Fredericksburg, VA
Fredericksburg is an independent city located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 27,982. The Bureau of Economic Analysis of the United States Department of Commerce combines the city of Fredericksburg with ...
, died January 5, 2009 in
Charlottesville, VA
Charlottesville, colloquially known as C'ville, is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is the county seat of Albemarle County, which surrounds the city, though the two are separate legal entities. It is named after Queen C ...
) was the longtime director of the
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia (UVA) is a public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia. Founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson, the university is ranked among the top academic institutions in the United States, with highly selective ad ...
Alumni Association for 35 years. Appointed to the position in 1958 after the retirement of J. Malcolm "Mack" Luck, Sullivan remained in the position until his retirement in 1993. During his years at the Alumni Association, he helped develop the Virginia Student Aid Foundation (now the Virginia Athletics Foundation) and significant expansion of the Jefferson Scholars Program.
Sullivan attended the University as an undergraduate and received his B.S. in
Commerce
Commerce is the large-scale organized system of activities, functions, procedures and institutions directly and indirectly related to the exchange (buying and selling) of goods and services among two or more parties within local, regional, nation ...
in 1948. While a student he was a varsity quarterback in football and was a member of Omicron Delta Kappa, T.I.L.K.A., the
Z Society
The Z Society is a secret society that was founded at the University of Virginia in 1892.Bruce IV: 100. Note: Bruce is alone among early historians of the University in calling the Z Society the "Zeta." It comprises student leaders who give time, ...
, the
Raven Society
The Raven Society is an honor society at the University of Virginia, founded in 1904 by University student William McCully James, and named in honor of the famous poem by Edgar Allan Poe, who attended UVa in 1826. According to its constitution, on ...
, and
Sigma Alpha Epsilon
Sigma Alpha Epsilon (), commonly known as SAE, is a North American Greek-letter social college fraternity. It was founded at the University of Alabama on March 9, 1856. Of all existing national social fraternities today, Sigma Alpha Epsilon is t ...
social fraternity.
Sullivan was a director emeritus of the Jefferson Scholars Foundation and a trustee emeritus of the
University of Virginia College of Arts & Sciences
The University of Virginia College of Arts & Sciences is the largest of the University of Virginia's ten schools. Consisting of both a graduate and an undergraduate program, the College comprises the liberal arts and humanities section of the Uni ...
Foundation. Additionally, he served in the
United States National Guard
The National Guard is a state-based military force that becomes part of the reserve components of the United States Army and the United States Air Force when activated for federal missions. attaining the rank of Major General and serving as the brigade commander of the 116th Infantry Regiment from 1983 to 1985.
In his years as director of the alumni association, Sullivan was remembered for assisting numerous students, both individually and through assistance to student organizations. Three scholarships in his name continue that tradition. The Gilbert J. Sullivan Scholarship is awarded every year by the UVA Parents Committee to a current, non-legacy rising third year student who currently receives financial aid from the Office of Financial Aid and has a demonstrated record of citizenship, leadership, academic achievement and financial need. The
Z Society
The Z Society is a secret society that was founded at the University of Virginia in 1892.Bruce IV: 100. Note: Bruce is alone among early historians of the University in calling the Z Society the "Zeta." It comprises student leaders who give time, ...
endows a Gilbert J. Sullivan Internship Scholarship, awarded to a returning undergraduate student and "intended to provide an opportunity to take a summer internship otherwise unattainable because of financial constraints." Also, the Jefferson Scholars Foundation maintains an endowed scholarship in the name of Ann Vernon and Gilbert J. Sullivan.
Other organizations honor Sullivan's memory. The Gilbert J. Sullivan Distinguished Service Award, awarded "to an individual whose tireless efforts, selfless dedication, and continuing support have contributed in a significant way to the success of the Virginia Glee Club," is named in honor of Sullivan's efforts to ensure the
Virginia Glee Club
The Virginia Glee Club is a men's chorus based at the University of Virginia. It performs both traditional and contemporary vocal works typically in TTBB arrangements. Founded in 1871, the Glee Club is the university's oldest musical organization ...
's continued existence when it separated from the McIntire Department of Music in the late 1980s.