Recognizing her passion for teaching and devotion to her students, the National Alumni Board (NAB) has named Dr. Maureen E. O’Brien as the 2025 Teaching Excellence Award recipient.

A proud CBU alumna, Dr. O’Brien earned her BA in Psychology at CBU before pursuing her MS at the University of Memphis and her PhD in Social Psychology (with a doctoral minor in Statistics) from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She joined the CBU faculty 20 years ago, fulfilling her dream of returning to teach at the place she once called home, and she now serves as Associate Professor of Psychology.

Dr. O’Brien teaches a wide range of courses, including research methods, statistics, stereotyping and prejudice, psychology of persuasion, and human sexuality. Her research interests include prejudice, stereotyping, discrimination, attitude change, and resistance to persuasion. Known for her enthusiasm for statistics and her ability to make complex concepts meaningful, she is celebrated for inspiring students to think critically about themselves and the world around them.

Her impact is reflected in the words of her students and colleagues. “She didn’t just teach psychology, she lived it. She created room for truth, for complexity, for healing,” said Jalissa Fredrick (’13). “Maureen is genuinely excited about what she teaches, and she channels that passion into helping students develop not just content knowledge, but deeper thinking about how to ask and answer important questions,” added Dr. Caitlin Mills (’10), Associate Professor at the University of Minnesota.

Dr. O’Brien’s passion for psychology and her devotion to her students make her a true embodiment of this honor. She will be formally recognized during this year’s Alumni Weekend BUCtoberfest on September 20.