Sullivan Connections
Esteemed Professor, Two Students Receive 2021 Sullivan Award from Auburn University
Political Science Professor Steven Brown and College of Sciences and Mathematics students William Illiano and Meredith Sylvia are this year’s recipients of the prestigious Sullivan Award.
Julie Copeland: Time Can Be Your Greatest Ally and Your Worst Enemy
This Wofford College alumnus and Sullivan Award recipient chose a career in HR because "human capital is an organization's greatest asset, and, hence, I wanted to have an influence and impact on people."
Rafael Egues, Jr.: We're All Unique and Important Pieces of a Larger Puzzle
This Auburn alumnus and 1981 Sullivan Award winner cares deeply about mental health, substance abuse and the homeless, but he's most passionate about combating hopelessness.
Changemakers Can Leap Back into Action With Sullivan's Summer Leadership Workshops in May
The Summer Workshops for Leadership and Transformative Action program will help students build their leadership skills and create transformative action plans for solving real-world problems.
Students Learn to Supercharge Their Lives and Careers in Skills-Based Sessions This April
From choosing a career to networking and storytelling, the Sullivan Foundation’s new series of free online sessions will provide the real-world guidance that college students and changemakers are looking for.
Sullivan Stars
This Sullivan Award Recipient Is Also a Gymnastics Star at Auburn University
Prior to the pandemic, Meredith Sylvia tutored and mentored middle and elementary school kids. During COVID-19, she has fostered more than 20 Humane Society animals in need of a home.
Esteemed Professor, Two Students Receive 2021 Sullivan Award from Auburn University
Political Science Professor Steven Brown and College of Sciences and Mathematics students William Illiano and Meredith Sylvia are this year’s recipients of the prestigious Sullivan Award.
Sullivan Scholar Sarah Guest of Vanderbilt Aims to Become a School Leader
Currently a third-grade teacher in Antioch, Tenn. and pursuing her master's degree, Sarah Guest talks about how her experiences at Vandy have helped her "gain more confidence in my strengths as a leader in education."
Dr. Sarah Imam of The Citadel Teaches Students the Human Side of Medicine
Dr. Imam, a past Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award recipient and a professor of health and human performance at The Citadel, hasn't forgotten that patients are people, too, and she makes sure her students don't forget either.
Past Sullivan Award Winner Helps Prepare Girls of Color for Careers in Science
Dr. Cagney Coomer, who recently earned her Ph.D. in biology from the University of Kentucky, founded the Nerd Squad to introduce girls of color from low-income communities to exciting career possibilities in STEM.
Zachary Wilson Receives Algernon Sydney Sullivan Foundation Scholarship at Rust College
Wilson is the second recipient of the Sullivan Scholarship at the historically black college in Holly Springs, Miss.
Sullivan Alumni Spotlight
Julie Copeland: Time Can Be Your Greatest Ally and Your Worst Enemy
This Wofford College alumnus and Sullivan Award recipient chose a career in HR because "human capital is an organization's greatest asset, and, hence, I wanted to have an influence and impact on people."
Police Psychologist Kimberly Miller Works Through Law Enforcement to Help the Underserved
Dr. Miller, a 1993 Auburn graduate and Sullivan Award winner, believes God put her on the planet to make it a better place.
Rafael Egues, Jr.: We're All Unique and Important Pieces of a Larger Puzzle
This Auburn alumnus and 1981 Sullivan Award winner cares deeply about mental health, substance abuse and the homeless, but he's most passionate about combating hopelessness.
Campbell University Grad Shelley Varner-Perez Focuses on Spiritual Care Outcomes for Patients
Shelley Varner-Perez, who holds a Master of Divinity degree, combined her interests in religion, community service and the humanities to become a spiritual care researcher.
True Romance: Alice Lloyd College Grads Reflect on Decades of Teaching Kentucky's Youth
As long-married educators, Johnny and Mary Belcher, both past winners of the Sullivan Award from Alice Lloyd College, have dedicated their lives to helping their students unlock their hidden potential and escape poverty.
Papa Viva: Rollins College Alumnus Creates Safe Haven for Families Affected by AIDS
Camp Viva, a summer sleepaway camp cofounded by Sullivan Award recipient Tony Lembeck, has been helping parents and children cope with the HIV virus since 1994.
Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Changemakers Can Leap Back into Action With Sullivan's Summer Leadership Workshops in May
The Summer Workshops for Leadership and Transformative Action program will help students build their leadership skills and create transformative action plans for solving real-world problems.
