Veterans Affairs
In Memoriam
We mourn the loss of Marybeth O’Sullivan who passed away on January 30, 2013, after a valiant 18-month battle with ovarian cancer. Marybeth began her work at UMass Boston in 2002 as an outreach advisor and recruiter for the Veterans Upward Bound Program. A retired Navy Commander and registered nurse she campaigned ceaselessly for two issues: raising awareness of the cognitive effects of combat-related Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI); and the sometimes difficult transition from military to civilian life that veterans face. During her twenty-nine years of military service, Marybeth demonstrated her strong commitment and great understanding of veterans’ issues.
She always went above and beyond duty in all that she did. In her more than ten years at Veterans Upward Bound, Marybeth brought more than 1,000 veterans into the program and gave advice, information, and support to thousands more across eastern Massachusetts. She also presented workshops at national Veterans Upward Bound conventions on the issues of PTSD and mTBI in the classroom.
Marybeth was an officer recruiter for almost twelve years, and was twice named Officer Recruiter of the Year. Her assignments included the Naval Hospital in Bethesda and the Naval War College in Newport. She was the first woman to serve on the Board of Governors for the Wardroom Club, a 100-year-old Navy, Coast Guard, and Merchant Marine organization.
She was also the recipient of several awards: the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Woman Veteran of the Year (2007); the Small Business Administration, Veteran of the Year (2008); and the UMass Boston Theodore Parker award for outstanding service to the veteran community (2011).
Some of the many resources on campus:
- One-on-one counseling by Veterans Affairs staff
- Financial Aid
- Academic Support Services
- Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program
- William Joiner Center for the Study of War and Social Consequences
- Upward Bound, our pre-collegiate program
- Ross Center for Disability Services
- University Health Services Resources for Veterans
