Bridget O’Connell ’95, ’97G, ’07 Ph.D. wasn’t originally slated to visit Lehigh but could with full confidence say that she produced ideal decision after are recruited to operate for the newest track and field people. As the an effective three-big date graduate–generating the girl student, master’s and you will doctoral degrees all from Lehigh-O’Connell credits lots of the woman feel in the Lehigh in order to this lady current elite victory since the an effective superintendent. “There is certainly no chance We could’ve known they during the time, but some of your knowledge We read through getting a runner, sessions track due to the fact a graduate secretary, plus in brand new class at the Lehigh are common used every day because the good superintendent.”
Already superintendent away from Palisades School Region for the Upper Cash County, Pennsylvania, O’Connell has been patient throughout the academic profits, generating beginner wellness and you will raising the guides through the use of technical, which includes an online reading academy for students one to circulated more ten years before.
Bridget O’Connell ’95, ’97G, ’07 Ph.D. provides the latest President’s Tailgate along with her girl and you may Lehigh President Joseph J. Helble ’82 until the 157th conference between the Lehigh and you may Lafayette activities groups.
All of this work features earned the lady not merely new superintendent identity, however the state of Pennsylvania’s Superintendent of the year getting 2022, and you may during the good pandemic, however. “[The new award] has my personal identity in it, but it is very in the our very own entire party of people.” O’Connell continues on, “I favor my jobs to own unnecessary causes. Whenever i work with pupils, I want to hear from their website what is actually going well and just what they want to come across changes. Out of you to definitely viewpoints we’re have a tendency to able to do something in the they.”
So that as Lehigh honors 50 years from coeducation, O’Connell shown towards milestone proclaiming that the fresh opportunities women already possess try something special about women that arrived prior to him or her
With this same time having caring from the individuals, she brings chances throughout the for escort backpage Sunnyvale each class appointment for everybody in order to share what’s heading better really and you may expertly, “I look ahead to this part of for each appointment,” O’Connell states. “I like hearing on which is going really inside the for each and every coworker’s lifetime, specifically during the tricky times when we could only dwell to the bad.”
O’Connell’s classes at the Lehigh into the English and you may anthropology once the an enthusiastic student scholar, and informative frontrunners in the master’s and doctoral level, all of the drove household the idea the people of a residential area, or perhaps in O’Connell’s instance, a school program, is extremely important to creating a successful really works and understanding ecosystem. O’Connell keeps good opinions you to rotate to teamwork, delivering some body with her, network, partnership and leadership. She says the training Leaders Program on School off Education wishing the lady in some ways. “I usually joke that the only group We [could have used at] Lehigh is but one inside the meteorology,” O’Connell says, listing it would come in handy whenever she has and then make poor weather need the college program.
Bridget O’Connell ’95, ’97G, ’07 Ph.D. retains a great Lehigh football helmet at the President’s Tailgate before new 157th edition of one’s Competition.
It absolutely was and as a consequence of this lady positive event since the a student-runner one she won the opportunity to serve as a team master and you may started to know very well what leaders turns out. She credits that it among the of several determining minutes regarding this lady go out in the Lehigh. Since the a chief you may be, “Usually provided how-to display being intentional in the doing the place to accomplish this to provide some body with her and you may behave as a team.” O’Connell claims much of you to routine started just like the a chief, after which because a graduate assistant, towards track-and-field party.
The girl notice focuses primarily on this lady deep passion for the fresh new class, youngsters and you can building long-term relationships with each telecommunications
O’Connell’s advice about anybody looking to obtain a leadership reputation is actually by putting on sense by the wanting leadership solutions contained in this facts they’ve been already trying to find. She and additionally welcomed those individuals in search of training to get hold of the woman.
A keen Easton, Pennsylvania, native, O’Connell will continue to stay associated with Lehigh because of the knowledge since an enthusiastic adjunct teacher, helping towards dissertation committees so when chair of your Lehigh Investigation Council into the University away from Studies. She also is the latest 1995 category correspondent to own Lehigh’s Alumni Bulletin. She especially has actually gonna football, and you can try happy to manage to render the woman daughters to this new 157th model of one’s Competition anywhere between Lehigh and Lafayette for the November.