Purpose-Driven VEDGEco Is First National Wholesaler of Plant-Based Foods
Founder Trevor Hitch said VEDGEco, headquartered in Kailua, Hawaii, has been a purpose-driven business from the start, prioritizing people, animals and the planet over profit.
Rapper J.I.D. and MOD Pizza Join Forces to Help People Struggling in the Pandemic
To launch Random Acts of MODness, MOD Pizza, a leading social-impact company in the restaurant sector, and the Grammy-nominated rapper presented a new car to a woman who lost her job and insurance in the pandemic.
Elon University Social Entrepreneurs Help Black-Owned Businesses Find New Customers
Founded by Danielle Deavens and Doug Spencer, Bold Xchange offers a convenient way to find Black-owned companies across the country and promises fast shipping, vetted products and loyalty rewards.
The Citadel Alumnus, Former Miss USA Lu Parker Spreads Kindness Through Entrepreneurship
"I have never given up on the belief that kindness can create huge change," says L.A. news anchor Lu Parker, founder of Be Kind & Co., which recently launched a new line of kindness apparel.
Shake Shack Starts Testing Sustainable, Biodegradable Straws and Cutlery
Manufactured by Restore Foodware, the plastic-free straws and cutlery are made with AirCarbon, a natural, carbon-negative material that feels like plastic but degrades naturally if it ends up in the environment.
Education and Community Development
Women's Organizations Provide Strong Support Network at University of Alabama
To help female students succeed and thrive, there are more than 50 women-centered organizations with a wide range of interests and focus areas at the University of Alabama.
UK Alum Creates Scholarship Foundation for Black Students with GPA of 2.0 or Better
Aaron Porter, a journalism graduate from the University of Kentucky, and his cousins have started the Lawson Porter Scholarship Foundation to ease the burden of college expenses for Black students.
Students Learn to Supercharge Their Lives and Careers in Skills-Based Sessions This April
From choosing a career to networking and storytelling, the Sullivan Foundation’s new series of free online sessions will provide the real-world guidance that college students and changemakers are looking for.
Auburn’s Sullivan Award Winners Are Part of a Proud Lineage Dating Back 70 Years
Since its partnership with the foundation began in 1951, Auburn University has given the Sullivan Award to 190 changemakers, including Tammy Beasley, Sean Akers and, most recently, gymnast Meredith Sylvia.
Lit Up and On Fire: Wofford College and Sullivan Foundation Create “Transformative” Experiences
Jessalyn Story, director of Wofford's Center for Community-Based Learning, says the college's association with the Sullivan Foundation is "the epitome of integrity and service to humanity and all that’s good and right in the world."
George Mason Graduate Student Advocates for Those With 'Invisible Disabilities'
Christine Condo earned her diploma and two bachelor's degrees before being diagnosed with autism, but she still feels the need to hide it, which leads to what she calls the "Autism Paradox."
Environment and Climate
Shake Shack Starts Testing Sustainable, Biodegradable Straws and Cutlery
Manufactured by Restore Foodware, the plastic-free straws and cutlery are made with AirCarbon, a natural, carbon-negative material that feels like plastic but degrades naturally if it ends up in the environment.
For the Love of Elephants: Furman University Alum Educates Public About Plight of Pachyderms
Joy Owens, an educator at the Elephant Sanctuary in Hohenwald, Tenn., wants people to understand that elephants are highly intelligent animals with complex emotions and health needs.
Warren Wilson Recognized as a Top Sustainable College
Warren Wilson College, which has made sustainability a key part of its mission, ranked third place overall among baccalaureate institutions in AASHE's 2020 Sustainable Campus Index.
This Sustainable Restaurant Will Top Its Pizzas With Rejected Veggies to Combat Food Waste
Founded by Kayla Abe and David Murphy, Shuggie's Trash Pies and Natural Wine, opening this spring in San Francisco, will help customers fight climate change through their food.
Furman University Announces New Shi Institute for Sustainable Communities
The Shi Institute, an outgrowth of Furman's David E. Shi Center for Sustainability, promotes sustainable human flourishing through its centers for sustainability education, research and leadership.
Two Sullivan Foundation Partner Schools Ranked Among Top 50 Green Colleges
Catawba College and Guilford College, both located in North Carolina, were honored for their commitment to sustainability, both in on-campus best practices and in their educational curriculums.
Social Justice and Equality
UK Alum Creates Scholarship Foundation for Black Students with GPA of 2.0 or Better
Aaron Porter, a journalism graduate from the University of Kentucky, and his cousins have started the Lawson Porter Scholarship Foundation to ease the burden of college expenses for Black students.
