Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award "Generous and Disinterested Service to Others", since 1927

History of the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award and Recipients

Recipients list below

The Algernon Sydney Sullivan Awards were established by the New York Southern Society in 1925 in memory of Mr. Sullivan, a prominent lawyer, businessman, and philanthropist in New York in the late 19th century. The Society and carefully selected colleges and universities jointly arrange for the issue of medallions which are to be perpetual reminders of Algernon Sydney Sullivan, the memory of whose life has been handed down with loving and grateful admiration as one that was a continuous expression of those high qualities which ennoble and beautify living and bind man to man in mutual love and helpfulness. Such lives must ever be encouraging and inspiring; they justify our highest ideals and hopes.

Algernon Sydney Sullivan, born in Indiana in 1826, rose to success in New York City as a respected lawyer and a man who "reached out both hands in constant helpfulness" to others. After his death in 1887, the Society sought to honor him and the award bearing his name was established in 1925 by a Sullivan Memorial Committee and the New York Southern Society, which Mr. Sullivan had served as its first president. The award seeks to perpetuate the excellence of character and humanitarian service of Algernon Sydney Sullivan by recognizing and honoring such qualities in others. It was first presented in June 1925 at the George Peabody College for Teachers in Nashville, Tennessee, now a part of Vanderbilt University.

Funded by the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Foundation and administered by the New York Southern Society, the awards stem from the Society's wish to establish a permanent reminder of the "noblest human qualities as expressed and followed in the life of its first president, Algernon Sydney Sullivan; and to do so in a manner which will perpetuate the influence of such a man, not so much as an individual but as a type." The prestigious awards are given only by selected "representative institutions." After the New York Southern Society closed its doors, the awards were continued by the Sullivan Foundation and grew to include more and more institutions throughout the South. Washington and Lee University has been recognizing Sullivan Award winners since 1927.

Washington and Lee presents the Algernon Sydney Sullivan award to the undergraduate senior, as determined by a vote of the faculty, who exhibit Sullivan's ideals of heart, mind, and conduct as evidenced by a spirit of love for and helpfulness to others, who "excel in high ideals of living, in fine spiritual qualities, and in generous and unselfish service to others. When the institution makes the Student Award, it appoints the recipient as its representative to bear its standard before the world." The standards of Washington and Lee may be judged by the character of the individuals to whom the award is made.

Selection Process

Only undergraduate seniors are eligible for this award. The Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students announces the beginning of the nomination process in early March, including a description of the qualities sought. At the April undergraduate faculty meeting, the names of the nominees are presented along with a brief synopsis of the students' accomplishments and activities, prepared by the Dean of Students and the University Registrar from the nominations and other sources. The faculty votes by secret ballot for the senior. The senior receiving a majority of votes cast is given the award and, since 2015, speak as part of the Baccalaureate service.

Award Recipients from Washington and Lee

May 25, 2023

  • Tahrington Rose Maya Phillips, B.A. - Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude

May 26, 2022

May 27, 2021

May 30, 2020

May 22, 2019

May 23, 2018

May 24, 2017

May 25, 2016

May 27, 2015

  • Josephine Joy Tarantini, B.A. - cum laude
  • Roger Thomas Day, B.A., B.S. - magna cum laude, Honors in Religion

May 22, 2014

  • Annelise Alissa Madison, B.A. - Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude
  • Alvin George Thomas, B.S. - Honors in Engineering

May 23, 2013

May 24, 2012

May 26, 2011

  • David James Doobin, B.S. - Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude
  • Yasmine Espert, B.A. - magna cum laude

May 27, 2010

  • Kushal Naresh Harjani, B.S.
  • Kathryn Paige Boiles, B.A. - Phi Beta Kappa, magna cum laude

June 4, 2009

  • Christopher Lee Martin Jr., B.A. - Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude
  • Elizabeth Gates Webb, B.S. - summa cum laude

June 5, 2008

June 7, 2007

June 1, 2006

June 2, 2005

June 3, 2004

June 5, 2003

  • Robert Earl Benson, B.S. - magna cum laude
  • Carroll Armour Thompson, B.A. - Phi Beta Kappa, magna cum laude

June 6, 2002

  • Stacy Lyn McLoughlin, B.A. - magna cum laude
  • Matthew Richard Petrusek, B.A. - Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude

