2022 Pennsylvania Superintendent of the season Bridget O’Connell Generates Matchmaking, Community Community

Bridget O’Connell ’95, ’97G, ’07 Ph.D. wasn’t to start with planned to visit Lehigh but can confidently claim that she made the best choice just after being recruited to perform to own this new track and field people. Since a three-go out scholar–making this lady student, master’s and you may doctoral grade the off Lehigh-O’Connell credits several of her feel at the Lehigh to their current professional success while the good superintendent. “Discover not a chance I could’ve known they during the time, but the majority of of one’s feel I discovered through getting an athlete, lessons track since the a graduate assistant, as well as in new class room within Lehigh all are used each and every day as an excellent superintendent.”

Already superintendent regarding Palisades University Area within the Upper Cash State, Pennsylvania, O’Connell might have been diligent in the academic profits, creating scholar wellness and you can enhancing the guides by making use of tech, which has an internet training academy for students that circulated more ten years ago.

Bridget O’Connell ’95, ’97G, ’07 Ph.D. has actually the President’s Tailgate together with her daughters and Lehigh President Joseph J. Helble ’82 before the 157th meeting involving the Lehigh and you will Lafayette sporting events communities.

All this performs keeps garnered the girl not simply the brand new superintendent term, although county of Pennsylvania’s Superintendent of the year to have 2022, and you will throughout the a beneficial pandemic, still. “[The newest prize] has actually my personal name with it, but it’s really throughout the the whole cluster of people.” O’Connell continues on, “I love my personal work to own so many explanations. As i work with college students, I would like to pay attention to from their store what’s heading really and you can exactly what they want to get a hold of change. From you to feedback the audience is usually able to do one thing on they.”

So that as Lehigh celebrates 50 years regarding coeducation, O’Connell mirrored into the milestone proclaiming that new ventures girls already possess are a gift from the women who appeared just before them

Thereupon exact same energy having caring on the individuals, she creates chances throughout the for each class conference for all so you can express what exactly is heading better myself and you can professionally, “I look ahead to which element of for each and every appointment,” O’Connell claims. “I like reading about what is certainly going better within the each coworker’s lifestyle, particularly during the difficult situations where we can only live with the negative.”

O’Connell’s classes on Lehigh in English and you can anthropology as an enthusiastic student pupil, right after which educational leadership on master’s and you can doctoral top, most of the drove household the idea the culture away from a residential area, or even in O’Connell’s situation, a school system, is essential to making a successful really works and you may understanding environment. O’Connell features solid beliefs one to rotate to teamwork, providing people along with her, networking, partnership and leadership. She claims the training Leadership Program on the College off Education waiting their in certain implies. “I usually laugh the only category I [might have put at] Lehigh is just one when you look at the meteorology,” O’Connell states, listing it would come in handy when she has and come up with inclement weather needs the college program.

Bridget O’Connell ’95, ’97G, ’07 Ph.D. retains a beneficial Lehigh sports head protection on President’s Tailgate ahead of new 157th model of your Competition.

It absolutely was also as a consequence of the lady positive enjoy since the students-runner you to she won an opportunity to serve as a group head and https://datingranking.net/escort-directory/salem/ started initially to know what leaders works out. She credits that it as among the of a lot defining times regarding their go out at Lehigh. Because the a frontrunner you happen to be, “Always considering ideas on how to display being intentional regarding carrying out the latest room to take action so you can offer people together with her and you can work as a group.” O’Connell states the majority of one to routine become as the a head, following given that a scholar secretary, for the track-and-field cluster.

This lady focus concentrates on the lady deep love of the brand new classroom, pupils and you can building long-lasting relationship with every telecommunications

O’Connell’s advice for anybody looking to see an authority reputation is by the wearing experience because of the looking for frontrunners possibilities contained in this factors they’ve been currently in search of. She along with welcomed those people trying to find practise to get hold of this lady.

An enthusiastic Easton, Pennsylvania, native, O’Connell will continue to stay associated with Lehigh from the training as an enthusiastic adjunct professor, providing with the dissertation committees and also as sofa of your own Lehigh Study Council towards the School out of Education. She also is the 1995 classification correspondent having Lehigh’s Alumni Bulletin. She specifically have going to football, and is happy to be able to bring the lady daughters so you’re able to this new 157th edition of your Competition ranging from Lehigh and you will Lafayette for the November.