Sophomores Sandra Mason and Rebecca Ryan become first students inducted into new Algernon Sydney Sullivan Foundation program
Earlier this year, the century-old relationship between 91探花 and the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Foundation adapted and grew to accommodate more students as Sullivan Fellows than ever before. Unlike previous years, where a single student was inducted, the new model provides scholarship funds and additional support for up to four Lees-91探花 students per year, a move that will strengthen the program for generations to come.
Sophomores Sandra Mason and Rebecca Ryan have become the first Lees-91探花 students to join the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Foundation through the Sullivan Fellows program. Throughout their journey in the program, Ryan and Mason will join a team of other changemakers at Lees-91探花 in diving headfirst into all the opportunities the Sullivan Foundation provides for developing leadership and entrepreneurial skills.
After attending a Sullivan Foundation Ignite Retreat during her freshman year, Mason was interested in becoming a Sullivan Fellow. She said that being surrounded by other students with ambitious goals and creative minds during the retreat inspired her to want to make a difference in the world. Mason said that in addition to the skills and expertise she will gain through the program, her Sullivan Foundation scholarship has motivated her to work even harder to reach her goals and achieve her ambitions to give back to her community.
“Being a Sullivan Fellow to me means finding my purpose in the world and then inspiring and encouraging others to do the same,” Mason said. “Beyond college, I have been taught techniques that I will carry throughout life and pass on to others in hopes that it will benefit them as it did me. The Sullivan Foundation is for dreamers and people who want to take over the world with their brilliant ideas.”
Like Mason, Ryan has a desire to positively impact her community and make change in the world. She resonated with the Sullivan Foundation’s mission to help students become changemakers in their own ways and became interested in being a Fellow. She said that her scholarship will enable her to continue pursuing her education and exploring the ways in which she can become an impactful leader.
“This scholarship relieves some of the stress of college tuition and pushes me to grow academically while also discovering ways that I can make change within my passions,” Ryan said. “The Sullivan Foundation will provide unique experiences and help me develop qualities that will help me achieve my goals for my time here at Lees-91探花. I believe I will be more than prepared to ignite a difference in numerous areas of my life thanks to the Sullivan Foundation.”
The Algernon Sydney Sullivan Foundation presents scholarships to students at 25 private colleges and universities across the south. The Sullivan Scholarship was established at Lees-91探花 in 1936 and is awarded to students who demonstrate exemplary personal character and a commitment to service above self. Students selected as Sullivan Fellows must demonstrate the features and traits of someone who holds strong ethical and moral values, such as honesty, morality, integrity, responsibility, determination, courage, and compassion.