June 7, 2001

June 1, 2000

  • Renita Cherise Perkins, B.S.
  • Steven Charles Straub, B.A. - Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude

June 3, 1999

  • Jason Hahn, B.A. - magna cum laude
  • Sara McCrone, B.A. & B.S. - Phi Beta Kappa, magna cum laude

June 4, 1998

  • Matthew Michael Graves, B.A. - cum laude
  • Mary Josephine Mahoney, B.S. - Phi Beta Kappa, magna cum laude

June 6, 1996

  • Nova Ann Clarke, B.A.
  • S R Evans III, B.A. & B.S. - Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude

May 8, 1997

  • Elizabeth Hampton Cox, B.S. - Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude
  • Anthony Joseph Mazzarelli, B.S. - Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude

June 1, 1995

  • Francie Lynn Cohen, B.A.
  • Joshua Andrew Cook, B.A. - Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude

June 2, 1994

  • Angie Lauren Carrington, B.A. - Phi Beta Kappa, magna cum laude
  • Patrick Francis McDermott, B.A.

June 3, 1993

  • Mary Jo Geyer, B.A. - Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude
  • Philip Edward Spears, B.A.

June 4, 1992

  • Sarah Elizabeth Briggs, B.A. - Phi Beta Kappa, magna cum laude
  • John Thomas Cox III, B.A. - Phi Beta Kappa, magna cum laude

June 6, 1991

  • Willard Loring Dumas III, B.A.
  • Mary Regina Seeger Hampson, B.A. - magna cum laude

June 7, 1990

  • George Wesley Boyd, B.A. - Phi Beta Kappa, magna cum laude
  • Nancy Louise Hickam, B.A. - Phi Beta Kappa, magna cum laude

June 1, 1989

  • Marion McBride Herring, B.S. - magna cum laude

June 2, 1988

  • John Michael Gorlowski, B.S. - cum laude

June 4, 1987

  • Steven Frederick Pockrass, B.A. - Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude

June 5, 1986

  • John-Paul Bouffard, B.A. - Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude

June 6, 1985

  • Christopher Hale Williams, B.S. - Phi Beta Kappa, magna cum laude

May 3l, 1984

  • Tori Cliffon Anthony Richardson, B.A. - cum laude

June 2, 1983

  • John Christopher Vlahoplus, B.A. - Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude

June 3, 1982

  • James Franklin Williams, B.S. - Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude

June 4, 1981

  • Robert Harold Willis Jr., B.A. - Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude

June 5, 1980

  • Jay Judah Blumberg, B.A. - cum laude

June 7, 1979

  • Harry Franklin Hoke III, B.S. - Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude

June 1, 1978

  • Richard Wellhouse Stein, B.A. - cum laude

May 26, 1977

  • Edward Terrell Atwood III, B.S.

June 3, 1976

  • Thomas Parker Hudgins Jr., B.A. - Phi Beta Kappa, magna cum laude

May 29, 1975

  • William Hathaway Sturges, B.A. - cum laude

May 30, 1974

  • Floyd Wallace Lewis Jr., B.A. - Phi Beta Kappa, magna cum laude

May 31, 1973

  • Richard Homer Graham, B.A. - Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude

June 1, 1972

  • Robert Eugene Munson Jr. (awarded posthumously), Class of 1969

June 4, 1971

  • John Malcolm McCardell Jr., B.A. - cum laude

June 5, 1970

  • Marvin Charles Henberg, B.A. - Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude

June 6, 1969

  • John Ellsworth Passavant III, B.S.

June 7, 1968

  • Jack William Chaffin, B.S.

June 2, 1967

  • Robert Allen Brenner, B.A.

June 3, 1966

  • Charles Ganahl Walker III, B.A. - Phi Beta Kappa, magna cum laude

June 4, 1965

  • Christopher McCallum Kell, B.A. - Phi Beta Kappa, magna cum laude

June 5, 1964

  • Paul Rodman Cockshutt Jr., B.A. - cum laude

June 7, 1963

  • Robert Meade Christian Jr., B.A. - Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude

June 8, 1962

  • Raymond Robert Robrecht Jr., J.D. - cum laude, B.A. (1959)

June 2, 1961

  • John Malcolm Brownlee Jr., B.A. - cum laude

June 3, 1960

  • Sandy Cole Marks Jr., B.S. - Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude

June 5, 1959

  • Samuel Henderson Adams Jr., B.A. - Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude

June 6, 1958

  • William Richard Goodman Jr., B.A. - cum laude
  • John Gill Holland Jr., B.A. - cum laude

June 7, 1957

  • Robert Day Miller, B.A.

