Sullivan Leads By Example by J1 Reporter Megan Schneider
While approaching the center staircase on the second floor of Marian, students walk past Mrs. Susie Sullivan’s office every day. Tucked away from the classrooms, Mrs. Sullivan spends her days running what she calls her second home. “You know I may not have been the best in my class, but I could outwork anyone,” Sullivan said. This drive for hard work stems back to her time as a student at Marian onto college in Helena, Mont., and back here in Omaha at the University of Nebraska for her Master’s. Sullivan’s early life was spent with a mom who valued education, “My mom was one of four girls, and it was unusual for girls to go college at the time, but she used to say, ‘Well, you got to get a college degree Susie, so if your husband dies, you can get a job,’” and Sullivan did just that. Sullivan attended Carroll College and majored in history and minored in English, but did not get a teaching certificate. “My mom kept saying, Do you need to get a teaching certificate? And I’m like, No, I don’t. There’s a million teachers. I don’t know if that’s what I want to do.” After college Sullivan moved back to Omaha, got married to attorney Mal Sullivan and worked part-time for about 12 years taking
care of her three sons. “I al- Head of School Dr. Susan ways worked like 15 hours Toohey was still working a week and then when my at the school and Sullivan youngest was in fourth or assumed she would retire fifth grade, I got a full-time from teaching before Tooteaching job.” hey did. Her former prinSullivan’s teaching career cipal in the Millard district began in the Millard district. told her, however, “Oh, you “I got never a job know in Milwhere lard life and might then take the people.” prinSulcipal livan, there still sugunsure gested, about ‘you switching should to the think adminabout istrative beside of comteaching a ing, deprinto cipal.’ Principal Susie Sullivan cided ask her And then-deI’m ceased just mother for a sign or interthinking, I never thought vention of some sort on her about that. So I got my drive home from work one Master’s.” Sullivan continued working while pursuing day. She remembers saying, “Mom, I don’t know if I still her Master of Science in want to teach eighth grade Educational Administration or if I need to do this princiand Supervision. pal thing. You need to send “I remember telling my me a sign.” A week later a friends the only place I’d ever be principal was Mari- friend Michael broke the an because really everything news to Sullivan that Toohey had been given another they do is perfect as far as opportunity elsewhere. “I I know and I agree with remember he said, “Did you every single thing they do hear the news?” And I said, there.” During this time, “‘What?’” and Michael however, Marian’s former
“I feel like getting this job was truly divine intervention.”
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said, “‘Susan Toohey is leaving,”’ I said “‘No way,”’ I felt like it was divine intervention because of what I had asked my mom.” The job principal now open, Sullivan was determined to get an interview. All Sullivan thought was, “If they give me an interview, I know I can convince her (President Mary Higgins) that I am the person for this job.” Sullivan landed an interview and before she knew it, she was one of the top two finalists for the position. “And so I interviewed. I thought it went well and it took them 12 days before they called me and offered me the job,” said Sullivan. The board told Sullivan that they were going to wait a couple of days before the formal announcement and lo and behold on the second anniversary of her mother’s passing, the formal announcement was released and Sullivan was officially Marian’s next principal. Six years later, Sullivan still loves her job more than ever and is continuing her education by obtaining her doctorate. When asked why she chose to further her education she said, “My job is primarily to research already so I figured why not put my knowledge into a certificate.” Sullivan’s story proves that through hard work and dedication even what seems impossible is within reach.
