July 16, 2025
By the late 1980s, St. John’s University recognized the need for a dedicated facility to house its burgeoning education programs. Construction on Sullivan Hall on the Queens, NY, campus commenced in February 1988, with a cornerstone and dedication ceremony held on August 12, 1989. It was named in honor of the late Eugene Sullivan ’42C, ’73HON, the first layperson to serve as Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of St. John’s University.
The new building joined a wave of infrastructure investments reflecting the evolution of St. John’s from a commuter institution into a more residential and comprehensive University. It initially housed classrooms, lecture rooms, and special purpose teaching facilities.
The completion of Sullivan Hall presaged the construction of the University’s residence halls, which opened in its shadow 10 years later, allowing St. John’s to become a truly global campus.
Established in 1908, The School of Education was the second school in New York State to award graduate degrees to teachers. Today, it strives to prepare teachers committed to socially responsible education rooted in advocacy, leadership, and intellectual curiosity.
In September 2023, the University completed a significant renovation of Sullivan Hall’s first floor, unveiling modernized offices for The School of Education and affiliated Vincentian mission organizations. This project underscored the building’s ongoing role in advancing St. John’s dual commitment to academic excellence and social justice, hallmarks of its Vincentian heritage.
A successful executive, Mr. Sullivan had a long career with Borden Inc., a former multinational producer of food and beverage products, consumer products, and industrial products. His appointment as Board Chair reflected Mr. Sullivan’s stature as a benefactor, educator, and steward of St. John’s University’s mission. By naming Sullivan Hall in his honor, the University recognized his financial generosity, and commitment to integrating Vincentian values into every facet of campus life.
At the building’s dedication, Mr. Sullivan noted that this gift was his way of expressing his deep and everlasting gratitude to the Vincentian priests who educated him. “I was repaying a debt to St. John’s,” he stressed.
Mr. Sullivan’s mother wished for him to attend St. John’s, but the family could not afford the tuition. “My mother went with me to St. John’s one day and explained the situation to a priest. I remember him asking if my mother could afford $10 a month, and when she replied in the affirmative, I was admitted. Now you can understand why I say my life would have been different if not for the education I received at St. John’s.”
While pursuing his successful executive career, Mr. Sullivan maintained a close bond with alma mater. In 1973, the same year he received an honorary doctorate, he started an executive-in-residence program and became an adjunct professor.
“There is a sense of satisfaction in doing something like this,” he said, adding, “but I get more satisfaction in giving my time back to the students. Teaching is something I enjoy immensely. Ironically, I am teaching in Sullivan Hall this semester.”
At the dedication ceremonies, Mr. Sullivan reiterated a lesson he emphasized to his students: “It is not good enough to honor the letter of the law. You must honor the spirit of the law.”
Through its evolution from a late-20th-century center of learning for students pursuing careers in the field of education to a 21st-century hub for educational innovation, Sullivan Hall is both a physical and symbolic embodiment of St. John’s dedication to training educators, advancing social justice, and honoring the legacy of alumni whose leadership shaped the University’s trajectory.