Sr. Patricia “Pat” Sullivan, OP ’64, a Dominican Sister, a member of Mount Saint Mary College’s Board of Trustees, and a beloved professor emerita of Mathematics, passed away on Wednesday, October 15 at the age of 84.
Her connection to the college was as steadfast as they come: Not only was she in the Mount’s first graduating class, she also taught at the college for 41 years.
Sr. Pat chaired the Division of Mathematics and Information Technology twice and served as Faculty President, Interim Director of Residence, and was part of Campus Ministry.
She entered the novitiate of the Dominican Sisters of Newburgh, N.Y. in September 1959, made her First Profession in June 1961, and Final Profession in August 1966. Sr. Sullivan earned a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from the Mount, a Master’s in Mathematics from Ohio State University, and a doctorate in Mathematics Education from Columbia University.
Sr. Sullivan’s dedication to teaching inspired countless students to achieve their best. She’s remembered for her capacity to relate with students and to make math accessible to even reluctant learners.
Many of her former students remained in contact with Sr. Sullivan over the years. She taught mathematics at Pope Pius XII Regional High School in Passaic, N.J., from 1964 to 1969; and at Immaculate High School in Danbury, Conn., from 1969 to 1975. She was assistant professor of mathematics at the Mount from 1975-88, and after completing her doctoral studies at Columbia University, she returned to the college for the remainder of her teaching career.
A true Dominican, Sr. Sullivan embodied Dominican community through her expansive relationships, her love of contemplative prayer and liturgy with the Carmelite Community in Beacon, her dedication to study, and her commitment to mission. She served on the Board of the Newburgh Ministry for 13 years and volunteered at Caring for the Homeless and Hungry of Peekskill.
In her later years, Sr. Sullivan enjoyed her role as a Eucharistic Minister to the homebound at St. Joachim’s Church in Beacon.
In an interview with Mount Saint Mary College Magazine about five years ago, Sr. Sullivan discussed how she found herself on the path of becoming a teacher.
“I knew I wanted to be a math teacher since I was in the fourth grade,” she explained. “Sr. Mary Gertrude, who taught my mathematics at the Mount, encouraged me to come to the college…It was an enriching experience. I loved teaching. I really loved mentoring young faculty and seeing them grow as teachers and young mathematicians.”
She added, “It is hard to summarize 50-plus years [of Mount history]. There have been a lot of changes, but the fundamental values and vision on which the college was founded by the Dominican sisters have not changed.”
The Sr. Pat Sullivan Endowed Scholarship Fund will support the education of future teachers. More info can be found here: www.msmc.edu/Sisterpat