By Katie Beckmann Mahon, Communications Manager
To say the last five months have been challenging for Sr. Kathleen Sullivan, OP, would be an understatement.
As Chancellor for External Affairs for Dominican College, Sr. Kathleen has worked endlessly with fellow administrators to develop reopening plans for the school, in consideration of all its aspects, as well as collaboration with all its constituents.
“Every aspect of college life has been impacted,” shared Sr. Kathleen, a Sister of Saint Dominic of Blauvelt, New York. “This has been a very time-consuming project and has diverted attention from the planning that usually takes place in the summer focused on new initiatives, as well as on developing strategies to address emerging issues that are a part of the normal collegiate horizon.”
From housing to classes to dining services to campus activities to athletics to health and safety, Sr. Kathleen and others have implemented new strategies and guidelines to allow students, faculty, and staff to return to campus safely.
“Students will be welcomed back with all kinds of precautionary guidance and in small gatherings and demonstrating a strong commitment to their safety, their needs, and their future.”
As students begin to move back into the dormitories, while others start classes, both in-person and remotely, Sr. Kathleen and other administrators will continue to monitor health and safety updates and adapt their plans as needed, if any new pandemic challenges arise.
Despite the potential challenges that Sr. Kathleen and Dominican College may face in the months to come, her view on her ministry has broadened in realizing how important it is to place an outlook “on the future of our planet, in all its aspects, on our worldwide agenda.”
“We have learned a lot from this difficult time in our lives; let’s think about what is different now from what we were accustomed to.”