Mary Eileen O'Brien is an American academic administrator and member of the

Dominican Sisters of Blauvelt The Dominican Sisters of Blauvelt are a religious congregation within the Dominican Order of religious sisters founded in 1890. They are based in the town of Blauvelt, New York, a northern suburb of New York City. Their traditional service has ...

. She has worked as the president of the Dominican University New York since 1997.

Life

O'Brienn was raised in the Bronx. O'Brien earned a B.A. in English from Dominican College in 1965. In 1971, she completed a M.A. in mathematics from

Manhattan College Manhattan College is a private, Catholic, liberal arts university in the Bronx, New York City. Originally established in 1853 by the Brothers of the Christian Schools (De La Salle Christian Brothers) as an academy for day students, it was la ...

. She was a mathematics teacher at St. Benedict's School and St. Pius V High School. She worked as the principal of Saint Luke's School in

South Bronx The South Bronx is an area of the New York City Borough (New York City), borough of the Bronx. The area comprises neighborhoods in the southern part of the Bronx, such as Concourse, Bronx, Concourse, Mott Haven, Bronx, Mott Haven, Melrose, B ...

. O'Brien joined the faculty at Dominican College in 1977. She served as the acting president for a year before being named president in 1979, succeeding Natalie Casey. She completed a master's degree in adult and higher education from the Teachers College, Columbia University in 1983. O'Brien worked as president until 1987 when she served as the leader of the congregation of sisters at the

for six years. She returned to her role as president of Dominican College in 1997. She earned a Ph.D. in educational administration and supervision from

Fordham University Fordham University () is a Private university, private Jesuit universities, Jesuit research university in New York City. Established in 1841 and named after the Fordham, Bronx, Fordham neighborhood of the The Bronx, Bronx in which its origina ...

. Her 2012 dissertation was titled, ''Presidents' Perception on Implementation of the Dominican Charism in the American Dominican College''. Gerald M. Cattaro was her doctoral advisor. O'Brien retires on January 1, 2024, and will be succeeded by interim president Mary Hughes.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Obrien, Mary Eileen Living people Year of birth missing (living people) Place of birth missing (living people) Religious leaders from the Bronx Dominican University New York alumni Dominican University New York faculty Manhattan College alumni Teachers College, Columbia University alumni Presidents of Catholic universities and colleges in the United States Women heads of universities and colleges Dominican Sisters 20th-century American Roman Catholic nuns 21st-century American Roman Catholic nuns 20th-century American women academics 20th-century American academics 21st-century American women academics 21st-century American academics