I was AS President in Spring of 1951 and was involved in organizing the first fraternity on campus, Sigma Epsilon Chi, (SAE).
As AS President, I attended many student and campus events. I was fortunate along with my fellow AS officers to have had the opportunity to establish many campus traditions, including 49er days and the development of the campus organizations. I remember the officers voting on the school mascot and colors.
After college I went into the Naval Reserve as a Hospital Corpsman for a couple of years. Returned to teach for the Long Beach Unified School District and for CSULB. In addition, I further pursued my education towards my doctorate and obtained my teaching credentials at UCLA, University of Vienna, and USC. In 1961, I began my career at the School of Education for USC. Over the course of my 32 years at USC, starting as an Assistant Professor for the Department of Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education, I held various positions including Director of Ghana Institute (Center for International Education), Chairman for the Department of Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education, Director of the Educational Policy Studies Program at the Washington Education Center in Washington, D.C., and retiring as a Professor for the Department of Policy, Planning and Administration.
As an alumnus, I have attended many events throughout the years, the most recent being the Golden Graduates Celebration that took place this past November. Also, I am a past Alumni Association Board Member.
My wife Beverly (Lewis) O'Neill,'52,'56, is a fellow 49er and former A.S. Vice President (1952).
Bill O'Neill, '51, '52, second from the left with his fellow Associated Student Officers in Fall of 1951.
