Sullivan bolsters Quinlan scholarship support

Alumnus Michael Sullivan (BS '61) credits much of his success in life to his years at Loyola. So much so that he and his wife, Jean, have generously chosen to give a $1 million gift annuity to the Quinlan School of Business to bolster scholarship support to deserving students.

"I believe that Loyola has a great mission and a history of providing an excellent education to every one of its students," says Sullivan, a University trustee. "It's important for us to support the school by making sure that the educational opportunity I had continues for future generations."

According to Abol Jalilvand, dean of the Quinlan School of Business and professor of finance, the scholarship funds will help Loyola attract top students who may not otherwise be able to attend Loyola programs due to financial reasons. "Ultimately, this gift signals a strong vote of confidence for a great Jesuit school of business delivering premier undergraduate and graduate programs in the city of Chicago and nationally," he says.

"My mother came from a family with 12 children and was a college graduate at a time when not many women received degrees," says Sullivan. "She made it her mission in life that I go to a good Catholic school. I chose Loyola by its reputation for academic rigor and for its Jesuit values."

Sullivan worked his way through school to help pay the $1,000-a-year tuition. "Today it would be nearly impossible," he says.

Sullivan's career began with Arthur Andersen and Co. and eventually led him to become CEO of a national retail clothing-store chain listed on the NY stock exchange. Today he is a private investor with interests in health care, health and nutritional products, and a metal-forming company. He also is lead director for Constellation Energy Group, a Fortune 125 company with annual sales in excess of $20 billion.

"I've been blessed with a great wife, a terrific family, and success in business," says Sullivan. "I attribute much of my good fortune to my time at Loyola. Those formative years were the building blocks of my career, so I have a great love of the school and am very excited to be able to provide this opportunity to students in need.”

According to Sullivan, a Jesuit education is an exceptional education in part because of the way students are taught. "It's a blending of Catholicism and demanding academics that requires students to be disciplined about their studies. That combination lays the foundation for a lifetime of critical thinking and a push to perform at the top of your ability—to always be challenged and encouraged to do more and be more. It truly is a remarkable education."