Teacher of the Year Nominee: Dr. Mary Ellen Sullivan
Sarah Sheridan
Issue date: 5/2/07 Section: Community
A life-long resident of the Bronx, Dr. Mary Ellen Sullivan, head of the Mount's education program, exemplifies what it means to be an educator.
According to Dr. Sullivan, the most significant experience in her early life would be growing up in a large Irish-American family.
"Being part of such," she says, "shaped the person I have become. I learned the importance of education, faith, and family."
After attending Cardinal Spellman High School, Dr. Sullivan graduated from the Mount, where she majored in Spanish, with concentrations in French, sociology, and English (oh my!). She originally wanted to be a lawyer; however, her experience at the Bronx district attorney's office nipped that one in the bud, and thank God it had! After a year working for a family business, she decided to pursue a teaching career.
"I always knew I was called to be a teacher," she says, "but for a number of years in high school and college I ignored this calling."
Her calling began with the little ones at St. France de Chantal Elementary School followed by St. Raymond Boys High School. At St. Raymond's, she was an English teacher and department chairperson.
"It was at St. Rays," she says, "that I feel I became a teacher. The young men who touched my life during those twelve years inspired me to be my best. I have many fond memories from my years there."
At the Mount, she says she discovered "something special about this place." She resolved to one day return, but not as a student. She became an adjunct professor for the English department teaching the Introductory Composition class and also did some field supervision for the education department while working on her own doctoral studies.
"I do not see myself solely as teaching a discipline-teaching education," she notes. "To paraphrase Sr. Anne Denise, the role of the teacher is to help students 'how to live in this world.' This is quite demanding because it requires us to teach by example," Dr. Sullivan says. And through her example, she has taught the proud and few education students "how to live in this world."
According to Dr. Sullivan, the most significant experience in her early life would be growing up in a large Irish-American family.
"Being part of such," she says, "shaped the person I have become. I learned the importance of education, faith, and family."
After attending Cardinal Spellman High School, Dr. Sullivan graduated from the Mount, where she majored in Spanish, with concentrations in French, sociology, and English (oh my!). She originally wanted to be a lawyer; however, her experience at the Bronx district attorney's office nipped that one in the bud, and thank God it had! After a year working for a family business, she decided to pursue a teaching career.
"I always knew I was called to be a teacher," she says, "but for a number of years in high school and college I ignored this calling."
Her calling began with the little ones at St. France de Chantal Elementary School followed by St. Raymond Boys High School. At St. Raymond's, she was an English teacher and department chairperson.
"It was at St. Rays," she says, "that I feel I became a teacher. The young men who touched my life during those twelve years inspired me to be my best. I have many fond memories from my years there."
At the Mount, she says she discovered "something special about this place." She resolved to one day return, but not as a student. She became an adjunct professor for the English department teaching the Introductory Composition class and also did some field supervision for the education department while working on her own doctoral studies.
"I do not see myself solely as teaching a discipline-teaching education," she notes. "To paraphrase Sr. Anne Denise, the role of the teacher is to help students 'how to live in this world.' This is quite demanding because it requires us to teach by example," Dr. Sullivan says. And through her example, she has taught the proud and few education students "how to live in this world."
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