Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award

The Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award is an award presented to graduating seniors, alumni, and community members of selected colleges and universities in the Southern United States for excellence of character and service to humanity.  At Elon, two graduating seniors and one faculty or staff member are recognized annually for their honesty, morality, ethics, integrity, responsibility, determination, courage, and compassion.

Presented by Jon Dooley, Vice President of Student Life and Associate Professor of Education

Transcript of Commendations

Jon Dooley, Vice President of Student Life and Associate Professor of Education

Each year the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award is presented to two students and one faculty or staff member.  Sponsored by the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Foundation, these awards recognize college students across the country who put service of others before self-interest. We celebrate individuals here at Elon who demonstrate the highest standards of character, integrity, and leadership in service to others and the community.

Our faculty/staff recipient this year has been at Elon for 42 years and has seen the university change in tremendous ways over that time.  Dr. Becky Olive-Taylor joined Elon’s English department faculty in 1978, worked in academic advising and tutorial services, and will retire this year as the Executive Director of the Koenigsberger Learning Center.  Everywhere you look you can see her impact.  She has coordinated the Elon 101 first-year advising seminar course expanded and refined Elon’s tutoring program, and was the university’s first champion for students with disabilities. She has worked closely with new faculty orientation to train new academic advisors. And most recently she has successfully integrated academic advising, disabilities resources, and learning assistance into a beautiful new space connected to the Belk Library.

One thing that has never changed is Becky’s desire to serve students and to serve them well. She is described as “someone who looks out for colleagues and students and has their best interests at heart. She always has a listening ear, ensuring that every voice is heard. She is a kind, compassionate, and brilliant leader.”

On campus she is known as the go-to person to handle the hard situations that arise from complications with students adjusting to Elon and to college in general.  Over the years there have been hundreds of students who would find themselves in her office looking for someone to help them.  And those students – now alumni – know her as the just the right person who helped them succeed and supported them when they needed it most

Her colleagues point out that she always finds a way to make time for students and families. Even after an exhausting orientation weekend, for example, she is right there late into the evening to meet and greet new transfer students and their families. She helps them to feel like valuable members of our community and it is such an impactful experience for these new members of the Phoenix family to be welcomed by her.

I am so honored to be able to recognize Becky Olive-Taylor with this well-deserved Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award for her continuous love and dedication to generations of Elon students and colleagues.