doctoral levels all the of Lehigh-O’Connell credits many of the lady experience during the Lehigh to help you the girl latest professional triumph given that good superintendent. “You will find no chance We could’ve understood it during the time, but some of one’s knowledge We learned by way of being an athlete, training track once the a scholar secretary, along with the class room within Lehigh are made use of everyday because good superintendent.”
Already superintendent regarding Palisades College Section inside the Top Dollars Condition, Pennsylvania, O’Connell has been diligent in the educational triumph, promoting student wellness and raising the program through the use of tech, with an online learning academy for students you to definitely revealed more than a decade in the past.
Bridget O’Connell ’95, ’97G, ’07 Ph.D. have the President’s Tailgate together with her girl and you can Lehigh Chairman Joseph J. Helble ’82 before 157th meeting amongst the Lehigh and you may Lafayette sports communities.
All of this works have garnered the lady not only new superintendent name, however the condition away from Pennsylvania’s Superintendent of the season to own 2022, and you will while in the a good pandemic, nonetheless. “[The new honor] has actually my personal label inside, but it’s extremely throughout the all of our whole team men and women.” O’Connell goes on, “I enjoy my personal employment to possess too many grounds. From you to definitely viewpoints the audience is usually capable of things regarding they.”
With that exact same time for compassionate on some body, she creates a chance throughout for every single group conference for everyone to help you share what is actually heading well yourself and you may expertly, “We enjoy so it element of for every single meeting,” O’Connell says. “I enjoy hearing on which is certian really for the each coworker’s existence, specifically during the difficult situations where we could just stay to your bad.”
Whenever i work at college students, I would like to hear from them what exactly is heading well and just what they would like to get a hold of alter
O’Connell’s kinds on Lehigh in the English and you may anthropology since the a keen student scholar, after which academic frontrunners within master’s and you may doctoral top, all drove household the concept that the society out of a residential district, or perhaps in O’Connell’s circumstances, a school program, is crucial to making a profitable really works and learning environment. O’Connell features strong opinions you to definitely rotate around teamwork, delivering someone with her, networking, commitment and you may frontrunners. She claims the educational Frontrunners Program on the College or university of Knowledge wishing the woman in certain means. “I usually laugh that the merely category We [have made use of on] Lehigh is certainly one from inside the meteorology,” O’Connell says, listing it might be useful whenever she has and also make bad weather needs the school program.
Bridget O’Connell ’95, ’97G, ’07 Ph.D. holds an excellent Lehigh sports helmet within President’s Tailgate before the latest 157th version of your own Rivalry.
Her desire centers around this lady deep passion for the new class, college students and you can strengthening long-term matchmaking with every correspondence
It absolutely was plus compliment of the girl self-confident experience as the students-runner one she generated a chance to act as a team captain and began to know very well what management looks like. She loans so it as one of the of several determining minutes from their date within Lehigh. Given that a chief you’re, “Usually given just how to display and being deliberate in the doing the fresh new place to do so to help you offer somebody together with her and you can act as a team.” O’Connell states much of that routine already been because a master, right after which just like the a scholar assistant, into track and field cluster.
O’Connell’s advice for someone looking to obtain a management position try of the wearing sense from the seeking leaders solutions in this situations they might be already looking for. She in addition to invited those trying to find practise to get hold of the girl.
An enthusiastic Easton, Pennsylvania, native, O’Connell will continue to stay linked to Lehigh by knowledge as the a keen adjunct professor, serving towards dissertation committees so when chair of Lehigh Studies Council toward College from Degree. She also is the fresh 1995 group correspondent for Lehigh’s Alumni Bulletin. She especially possess planning to recreations, and you may is thrilled to be able to give her girl to new 157th edition of the https://datingranking.net/livelinks-review/ Competition ranging from Lehigh and you can Lafayette from inside the November.
And also as Lehigh remembers 50 years of coeducation, O’Connell reflected towards milestone stating that the fresh new possibilities female already has is a gift throughout the ladies who came prior to them.