Sullivan Connections
Sullivan Award Recipient P.L. "Roy" McCall Passes Away at 91
McCall, a Clemson alumnus, was also a longtime supporter of Coker University and, six years after receiving the Sullivan Award in 2013, gave the university the largest gift in its history to honor his parents.
Yolanda Shields: Ignite Retreat Coach Is an Entrepreneurship Evangelist
Shields, an adjunct professor at Shenandoah University and CEO of Yes Builds, said she loves training the next generation to solve community problems and believes "social entrepreneurship will assist them in doing that."
College Students Will Discover Their Changemaking Superpowers in Study Abroad France
Study Abroad France students will discover, explore and develop their skills as the next generation's innovators and changemakers this summer in historic and beautiful Strasbourg.
Ignite Retreat: Faculty Development Agenda Focuses on Leadership, Running Experiential Workshops
The leadership session, taking place on Saturday, April 2, during the Ignite Retreat, will provide faculty/staff with a leading tool called REAL Nanotool, which they can learn and start using in 15 minutes.
Ignite Retreat Coach Jasmine Babers Celebrates "Everyday Girls" in Love Girls Magazine
"Your passions and hobbies don’t have to be—and really shouldn't be—excluded from your social justice work," Babers said, adding, "Making the world a better place can be really simple and fun!"
Sullivan Stars
Sustainability Champion Claire Windsor Earns Sullivan Award at University of South Carolina
Windsor founded UofSC's Student Council on Sustainability and is also an avid cyclist who competes at the highest level for the Lux Cycling Team in races across the U.S.
Duke Sullivan Award Recipients Include Prison Reform Advocate, Defender of Tenants' Rights
Liyu Woldemichael, a graduating senior and native of Ethiopia, and Amanda Joos, a first-year law student, earned the prestigious service-based award along with Duke administrator Sam Miglarese.
Sullivan Award Recipient's Pen-Pal Program Connected William & Mary Students to the Elderly
One nominator said Kinkhabwala has “a special skill for seeing into places of disconnection and finding authentic and compassionate ways to soothe hurting hearts and restore broken bonds.”
UK Changemaker Comes to Lees-McRae College on a $10,000 Sullivan Scholarship
Beatrice Adams and fellow Sullivan Scholarship recipient Morgan Crowe are already working with Sullivan campus liaison Amy Anderson, LMC's dean of business and management, to develop a community change-making project.
Caelyn Asher Named Sullivan Scholar at Lincoln Memorial University
Asher, a graduate of Cumberland Gap High School, qualified for the Sullivan Scholarship through the LMU School of Business Entrepreneurial Scholarship Pathways (ESP) program.
A Gifted Artist and a Business Major Receive Sullivan Awards from Carson-Newman University
Jessica Borchert, a prize-winning filmmaker, was a Faith and Justice Scholar and tireless volunteer, while Miguel Flores logged more than 1,650 service hours and lent his business skills to numerous local projects.
Sullivan Alumni Spotlight
Toy Story: How Amanda Arseneau Jumped Off the Corporate Ladder and Found True Success With My Little Pony
This Sullivan Award recipient from the University of the Cumberlands overcame generalized anxiety disorder and freed herself from the corporate world to build a business she loves, Amanda's Treasure Dungeon.
Elizabeth Rogg: Doing the Most Good
Working with children in the slums of Nairobi, Kenya, sparked this Sullivan Award recipient's passion for social work and breaking the cycle of systemic poverty.
The Wonderful, Wonderful Life of Anne Matthews
A 2020 Sullivan Award winner and Coker University alumnus, Matthews’ work with Rotary International has taken her around the world on a mission to eradicate hunger and polio.
The Church and the Classroom Are Holy Places for Dr. Ray Penn
"If you throw your life into helping others, happiness will perch on your shoulder. Happiness is a byproduct of servanthood," says the 2001 Sullivan Award recipient from Lincoln Memorial University.
Joel Iwaskiewicz: A Life Dedicated to Pursuit of Systematic Change
As a fighter for the rights of disadvantaged communities, this Rhodes College graduate says his political activism “has energized and focused my service life.”
Danielle Biggs: "Lean into Your Truest Self and Lead Out Loud!”
A passionate supporter of the arts, this Elon University graduate has coped with "fleeting bouts of imposter syndrome" on her way to becoming a "fierce female leader" and changemaker in her community.
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
Spring 2022 Ignite Retreat Promises a "Mind-Blowing" Experience for College Changemakers
The upcoming Sullivan Foundation event, taking place April 1-3, will deliver the same inspiring and life-changing results for student changemakers in a new locale: Staunton, Virginia.
"You Can Change the World": Students Reflect on Sullivan Study-Abroad Experiences
Lori Babb learned that you should “never underestimate the greatness you hold within you. Hone your skill sets, continually learn from the world around you and harness your internal power.”
Leading for Impact + Innovation: Study Abroad Course Offers Journey of Self-Discovery
Aimed at students who are already leaders or who want to become leaders, the course provides a foundation for designing innovation and change in a complex and interconnected world.
Lainie Sowell: Making Sure No College Student "Falls Off the Bridge"
“I like to be the person who does not do the changing for you or tell you what to do, but, rather, that person that can walk along with you and present choices," says the 2013 Sullivan Award recipient from Converse College.
Bellarmine Expands Town-and-Gown Outreach with New Center for Community Engagement
“Our mission calls us to do more ... to educate students for meaningful lives, rewarding careers, ethical leadership and service to improve the human condition,” said Dr. Susan M. Donovan, Bellarmine’s president.
