Jonathan O'Brien

Dr. Jonathan O'Brien brings nearly 20 years of experience in higher education administration at public and private universities in Missouri, Kentucky, and Southern California. Before joining the faculty full time in August 2008, he was Associate Dean of Students at Occidental College in Los Angeles. Dr. O'Brien has advised students and supervised professional staff in functional areas including student activities, leadership development, student media, career services, health and counseling center, student conduct, and academic advising. While at Occidental, he was instrumental in creating highly successful, college-wide educational programs that encouraged innovative assessment practices and that promoted a culture of care for students in personal crisis. Dr. O'Brien teaches the following courses:

Student Development in Higher Education

COUN 510: Law and Ethics for Counselors
COUN 538: Student Development in Higher Education
COUN 593: Practicum
COUN 643b: Fieldwork
COUN 644b: Advanced Fieldwork
COUN 693: Advanced Seminar in Professional Development

Educational Doctorate

EDLD 731: Qualitative Research Methods for Educational Leadership
EDLD 730: Educational Research Epistemologies and Methodologies

 CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS AND WORKSHOPS

Creating a Culture of Assessment ASAP: Occidental College's Academic Support Assessment Project. Session presented at the 2009 Assessment Institute in Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN (October 2009).

Helping Young Men Find their Purpose. Workshop presented to faculty at St. John Bosco High School, Bellflower, CA (August 2009).  

Student Affairs and Academic Affairs: Partners in Student Learning Outcomes Assessment. Workshop presented to Division of Student Affairs at Chapman University, Orange, CA (March 2009). 

The Culture of Care: Identifying and Assisting Students of Concern. Workshop presented to Student Services staff at Emerson College Los Angeles Center, Burbank, CA (December 2008). 

Sex and gender. Lecture given to students enrolled in Loyola Marymount University’s EDUC 400: Sociocultural Analysis of Education, Los Angeles, CA (October 2008).

Ask the expert. Vist the VideoJug Web site: http://www.videojug.com/user/USEX0218

Counseling as a leadership practice for intercultural settings. Paper presented at the Mountain Pacific Association of Colleges and Employers Conference, Phoenix, AZ. (December 2005).

Advancing professionally through the doctorate. Panel presentation at Western Regional Careers in Student Affairs Day, Long Beach, CA (October 2005).

Career changers: Adults in career transition. Lecture given to participants enrolled in Cerritos College Community Education class; Norwalk, CA (July 2005).

Recruiting an intercultural faculty. Panel presentation to faculty at Loyola Marymount University’s Partners in Mission Conference, Los Angeles, CA (January 2002).