The Man, The Myth, The Legend
Timothy O’Leary
Lauren Foster ’15, Staff Writer
If you’ve ever walked into O’Brien Hall on a weekend night, chances are this guy has asked to see your mackcard a few times. No, it’s not Mitt Romney, but rather the SRA of O’Brien, Tim O’Leary.
Last year’s recipient of The Ronald Reagan Memorial Award for “Worst Poker Face”, a superlative from the Student Government Association (SGA), is often complimented for his dreamy eyes, which are admired best, and most awkwardly, from close up. “Compliments on my butt are always weird, too,” he said.
Along with his fashionable style, he is also known for his impersonations. Whether it’s a celebrity, politician, or public figure, nothing is off-limits for him: “I’m told I have a mean Bill Clinton impersonation.”
Most students choose to come to Merrimack, but Merrimack chose O’Leary to come here. “I love the people, I love the mission, I love the community.”Many members of the community have lined up to shake his hand, as he is the SGA Treasurer and quickly makes friends on campus.
When he’s not making duty rounds on the weekend or working on budgets, Tim likes to venture around campus and camp out on the third floor of the Sakowich Campus Center―which is much safer than the camping trip to Canada where he used his scout skills to avoid being attacked by a bear, a story he will gladly tell to anyone who asks.
Most people like to play on the safe side, but not Tim. “If you’re not living on the edge, you’re taking up too much space.”
Although many college students are not sure of what they would like to do after walking across the graduation stage, Tim does, but it can change like the unpredictable weather this spring. “One day I want to be Olivia Pope, the next day Robert Kraft, maybe the pilot of Air Force One, it changes every day. I’m weighing my options. I might dabble with Hollywood … We’ll see.”
One thing O’Leary is sure of is his ability to give endless advice. What advice would he give students on campus? “You gotta give it your best, laugh often, look for the solution, not the problem. You’re in the good ole days now, make a power move as much as possible, don’t interrupt anyone’s interview for Most Interesting Person.”
Often times the resemblance to Jay Pritchett and Frank Underwood is evident. “But if I’m doing my job right, you’ll think I’m Jay.”
What about a theme song for himself? “‘That’s Life’, by Frank Sinatra, because this world keeps on spinning around. You gotta pick yourself up and get back in the race.”
Lastly, what can we expect from Tim this semester? “A shot at the SGA presidency, if I am fortunate enough to be nominated.”He’ll also be making his acting debut in “Arrive Alive”, a drunk-driving accident reenactment on April 15th at 4pm in the Deegan West Lot. “Most importantly, I’ve got to continue to keep the peace in O’Brien on duty.”
