The Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award is an award presented to graduating seniors, alumni, and faculty of selected colleges and universities in the

Southern United States The Southern United States (sometimes Dixie, also referred to as the Southern States, the American South, the Southland, Dixieland, or simply the South) is List of regions of the United States, census regions defined by the United States Cens ...

for excellence of character and service to humanity. 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." Specifically, each awarding institution seeks recipients with 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 Award consists of a copper medallion, an engraved certificate, and the biography of Algernon Sydney Sullivan. Recipients were chosen yearly from the graduation class of each institution, which also had the privilege of honoring one non-student conspicuously helpful to and associated with the institution in its effort to encourage and preserve a high standard of character. The award was first given by the New York Southern Society in honor of prominent New York lawyer, Algernon Sydney Sullivan, at

Peabody College Vanderbilt Peabody College of Education and Human Development (also known as Vanderbilt Peabody College, Peabody College, or simply Peabody) is the education school of Vanderbilt University, a private research university in Nashville, Tennessee ...

in Nashville, now part of

Vanderbilt University Vanderbilt University (informally Vandy or VU) is a private university, private research university in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, it was named in honor of shipping and railroad magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provide ...

. That success led to the establishment of the Award in other institutions, and for the disposition of the fund provided for that purpose. By 1934, the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award was being presented to deserving individuals at thirteen colleges throughout the South. In 1936, the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Foundation began distributing scholarships at four of those institutions.

Notable recipients

* Cynthia Bathurst,

animal rights activist The animal rights movement, sometimes called the animal liberation, animal personhood, or animal advocacy movement, is a social movement that advocates an end to the rigid moral and legal distinction drawn between human and non-human animals, ...

Katie Britt Katie Elizabeth Boyd Britt (née Boyd; born February 2, 1982) is an American politician and attorney serving since 2023 as the Seniority in the United States Senate, junior United States Senate, United States senator from Alabama. A member of the ...

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Hester A. Davis Hester A. Davis (1930–2014) was an American archaeologist. Arkansas' first State Archaeologist, she was instrumental in creating national public policy and conservancy standards for cultural preservation as well as developing professional and e ...

Arkansas Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the West South Central region of the Southern United States. It borders Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, Texas to the southwest, and Oklahoma ...

State

Archaeologist Archaeology or archeology is the study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of Artifact (archaeology), artifacts, architecture, biofact (archaeology), biofacts or ecofacts, ...

Riley Gaines Riley Marie Gaines Barker ( Gaines; born April 21, 2000) is an American conservative political activist and former swimmer, known for campaigning against the participation of trans women in women's sports. A 12-time NCAA All-American, she co ...

, University of Kentucky NCAA Swim Team Medalist *

Robert Gates Robert Michael Gates (born September 25, 1943) is an American intelligence analyst and university president who served as the 22nd United States secretary of defense from 2006 to 2011. He was appointed by President George W. Bush and retained b ...

, U.S. Secretary of Defense *

Betty Jane Gorin-Smith Betty or Bettie is a name, a common diminutive for the names Bethany (given name), Bethany and Elizabeth (given name), Elizabeth. In Latin America, it is also a common diminutive for the given name Beatriz, the Spanish and Portuguese form of the La ...

Kentucky Kentucky (, ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north, West Virginia to the ...

historian A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human species; as well as the ...

Wil Lou Gray Wil Lou Gray (August 29, 1883 – March 10, 1984) was an influential educator for both children and adults, with her primary focus being on adult literacy. Early life and education Wil Lou Gray was born on August 29, 1883, in Laurens, South C ...

South Carolina South Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders North Carolina to the north and northeast, the Atlantic Ocean to the southeast, and Georgia (U.S. state), Georg ...

innovator in

alternative education Alternative education encompasses educational philosophy differing from mainstream pedagogy and evidence-based education. Such alternative learning environments may be found within state, charter, and independent schools as well as home-based ...

*Doug Hicks, 19th President, Davidson College * William C. Hubbard, Dean of the

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and Former

American Bar Association The American Bar Association (ABA) is a voluntary association, voluntary bar association of lawyers and law students in the United States; national in scope, it is not specific to any single jurisdiction. Founded in 1878, the ABA's stated acti ...

President * Lewis Craig Humphrey,

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* Sarah A. Imam M.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Health and Human Performance,

The Citadel The Citadel Military College of South Carolina (simply known as The Citadel) is a public senior military college in Charleston, South Carolina, United States. Established in 1842, it is the third oldest of the six senior military colleges ...

, South Carolina *Matthew Gordon Lanetti,

Citadel A citadel is the most fortified area of a town or city. It may be a castle, fortress, or fortified center. The term is a diminutive of ''city'', meaning "little city", because it is a smaller part of the city of which it is the defensive core. ...

Regimental Academic Officer * Yossi Jefferey Alan Liebowitz, Rabbi, Professor at University of South Carolina, Upstate and Wofford College, Humanitarian, Activist, and Musician in folk music group, "The Cap and The Collar" * John McCardell Jr., historian and academic administrator *

Paul Goodloe McIntire Paul Goodloe McIntire (1860–1952) was an American stockbroker, investor, and philanthropist from Virginia. He served on the Chicago and New York Stock Exchanges. He was a generous donor to the University of Virginia and its home, the city of ...

, Investment banker *

Kitty O'Brien Joyner Kitty Wingfield Joyner ( O'Brien; July 11, 1916 – August 16, 1993) was an American electrical engineer with the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), and then with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) upon it ...

, first female engineer at

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Lewis F. Powell Jr. Lewis Franklin Powell Jr. (September 19, 1907 – August 25, 1998) was an American lawyer and jurist who served as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1972 to 1987. Born in Suffolk, Virginia, he graduated ...

, Associate Justice of the

Supreme Court of the United States The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all Federal tribunals in the United States, U.S. federal court cases, and over Stat ...

* Jaret Sean Price, Company Commander within The Citadel’s South Carolina Corps of Cadets

References

American education awards Awards established in 1925 American humanitarian and service awards Southern United States 1925 establishments in the United States {{Award-stub