The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Libraries is proud to announce a commitment by Bruce (’71) and Nancy (’73) Sullivan to establish the Bruce and Nancy Sullivan Dean of UT Libraries endowed position. Through contributions from their estate and a cash pledge to be fulfilled during their lifetime, the Sullivans’ generosity will enable UT Libraries to better serve students, faculty, and staff with this transformational gift.
“The UT Libraries are among the best in the nation because the Volunteer community is committed to and values libraries and learning,” said UT Libraries Dean Steve Smith. “This gift by Nancy and Bruce Sullivan to endow the deanship is a visible affirmation of that commitment. I am honored to hold this newly named deanship, and I thank them for their generosity and trust.”
“By establishing this endowment, they forever ensure support for what I think of as the ‘margin of excellence’—the collections, programs, spaces, buildings, training, and other innovative investments that result in the very best library for our students, faculty, and staff,” added Smith.
Not only will this gift help retain outstanding faculty for the position, but it will also bolster future recruitment efforts by attracting world-class candidates. It also allows for discretionary resources that will enable the dean to respond to urgent needs and strategic opportunities to support UT Libraries initiatives, programs, acquisitions, and beyond.
This level of support alters the trajectory of advancement for UT Libraries, allowing for previously unreachable opportunities and resources that will positively impact every person who passes through the doors of its facilities and digital portals. The breadth and depth of this impact was one of the main motivators for the Sullivans’ contributions.
“We knew we were blessed with the capacity to make a significant difference, and we wanted to do something that was broad in scope that could affect as many students as possible,” said Nancy. “We wanted to leave a legacy and make the most of our contributions, to leave our mark and benefit as much of the Volunteer family as possible, and few things on campus offer a better opportunity for that than UT Libraries.”
We wanted to leave a legacy and make the most of our contributions, to leave our mark and benefit as much of the Volunteer family as possible, and few things on campus offer a better opportunity for that than UT Libraries.
– Nancy Sullivan (’73)
The couple has come to appreciate even more what a valuable tool a library can be for personal growth, gaining knowledge, and even making new friends. They both regularly utilize the library nearest their home in Las Vegas, Nevada. Sullivan has taken to entertaining folks he meets during regular visits to his favorite golf course, stumping his new friends with trivia of all kinds learned from his library book reading and other educational pursuits. Nancy says that you never know what he might be learning about next, from theories on aliens to the history of state capitals.
“I’m constantly going to the library to get new books, and I’ve turned into a trivia nut,” said Sullivan. “One thing I like about the library is that you get a book on one subject to learn one thing, and you end up learning a lot of different things you never thought you would.
“Libraries bring together all disciplines, so supporting UT Libraries means we don’t have to dilute our impact on students, no matter their course of study,” he added.
The Sullivans have supported UT Libraries almost annually since they earned their degrees at UT. Their hope is that this latest commitment will garner greater access to the already excellent resources of the libraries and encourage students to take full advantage of the endless opportunities and knowledge available to them there.
The Sullivans are living examples of what an education fully realized can accomplish, and their legacy will speak volumes for generations to come through the words on pages, screens, and more that UT Libraries will provide thanks to their generosity.
More about Bruce and Nancy Sullivan: Nancy completed her bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the University of Illinois before attending UT for her master’s degree. She completed her master’s in computer science at a time when few women pursued this course of study. She spent the bulk of her impressive career in IT with Dow Chemical and retired shortly before her husband in 2003 from Accenture. Following his bachelor’s degree in transportation and logistics from UT, Sullivan attained his master’s in business administration from Northwestern State University of Louisiana. He was a successful businessman in pharmaceutical sales with Colgate-Palmolive until his retirement in 2004.
The couple met while attending UT at a student mixer hosted by a bygone venue, Sound Showcase, on Cumberland Avenue. Their first date followed shortly after, and the two have been together ever since, starting married life in Houston, Texas. Following their respective retirements, they moved to the Las Vegas, Nevada, area, where they have led active lives with a shared interest in running and enjoying the outdoors with many beloved pets over the years, including their current dog, Huey.
