O'Byrne, Ernest Barbour, 1920-

Biographical Information:

Ernest Barbour O'Byrne, a native of Santa Fe, NM, was born May 18, 1920. He was educated in Colorado public schools, graduating from Greeley High in 1938. He received his AB in English from Colorado State College of Education in December 1941, and taught in the Crook and Boulder Public Schools until 1944, when he entered the U.S. Army Infantry as a Combat Medic, serving in Italy, where he sustained wounds that eventually cost him his leg.

He was discharged in 1947, whereupon he pursued a master's degree in Secondary Education at Colorado State. After receiving this degree in 1948 he entered Stanford University, emerging three years later with a Ph.D. in Higher Education. During this period he was elected to membership in Blue Key, Kappa Delta Phi (Education), Pi Kappa Delta (Education), and Phi Delta Kappa (Speech.)

In 1954 he joined the San Diego State administration as Dean of Educational Services and Summer Sessions, replacing Dr. Charles Lambden, who had been appointed Chairman of Business Administration. Dr. O’Byrne remained as dean of Educational Services until 1957, when he became vice-president of administration, a position he held until 1975. He helped establish KPBS, and supervised the operation of the Education Opportunity Program.