Bridget O’Connell ’95, ’97G, ’07 Ph.D. wasn’t originally slated to attend Lehigh but can confidently say that she made the right decision after being recruited to run for the track and field team. As a three-time graduate–earning her undergraduate, master’s and doctoral degrees all from Lehigh—O’Connell credits many of her experiences at Lehigh to her current professional success as a superintendent. “There was no way I could’ve known it at the time, but many of the skills I learned through being an athlete, coaching track as a graduate assistant, and in the classroom at Lehigh are all used every day as a superintendent.”
Currently superintendent of Palisades School District in Upper Bucks County, Pennsylvania, O’Connell has been diligent about academic success, promoting student wellness and enhancing the curriculum through the use of technology, which includes an online learning academy for students that launched over ten years ago. Her focus centers on her deep passion for the classroom, students and building lasting relationships with every interaction.