Bridget O’Connell ’95, ’97G, ’07 Ph.D. was not to begin with slated to go to Lehigh but may with certainty claim that she produced suitable decision immediately following getting employed to operate to have the fresh track and field team. Just like the good about three-date graduate–getting her undergraduate, master’s and you can doctoral stages all of Lehigh-O’Connell loans a lot of the woman experience from the Lehigh so you’re able to the woman latest elite achievements as the a superintendent. “There’s not a chance We could’ve known it at that time, but the majority of of experience I read compliment of getting a runner, classes tune since the a scholar assistant, along with the classroom during the Lehigh are common used each day as the a great superintendent.”
Currently superintendent of Palisades College Region for the Top Cash Condition, Pennsylvania, O’Connell could have been diligent regarding academic profits, promoting scholar fitness and you may raising the training through the use of technology, which includes an on-line studying academy for college students one to revealed over ten years before.
Bridget O’Connell ’95, ’97G, ’07 Ph.D. has the President’s Tailgate along with her daughters and you can Lehigh Chairman Joseph J. Helble ’82 up until the 157th meeting between the Lehigh and you can Lafayette activities teams.
All this functions features garnered this lady not only the latest superintendent identity, but the state out-of Pennsylvania’s Superintendent of the year to possess 2022, and throughout an effective pandemic, nevertheless. “[The new honor] keeps my term involved, however it is very regarding the all of our entire cluster of individuals.” O’Connell continues, “I enjoy my employment to own too many explanations. While i run children, I would like to hear from their website what is actually supposed well and what they wish to discover change. Out of one to feedback we have been tend to capable of anything about it.”
So that as Lehigh honors half a century regarding coeducation, O’Connell mirrored into milestone proclaiming that the fresh new possibilities lady currently have is actually a gift in the ladies who came in advance of them
With this exact same opportunity to have compassionate in the people, she brings the opportunity while in the for each and every team conference for everybody to help you show what is actually going really personally and you can expertly, “I look ahead to it part of for every single fulfilling,” O’Connell states. “I adore reading about what is going really in the per coworker’s lives, especially during difficult situations where we could merely stay on bad.”
O’Connell’s groups within Lehigh into the English and you may anthropology since the an enthusiastic undergraduate college student, following informative leaders during the master’s and doctoral peak, the drove house the concept your community regarding a community, or perhaps in O’Connell’s instance, a college program, is crucial to creating a profitable really works and you will reading environment. O’Connell provides strong viewpoints that revolve to teamwork, getting people with her, marketing, relationship and you may leadership. She says the educational Management System regarding College or university of Education waiting their in a number of indicates. “I joke that the merely category We [may have made use of during the] Lehigh is but one from inside the meteorology,” O’Connell states, detailing it could be useful whenever she’s while making poor weather needs the institution program.
Bridget O’Connell ’95, ’97G, ’07 Ph.D. holds a great Lehigh activities helmet in the President’s Tailgate prior to the fresh 157th release of your Competition.
It actually was plus as a result of this lady confident experience as the a student-runner that she obtained the opportunity to serve as a group head and you can began to know very well what frontrunners works out. She credit so it among the of numerous identifying moments regarding this lady time at the Lehigh. While the a frontrunner you’re, “Always offered how-to discuss being deliberate in the carrying out the fresh area to achieve this in order to render someone along with her and act as a team.” O’Connell states the majority of one to habit become because the a chief, right after which once the a graduate secretary, toward track-and-field class.
Her appeal centers on their strong passion for this new classroom, people and building long-term relationships with every interaction
O’Connell’s advice about somebody trying get a management standing is by putting on feel by trying to find leaders ventures in this issues these include already looking. She plus asked those trying to find training to make contact with this lady.
An enthusiastic Easton, Pennsylvania, native, O’Connell continues to stand linked to Lehigh by teaching since the a keen adjunct professor, helping into the dissertation committees so that as couch of your Lehigh Research Council into College out-of Training. She is also the fresh new 1995 classification correspondent getting Lehigh’s Alumni Bulletin. She particularly keeps attending sports, and you can try thrilled to manage to promote the lady daughters in order to the brand new 157th model of Rivalry anywhere between Lehigh and Lafayette in November.