Dr. Catharine O’Connell came to Illinois College from Mary Baldwin College in Staunton, Virginia, where she served as Vice President for Academic Affairs and Student Life and Dean of the College. She previously served as Provost at Defiance College in Defiance, Ohio and as Dean at Cabrini College in Radnor, Pennsylvania. She began her academic career as a faculty member in the English department at St. John Fisher College in upstate New York.
O’Connell brings extensive experience with developing new academic programs grounded in the liberal arts, having worked with faculty to create a range of new majors at both Mary Baldwin and Defiance College, including, most recently, an interdisciplinary major in Health Sciences. She has experience with the expansion of online and graduate programs, with particular focus on mission integration and pedagogical excellence. She’s a staunch defender of students and has fostered a commitment to integrating all areas of the student experience in order to promote retention, degree completion, and long-term personal and professional success.
O’Connell has her M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Michigan and received her undergraduate degree from Amherst College.
