G. Dennis O'Brien

Who is G. Dennis O'Brien?

George Dennis O'Brien is an American philosopher who most notably served as the eighth President of the University of Rochester.

O'Brien was born in Chicago, Illinois to a medical doctor and a nurse. His father was also a medical examiner and the young O'Brien accompanied him to autopsies he performed at local funeral homes. He attended St. Philip Neri grammar school and Leo Catholic High School.

O'Brien earned a B.A. in English at Yale University in 1952 and a Ph.D. in Philosophy at the University of Chicago in 1961. While in graduate school, he took an instructorship at Princeton University, where he became assistant professor after graduating. He began his career as administrator when he took on the role of Assistant Dean of the College at Princeton and then moved to Middlebury College where he took on successively more responsibilities.

In 1976, Bucknell University tapped O'Brien to become its twelfth president. In 1984, he assumed the presidency of the University of Rochester.

At UR, he introduced several innovations, including the "Take Five" program, the Rochester Conference, which brought high-profile speakers to the River Campus from 1987 to 1990, and a weekly University Day to bring faculty and undergraduates together for interchange of ideas. He also kicked off a major fund-raising campaign to fund more competitive compensation for faculty.