The Past President and Chancellor of Dominican University New York were honored at the Sisters of St. Dominic of Blauvelt’s Annual Hearts Afire Gala for their amazing contributions to the field of higher education. Sr. Mary Eileen O’Brien, O.P., Ph.D., Past President, and Sr. Kathleen Sullivan, Chancellor of External Affairs, received the 2024 Mother Mary Ann Sammon Award at the April 28, 2024, gala.
“Together they have been a dynamic duo, whose creative vision brought Dominican College from a small liberal arts college to university status, set on a beautiful campus,” said Sr. Mary Flood, O.P., M.D., Ph.D., who presented the award.
Sr. Mary Eileen retired at the end of 2023, after serving a total of 35 years as President of Dominican University. In accepting the award, she spoke about the Foundress of the Order, Mother Mary Ann Sammon. “It has always moved me that her mother died when she was only four, and she never had the chance for a formal education, and yet when she came up to Blauvelt within three years we had a building that took care of providing a home for hundreds of children, a chapel, and a school,” she said. “She’s a wonderful example for all of us not to let anything hold us back. When you have the will, you’ll find a way.”
Sr. Kathleen Sullivan will be retiring at the end of June after 56 years at the University in a variety of positions, including Foreign Language Instructor teaching French, Director of Admissions, Academic Dean, President, and most recently, Chancellor of External Affairs, When she accepted the award, she turned the attention to the professors at Dominican University, “What we are celebrating today as well is the brilliant dedication of the faculty here who have made the opportunity of Dominican education available to our new generation of eager learners.”
The Chair of the Montefiore Nyack Hospital Board of Trustees Mark Jacobs was also a recipient of the 2024 Mother Mary Ann Sammon Award.