William T. O Hara
William T. O Hara, Bryant President from 1976-1989
In the summer of 1976, William T. O'Hara was enthusiastically welcomed as President of Bryant College.
He is a graduate of Trinity College and holds law degrees from Georgetown and New York University. He had been a practicing attorney, a public defender and counsel to a congressional committee.
People soon realized President O'Hara was a planner. He formalized a committee whose sole interest was in long term planning and its members were made up of the college community-faculty, students and staff. His open door policy was welcomed by faculty and students.
In addition to defining Bryant's mission and starting long-range goals, the committee suggested specific practical objective, such as maintenance of an enrollment level of 2,600 to 2,700 full-time students. Recruitment was expanded to include high school students.
The first development director was appointed during Dr. O'Hara's tenure. Money was raised to enable more building expansion at the campus.
Thus, by the end of the seventies, Byrant had a new appreciation of the need for support from the wider college community and a new development office, which was proving its value to the college. Buildings and services were being expanded to meet student needs. Under President O'Hara's leadership, the college community formalized its long-range planning process and confidently faced the future.
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