A Farewell to President "Skip" Sullivan

By Amanda Damon

     In a recent interview with Tor Echo, Alfred State President Skip Sullivan discussed his upcoming retirement, plans for his future, and the hopes he has for the future of Alfred State.

    President Sullivan came to this position over 7 years ago when he was headhunted by a search firm. At the time he had been the president of a 2-year commuter institution in Atlanta, Georgia. While not initially sold on the position here, President Sullivan ended up taking it because he liked the idea of a residential campus with 2- and 4-year programs featuring hands-on education. This provided an opportunity to have more connections with students and watch them grow and graduate, which has been one of the aspects that President  Sullivan has appreciated most during his time here.

    President Sullivan has taken full advantage of the opportunity to really connect with students. He frequently walks around campus and always stops to have a chat with those around him. As a fun, down-to-earth guy, he encourages those around him to call him Skip and has made tremendous efforts to engage with students, faculty, clubs, and sports. Though Skip has made efforts to support as many extracurricular activities as possible, he has particularly enjoyed attending sports events and poetry readings.

    As for what comes next, Skip is moving back to Mobile, Alabama, where he grew up. He still has family in that area and is looking forward to reconnecting with them. Though he is retiring from presidency, Skip is a tenured faculty member and will be teaching psychology online. Skip stated that he is looking forward to slowing down. Having worked his way through college and through several positions after that, he is looking forward to being able to enjoy the rewards of his many years of hard work.

    President Sullivan hopes for “continued program development, continued enrollment, continued support for scholarship funds and that Alfred State is allowed to really keep their focus on the students and their successes”. He hopes that programs will be flexible as technologies change and that the focus remains on attracting students and developing graduates who are ready to transition into the workplace. He has tried to be a good steward of resources and suggests that those in power after him keep an attitude of service to better help the students and the college itself.  He hopes the next president is very 'student focused' and is willing to engage with students. Skip keeps in touch with students from throughout his over 7 years here and would love to see a similar level of engagement from his successor. He wants the legacy of Alfred State to continue and employers to continue to value and seek out Alfred State graduates.

    The impact that Skip has had on Alfred State is clear. He is leaving Alfred State in a very strong financial position. The college has high graduation and retention rates. The programs here are highly ranked, and employment opportunities continue to expand through the creation of new programs. There have been very successful alumni fundraising events and the money raised continues to support the creation of scholarships. Skip is confident that he leaves the school in a great position.