More Than a PR Class: Clemson Prof Offers a Service-Learning Experience
Jordan Morehouse's class provides real-world PR services for Arc of Oconee County, a Seneca, S.C. nonprofit that serves intellectually and developmentally disabled citizens and their families.
Environment and Climate
William & Mary Initiative Challenges Virginia Kids to Solve Microplastic Pollution Problem
The Beyond the Plastic Bottle Challenge is a joint project of the Virginia Institute of Marine Science and JASON Learning, a nonprofit founded by Robert Ballard, the oceanographer who discovered the Titanic.
University of Montevallo Student Creates Music Wall for Kids Out of Recycled Materials
Katharine Murray and her faculty mentor, Tanner Young, built the wall for a children's playground using old pots, pans, grills and other discarded objects and utensils that might normally end up in a landfill.
Duke University Researchers Use GPS to Help Save Forest Elephants
A GPS-enabled study led by Duke scientists provides the first landscape-scale documentation of elephant movements around Gabon, which could make it easier to protect these magnificent animals from poachers.
Converse College Artist's Striking Sculpture Illustrates Threat of Ocean Pollution
Charlotte "Lottie" Hutson, a member of Converse's Class of 2023, created the piece, featuring an Atlantic Right whale, for the John F. Greene Spartanburg Science Center.
Closing the Loop: Burger King Goes Green(er) in 2021
The fast-food giant is testing sustainable packaging, including straws, cutlery, napkins and Whopper wrappers, in Miami and plans to try out reusable, zero-waste packaging in major cities worldwide.
Ole Miss Journalism Students Investigate Climate Change in Mississippi
Charlie Mitchell, a journalism professor, said the project is designed to educate people who have formed opinions about climate change without understanding how it relates to their daily lives.
Social Justice and Equality
Berry College Students' Plan to Help Disabled Peers Wins Social Impact Challenge
In a competition sponsored by C-SEED, Lucy Hicks and Dalton Brantley won $4,000 for their "Accessibility for All" plan to better connect Berry College students with disabilities to on-campus resources.
Learning and Physical Difficulties Can't Stop Sebbie Hall from Spreading Kindness
The UK teenager has earned the Prime Minister Award for Volunteering, attended a Christmas concert with Prince William and Kate Middleton and received the World Compassion Award from The Supreme Master Ching Hai.
ABA President-Elect Urges Elon Law School Grads to "Say Yes to Service"
At Elon Law School's December 2021 commencement ceremony, Deborah Enix-Ross pointed to a "major breach" between the legal needs of people with lower incomes and the legal help that they receive.
Mercer Law Alumni Appear in Film About Consequences of Illegal Gun Possession
“Armed with Knowledge,” the story of a young man who discovers the life-changing consequences of illegally possessing a gun, has been viewed by thousands of youth in Georgia since its release in August 2020.
Kathryn Christmas Named The Citadel's Second Female Regimental Commander
Cadet Col. Christmas hopes to "change how cadets believe only the top rank holders can make a difference in the Corps," noting that every member "has a valuable voice and/or opinion, and it deserves to be heard."
Meet the Kindness Ambassadors at George Mason University
“All it takes is one act of reaching out instead of attacking, one nice gesture instead of vileness, one light of kindness to melt away the darkness that divides us," said Kindness Ambassador Ransom Fox.
Poverty and Hunger
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.
Campbell University Volunteers Brighten Holidays for Dozens of Families in Need
As part of CU's 10th annual Community Christmas Store, more than 100 faculty, staff and students volunteered their time and resources to wrap gifts and prepare food boxes for people in need.
University of the Cumberlands Ministry Helps Build Beds for Underprivileged Children
Mountain Outreach partners with the B Squad Project to build the beds for a Christmastime campaign called Gutsy Gunner's Sweet Dreams, named in honor of Gunner Bowlin, a local boy with Hirschsprung’s disease.
Cadets from The Citadel Provide Food for Hundreds of Veterans in Charleston, S.C.
About 250 low-income veterans received 70 pounds of food each in the Soldiers' Angels project spearheaded by Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award winner Dr. Sarah Imam.
Health and Wellness
Elon's Great Cape Race Earns $17,000 for Clinic That Serves the Uninsured
This year’s event, held virtually, raised more than enough money to cover all medications for Open Door Clinic patients for an entire year.
UVA, MBU Team Up to Expand Healthcare Options for Children With Autism
Blue Ridge LEND, an initiative between two Sullivan partner schools, aims to improve the lives of individuals with developmental disabilities in a region where services and resources are scarce.
Brenau University Students Treat Farmworkers and Their Families in Rural Georgia
Brenau University's Department of Physical Therapy started participating in the Farmworker Family Health Program in 2018.
UVA Health Student Nurse Finds Renewed Personal Mission in the Pandemic
Trisha Durfee has emerged as a leader in UVA Health’s COVID-19 effort, even as she continued her nursing career in the Medical Center and wrapped up the Bachelor of Science in UVA's Nursing program.
How a School of Business Project Could Save Lives in Cancer Clinical Trials
University of South Carolina operations and supply chain students have recommended more efficient processes that could get a cancer patient started on a trial much faster.
Cancer Survivor Haley Tyrrell Teaches Isolated Patients How to Write Their Own Fight Songs
Tyrrell, a singer and music major, lost a leg to bone cancer as a child and now helps kids coping with health issues compose self-motivating tunes while they're stuck in the hospital.
Sullivan Foundation
We honor, support, and educate emerging servant leaders at colleges and universities across the American South.
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