Sarah O’Connor ’80: Scholarship Honors Father

Sarah O'Connor '80 with her father Matt

Sarah O’Connor’s parents, who emigrated from County Galway, Ireland, emphasized the importance of higher education for their children. A recipient of the Sister Agnes O’Grady Distinguished Alumni award, Sarah explains that receiving a full academic scholarship from Mercy College was critical because it enabled her to eliminate the financial burden of earning her college degree. She says of her scholarship, “It was the cornerstone of the success I have achieved today.”

After graduating from Mercy with a bachelor of science degree in just three years, she went on to earn a Juris Doctor degree from Fordham University School of Law and a master of business administration degree from Columbia University.

Her career has spanned from the law departments of American Home Products Corporation, Reader’s Digest and Olin Corporation to Senior Vice President of Strategic Development and Chief Legal Officer of Arch Chemicals, Inc. Sarah retired from the corporate world after the sale of Arch Chemicals in 2011, and she now enjoys teaching business law classes at Mercy College.

In gratitude, Sarah has established the Matt O’Connor Memorial Scholarship, which honors her father, who lost his battle with colon cancer in 2003. Sarah considers the scholarship a fitting tribute to a man who was known for his eagerness to help others. She says her father was a generous man “who taught his children the value of hard work and education.” The scholarship provides tuition for graduates of St. Barnabas high school and other Catholic high school graduates. Sarah’s legacy gift will benefit future generations of Mercy College students.