North Carolina Wesleyan College Joins the Battle Against Human Trafficking
With its upcoming Barefoot Mile fundraiser, NC Wesleyan wants to raise $15,000 for JOY International, a nonprofit that has helped more than 2,000 victims of human trafficking, including children, teens and women.
George Mason Graduate Student Advocates for Those With 'Invisible Disabilities'
Christine Condo earned her diploma and two bachelor's degrees before being diagnosed with autism, but she still feels the need to hide it, which leads to what she calls the "Autism Paradox."
Elon University Social Entrepreneurs Help Black-Owned Businesses Find New Customers
Founded by Danielle Deavens and Doug Spencer, Bold Xchange offers a convenient way to find Black-owned companies across the country and promises fast shipping, vetted products and loyalty rewards.
This Black-Owned Food Delivery Company Helps Make Black-Owned Restaurants More Competitive
Twin brothers David and Aaron Cabello founded Black and Mobile to provide exposure for Black restaurateurs in urban communities, and their business now operates in three major cities.
Can Virtual Reality Help Combat Negative Stereotypes?
In NSF-funded research by Tabitha Peck and Jessica Good of Davidson College, working with female VR avatars sheds light on stereotype threat, a phenomenon in which people unwittingly fulfill negative stereotypes about their groups.
Poverty and Hunger
Alabama, Auburn Students Join Forces To Help Food-Insecure Families
The End Child Hunger in Alabama (ECHA) County Food Guide Project connects Alabama families in crisis with food resources in their communities.
Berea College Program Serves Thousands of Free Nutritious Meals Three Days a Week to Children in Need
A partnership between Berea College, Grow Appalachia, the USDA and the Kentucky Department of Education, Berea Kids Eat also helps keep local restaurants in business while supporting area farmers.
President's Executive Order Will Provide More Federal Aid for Anti-Hunger Nonprofits
President Biden has directed FEMA to increase its share of funds supporting nonprofit/restaurant partnerships that address food insecurity, ensuring more free meals can be delivered to people in need while also saving jobs for restaurant employees.
UVA Pediatric Team Works to Bring Fresh, Healthy Foods to Families in Need
A food insecurity project, spearheaded by UVA pediatric surgeon Dr. Jeffrey Gander in partnership with Local Food Hub's Fresh Farmacy program, also aims to help combat childhood obesity.
Berry College Partners With Homeless Shelter to Train Urban Farmers
Berry College's environmental science and studies students will also work alongside shelter residents in the gardens and farm to provide fresh produce for the shelters’ dinners.
LMU Students Lead Drive to Help Address Food Insecurity During the Holidays
Lincoln Memorial University students donated a total of 1,561 cans and 77 decorated Thanksgiving meal boxes in a late-November food drive for Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week.
Health and Wellness
These Mercer University Student Volunteers Have Administered Thousands of COVID-19 Vaccines
"I’ve given so many shots, but I’ve never given a shot that made me feel like I was actually, really changing lives,” said one student in the physician assistant program in Mercer's College of Health Professions.
Ole Miss Pharmacy Professor Helps the Underserved of the Mississippi Delta
Through her work with the Mississippi Delta Health Collaborative, Meagan Brown shows that pharmacists can make a real difference for patients dealing with cardiometabolic diseases.
Nursing Students at Tennessee Wesleyan University Volunteering to Boost Vaccination Efforts
More than 30 TWU student and faculty volunteers have dedicated 250-plus hours of service at Covenant Health locations around Knoxville, Tenn. in the fight against the pandemic.
UVA Pediatric Team Works to Bring Fresh, Healthy Foods to Families in Need
A food insecurity project, spearheaded by UVA pediatric surgeon Dr. Jeffrey Gander in partnership with Local Food Hub's Fresh Farmacy program, also aims to help combat childhood obesity.
New Research Division at Duke University Merges AI With Medical Science
The Division of Artificial Intelligence and Computational Pathology, a joint project between Duke's engineering and medical schools, will support research to develop artificial intelligence technologies for better diagnosing and predicting cancer and other diseases.
Hollins University's "Tick Lady" Works to Combat Lyme Disease
Dr. Elizabeth Gleim has collected 50,000 ticks in an effort to understand why Southwest Virginia has become a hotspot for Lyme disease and whether prescribed fires can help reduce the risk to humans.
Sullivan Foundation
We honor, support, and educate emerging servant leaders at colleges and universities across the American South.
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