June 8, 1956

  • Sidmon Joel Kaplan, B.A.

June 5, 1955

  • Watson Allen Bowes Jr., B.S. - Phi Beta Kappa, magna cum laude

June 4, 1954

  • William Clifford Guthrie Jr., LL.B. - Order of the Coif, magna cum laude
  • Katherine Jordan Moody
  • Re-awarded to: William Melville Bailey, B.S. (1953), J.D. (1955)

June 5, 1953

  • William Melville Bailey, B.S. - Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude, J.D. (1955)

June 6, 1952

  • Joseph Halstead McGee Jr., LL.B., B.A. (1950)

June 8, 1951

  • Donald Mayo Fergusson, B.A. - cum laude

June 9, 1950

  • Gordon Kennedy Jr., B.S.

June 10, 1949

  • Granville Sumner Ridley Bouldin, B.S. - cum laude, J.D. (1951)

June 4, 1948

  • Herbert Petrie Mitchell, B.A.

June 6, 1947

  • Jon Raymond Rugel, B.S. - Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude (1948)

1946

  • No award

1945

  • No award

April 29, 1944

  • William Bell Guthrie, B.A. - Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude

May 19, 1943

  • Corneal Bernard Myers Jr., B.A. - Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude, J.D. (1948)
  • William Joseph Noonan Jr., B.S. - cum laude

May 26, 1942

  • Thomas Alonzo Clark, B.S. - cum laude
  • Daniel Curtis Lewis Jr., B.A. - cum laude

June 6, 1941

  • Allen Thomas Snyder, LL.B., B.S. (1939)

June 7, 1940

  • Henry Taylor Wickham, B.A. (1868)
  • Augustus Lea Booth, B.A. - cum laude
  • William McClain Read, B.A. - Phi Beta Kappa, magna cum laude

June 9, 1939

  • William Warner Brown, B.A. - Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude
  • Edgar Finley Shannon Jr., B.A. - Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude

June 10, 1938

  • Harry Melvin Philpott, B.A. - cum laude

June 11, 1937

  • Latham Burrows Weber, B.A. - Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude, Certificate in Journalism

June 12, 1936

  • Robert Lee Brickhouse, B.A. - magna cum laude
  • William Schuhle Jr., M.A., B.A. (1935)

June 7, 1935

  • Richard Thomas Edwards, LL.B., B.A. (1933)

June 5, 1934

  • Amos Alonzo Bolen, B.A., Phi Beta Kappa, magna cum laude, J.D. (1937)
  • Manning Holland Williams, B.A. - Phi Beta Kappa, magna cum laude

June 6, 1933

  • Carl Brannon Vickers, B.A., LL.B. (1934)

June 7, 1932

  • Henry Donald Campbell (Dean of the University and Professor of Geology), M.A. (l882), Ph.D. (1885)
  • Hartwell Leigh Williams Jr., B.S.

June 9, 1931

  • James Hardy Dillard, M.A. (l876), B.L. (1877)
  • Lewis Franklin Powell Jr., LL.B., B.S. (l929)

June 3, 1930

  • Edward Spencer Graves, B.A. - Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude
  • John Philip Lynch Jr., B.A. - Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude

June 4, 1929

June 5, 1928

June 7, 1927

Contacts

At Washington and Lee University

  • Ms. Sidney Evans, Vice President of Student Affairs and Dean of Students (nominations)
    telephone: 540.458.8754
    facsimile: 540.458.8155
  • Ms. Kim Robinson, University Registrar (administration, comments, or corrections on biography links)
    telephone: 540.458.8455
    facsimile: 540.458.8045

At the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Foundation

  • Ms. Merry C. Johnson
    Director of Director of Operations and Compliance
    Algernon Sydney Sullivan Foundation
    www.sullivanfdn.org
    1109 Van Buren Avenue
    Oxford, MS 38655
    Phone: 662.236.6335