David L. Archer President | Christian Brothers University website

Dr. Maureen E. O’Brien has been selected as the 2025 recipient of the Teaching Excellence Award by the National Alumni Board (NAB) at Christian Brothers University (CBU). Dr. O’Brien, an alumna of CBU, completed her undergraduate studies in psychology at the university before earning a master’s degree from the University of Memphis and a doctorate in social psychology with a minor in statistics from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Dr. O’Brien joined the faculty at CBU two decades ago and currently serves as Associate Professor of Psychology. She teaches courses such as research methods, statistics, stereotyping and prejudice, psychology of persuasion, and human sexuality. Her academic interests focus on topics including prejudice, stereotyping, discrimination, attitude change, and resistance to persuasion.

Students and colleagues have spoken about Dr. O’Brien’s influence in the classroom. “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 will be formally recognized during this year’s Alumni Weekend BUCtoberfest on September 20.