Alyssa O’Brien
Assistant Director of Admissions
Territories: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Wisconsin, all domestic transfer students
Degrees: A.A. in psychology from Holyoke Community College; B.A. in psychology and religion from Mount Holyoke College
Why I love working at Hampshire: I’ve lived in Western Massachusetts for my entire life and Hampshire College has always been special to me. I believe in Hampshire’s mission and the comprehensive education available to students. I love that students are able to fully dive into their personal passions and interests and produce amazing projects. I also love walking around the campus, especially during peak foliage season.
A random fact about me: I'm simply unable to keep houseplants alive. I’ve been given plants that are “incredibly easy to take care of” and they’ve all wilted within a month. This is disappointing because I love plants, so let me know if you have any tips!
If you could teach a class, what would it be called? I would call my class: What is a Cult? Exploring New Religious Movements from Foundation to Deconstruction Through a Sociological Lens. We would learn about different religious or social movements that could be described as cults and discuss patterns and behaviors within those movements, from leaders to disciples to the excommunicated.