On Friday, Jan. 31, State Representative Tim O’Brien visited the USI campus to answer questions in Oana Armeanu’s comparative politics class.
O’Brien is a 2015 graduate of USI where he pursued an economics major. While he was a student, he worked in real estate to pay off his loans.
“I didn’t want to take out a bunch of student loans, and I said, ‘What can I do to get myself into a position where I can pay for school and not go into crazy debt?’” O’Brien said. “So between my freshman and sophomore years, I went back home to Northwest Indiana and took a course that allowed me to sell real estate.”
O’Brien shared his journey through college, canvassing door-to-door each day to build a client base, which eventually led him to politics.
“Through relationships, I started volunteering for campaigns,” O’Brien said.
He credited working alongside former Evansville Mayor Lloyd Winnecke and other candidates for sparking his passion for politics. O’Brien has served in the Indiana House of Representatives since 2021 and currently represents parts of Evansville and Newburgh; however, he does not represent the USI area.
A full map of all Indiana districts and representatives can be viewed at Ballotpedia.org.
O’Brien currently serves on multiple committees, including the House Ways and Means Committee, the House Government and Regulatory Reform Committee, and the House Veterans Affairs and Public Safety Committee. He is also chairman of the House K-12 Ways and Means Subcommittee.
Just a week before his visit, O’Brien listened to the presidents of every Indiana public university present their budget requests.
“I’ve got to tell you, it really helps having a USI alum in the room,” O’Brien said. “When they’re talking about maybe needing some extra funds for the [Romain College of Business and Technology], or ‘Hey, we need to remodel the Orr Center,’ some of my colleagues are like, ‘What are you guys talking about?’ and I’m like, ‘Hey, I’ve been there. I know exactly what you’re talking about.’”
O’Brien ended his visit by encouraging students to engage with their elected officials.
“Any elected official should be able to hear from their constituents,” he said.