ABOUT MAURICE J. O'SULLIVAN
Popularly known as Socky, Professor O’Sullivan was also the President of the Florida College English Association, which named him its 2003 Colleague of the Year. During his career he has received numerous grants and awards, including two silver medals in the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education's National Professor of the Year competition, four teaching awards at Rollins, including the Rita Borstein Award for Scholarship, three awards from the Florida Historical Society for his writing and films, and the Florida Magazine Association’s 2015 Charlie Award as Columnist of the Year. A former teamster and jail guard and a founding partner of Dan McGuinness Irish Pubs in Nashville, he is also publisher of Angel Alley Press, Director of the Florida Center for Shakespeare Studies, and a partner in both the Music City Brewing Company and the Franklin Abbey Pub.
In addition to his teaching and research at Rollins, Professor O'Sullivan has offered workshops and teacher institutes for many organizations, including the Great Lakes College Association, the English Speaking Union, and the Florida Humanities Council. He also lectures widely on topics ranging from Shakespeare, British Art, and Irish Culture to Florida Studies, mystery novels, and film.
AWARDS
2019 Winter Park names March 17, St. Patrick's Day,
Maurice "Socky" O'Sullivan Day
2017 Grand Marshal, Winter Park St. Patrick’s Day Parade
2015 Florida Magazine Association, Charlie Award for Writing Excellence (Columnist of the Year)
2012 Florida Historical Society’s David C. Brotemarkle Award for Creative Achievement
2010 Florida Historical Society’s Patrick Smith Award
2005 Bornstein Award for Faculty Scholarship
2003 Distinguished Colleague Award, Florida College English Association (“for his extraordinary contributions to his discipline and his state”)
2002 William Fremont Blackman Medal (Rollins College Trustees Recognition for distinguished service)
2001 Rhea Marsh Smith Winter Park History Research Grant
2000 Hugh F. McKean Award (“by the senior class in recognition of outstanding teaching”)
1998 Edgar Nominee (Mystery Writers of America)
1994 The Hugh F. McKean Award ("selected by students to symbolize outstanding teaching")
1992 Florida Historical Society’s Charlton Tebeau Award for the Outstanding Book of the Year
1990 Rollins College Commencement Speaker (Selected by Senior Class)
1990 Wildcat Pride Award (Winter Park High School)
1988 Hugh and Jeannette McKean Grant
1987 Silver Medal Award, Council for The Advancement and Support of Education
National Professor of the Year Award (Carnegie
Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching ["for
extraordinary contributions to the lives and careers
of undergraduate students and to the intellectual
welfare of society"])
1986 Silver Medal Award, Council for The
Advancement and Support of Education
National Professor of the Year Award (for
"achievements in creative planning, producing, and
promoting of programs and communications")
1985 Distinguished Teaching Award, Rollins College
1983 Wilbur Dorsett Fellowship (English-Speaking
Union)
1982 Omicron Delta Kappa
1979-80 Arthur Vining Davis Fellow (Rollins College
Teaching Award)
1966-69 University Fellow, Case Western Reserve
University
1966-69 NDEA Fellow, Case Western Reserve
University
1966 Fairfield University Award in the Arts, Classical
Program
1965 All Northern England First Team, University of
Manchester Varsity Basketball
EDUCATION
1967-69 Ph.D
Case Western Reserve University
Cleveland, OH
1966-67 M.A.
Case Western Reserve University
Cleveland, OH
1962-66 B.A
cum laude, Fairfield University
Fairfield, CT
1964-65
Year spent at University of Manchester
Manchester, England
EMPLOYMENT
1981-Present
Professor of English and Irish Studies
Rollins College
2005-2006
Chair, Department of English
Rollins College
1999-Present
Kenneth Curry Professor of Literature
Fairfield, CT
1995-2003
Chair, Department of English
Rollins College
1991-94
Chair, Department of English
Rollins College
1987-Present
Chair, Irish Studies
Rollins College
1985-87
Chair, Department of English
Rollins College
1975-81
Associate Professor
Rollins College
1969-75
Assistant Professor
Ohio State University