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Vanessa OConnor

Vanessa OConnor is a first generation college graduate turned professor who focuses much of her research on helping first generation and vulnerable students succeed. She is an award winning writer including a USA Today and Wall Street Journal best selling author for her contribution to the business anthology Quitless. Beyond the classroom and occasional boardroom, Vanessa is a renaissance woman: mother, military spouse, and singer who likes to write music in her spare time.

areas

First Generation Student Success, Composition, Creative Writing, Poetry, Literature, Communication Studies, and Journalism

Publications

Quitless: The Power of Persistence in Business and Life. Leaders Press. Simon and Schuster. July 6, 2021 (Co-author).

Period to Profits Planner. Research driven success planner for women. Levantay Enterprise. October, 2021.

“The science backed secret to a woman's success in business and life.” Thrive Global. November 3, 2021.

“Dear white people stop trying to be allies: How to be partners.” Thrive Global. June 18, 2020.

“What's love got to do with success?” Thrive Global. March 16, 2020

“How to turn perfectionism into fuel for Success.” Thrive Global. March 20, 2020.

“The Neurobiological Foundation of a Champion Mindset: A Case Study.”

“Organ Donation and African Americans: Racial Disparity” [Video File]. CBS Weekend News. Mika Brzezinski. 2006 (co-producer).

River and South Literary Journal 2016 session (Poetry editor).

Awards

Bestselling Author, USA Today and Wall Street Journal for Quitless, 2021

International Book Awards, Reader’s Favorite for Quitless, 2021

Presentations

Speaker: Implicit Bias: Creating Classroom Cultures of Belonging, BCC Conference on Comm Coll Excellence, 2024.

Speaker: Implicit Bias: Creating Classroom Cultures of Belonging –Irvine Valley College Faculty Development 2023.

Speaker: How to Engage, Motivate, and Retain Gen Z – Brooklyn College Student Affairs Retreat 2023.

Speaker: Beyond Grading: Rethinking How we Evaluate Students –Humanities Completion Team IVC 2023

Speaker: Equitable Syllabi Polices and Practices – Guided Pathways – Irvine Valley College 2022.

Panelist: First Generation Student Success Symposium – Irvine Valley College 2021.

Research Advisor: Honors Academy Student Research Initiative – MiraCosta College 2019.

Speaker: Equity Minded Pedagogy – Irvine Valley College Faculty Development F18, F19 & Sp21.

Speaker: Equity Minded Pedagogy – Saddleback College Faculty Development F19.

Speaker: Illuminating Implicit Bias – America Service Commissions Eastern Conference 2021.

Speaker: Illuminating Implicit Bias – America Service Commissions Eastern Conference 2022.

Speaker: Illuminating Implicit Bias – America Service Commissions Western Conference 2023.

Keynote Speaker: What’s at Your Core? – AmeriCorp VISTA Michigan Emerge Conference 2022.

Speaker: Mindset of Champions – AmeriCorp Virginia, Life After AmeriCorps Conference 2021.

Speaker: Mindset of Champions –AmeriCorp VISTA, Texas Keynote

Speaker: The GPS to Success – AmeriCorp VISTA Michigan Emerge Conference 2022.

Speaker: Coach Approach Leadership – AmeriCorp Oklahoma Leadership Conference 2021.

Speaker: Implicit Bias: Creating Cultures of Excellence – New York State AmeriCorps VISTA 2023.