DOVER—
For several years, St. Thomas Aquinas High School’s largest benefactor lived next door at St. Ann’s Home…only the school never knew it. Last October, 99-year-old Alicia Sullivan passed away after an extended illness. A resident of Somersworth and later of Dover, and a daily communicant at St. Mary’s Parish, Ms. Sullivan was the last surviving member of a family that included two other unmarried sisters, Ruth and Melanie Sullivan.
Together, the sisters invested their financial resources wisely, and when the time came to consider who would benefit from their foresight, their thoughts turned to education. The oldest of the three, Ruth, was a woman who had earned a college degree at a time when such an occurrence was extremely rare. Combined with their devout Catholic faith and deep understanding of the needs of Dover residents, the sisters designated St. Mary Academy and St. Thomas Aquinas High School as the beneficiaries of their largesse.
On Tuesday, July 12, 2011, Sullivan family attorney Anthony McManus, and longtime family friend Paul Boucher presented a check to St. Thomas in the amount of $250,000 – by far the largest single donation ever bestowed on STA. According to Mr. Boucher, the sisters were a remarkable trio whom he and his late wife had come to know when the oldest Sullivan sister was stricken with ovarian cancer. Alicia, he said, “had a sharp wit and a ready quip” and along with her sister Melanie, had been a supervisor with the telephone company with a reputation for toughness.
It is clear, however, that the sisters had a soft side as well. Their legacy to St. Thomas Aquinas designates that the bequest be invested, and the income used to provide scholarships for needy students from Dover or Somersworth who attend STA. For Principal Kevin Collins, this legacy helps fulfill one of his chief goals: making a St. Thomas Aquinas education accessible for as many deserving students as possible.
“This gift couldn’t have come at a better time,” said Principal Collins. “The opportunity to experience an STA education should not be a faraway dream, but a reality.”
St. Thomas Aquinas has long been committed to this goal, and is particularly focused on maintaining affordability in the current economic downturn. A little-known fact about STA is its financial aid program, which provides nearly a half-million dollars annually in grants and scholarships. In fact, nearly 1 in 5 students at the school receive some level of aid.
“Many of our top students could not have attended St. Thomas without help,” Collins noted.
“However, perhaps even more important than the benefit they receive from us is the way in which these students – like all our students – enrich our lives.”
The Sullivan legacy check was accepted on behalf of the school community by Dominique MacDonald, Vice-Chairperson of the St. Thomas Aquinas School Board – and someone who understands the impact of this gift more than most. She and her husband Tim are both members of the STA class of 1982, her children are recent grads, and she was recipient of the 2009 Distinguished Alumni Award.
“The sisters have given us a tremendous gift,” she remarked upon accepting the gift. “In this economy, I’ve seen how an STA education has become more difficult to attain. This will help so many families.”
The gift of the Sullivan sisters – Ruth, Alicia and Melanie – will help secure the future of STA students for years to come. There is a play by Anton Chekov which includes this line: “…our sufferings will pass into joy for those who will live after us, happiness and peace will be established upon earth, and they will remember kindly and bless those who have lived before.”
The name of the play? “The Three Sisters.”
Photo caption: From left to right: Sullivan family attorney Anthony McManus, family friend Paul Boucher, STA Dean of Students Gordon Quimby, Vice-Chairperson of the STA School Board Dominique MacDonald, Dean of Studies Ron Holtz and Principal Kevin Collins. (Courtesy photo)
For several years, St. Thomas Aquinas High School’s largest benefactor lived next door at St. Ann’s Home…only the school never knew it. Last October, 99-year-old Alicia Sullivan passed away after an extended illness. A resident of Somersworth and later of Dover, and a daily communicant at St. Mary’s Parish, Ms. Sullivan was the last surviving member of a family that included two other unmarried sisters, Ruth and Melanie Sullivan.
Together, the sisters invested their financial resources wisely, and when the time came to consider who would benefit from their foresight, their thoughts turned to education. The oldest of the three, Ruth, was a woman who had earned a college degree at a time when such an occurrence was extremely rare. Combined with their devout Catholic faith and deep understanding of the needs of Dover residents, the sisters designated St. Mary Academy and St. Thomas Aquinas High School as the beneficiaries of their largesse.
On Tuesday, July 12, 2011, Sullivan family attorney Anthony McManus, and longtime family friend Paul Boucher presented a check to St. Thomas in the amount of $250,000 – by far the largest single donation ever bestowed on STA. According to Mr. Boucher, the sisters were a remarkable trio whom he and his late wife had come to know when the oldest Sullivan sister was stricken with ovarian cancer. Alicia, he said, “had a sharp wit and a ready quip” and along with her sister Melanie, had been a supervisor with the telephone company with a reputation for toughness.
It is clear, however, that the sisters had a soft side as well. Their legacy to St. Thomas Aquinas designates that the bequest be invested, and the income used to provide scholarships for needy students from Dover or Somersworth who attend STA. For Principal Kevin Collins, this legacy helps fulfill one of his chief goals: making a St. Thomas Aquinas education accessible for as many deserving students as possible.
“This gift couldn’t have come at a better time,” said Principal Collins. “The opportunity to experience an STA education should not be a faraway dream, but a reality.”
St. Thomas Aquinas has long been committed to this goal, and is particularly focused on maintaining affordability in the current economic downturn. A little-known fact about STA is its financial aid program, which provides nearly a half-million dollars annually in grants and scholarships. In fact, nearly 1 in 5 students at the school receive some level of aid.
“Many of our top students could not have attended St. Thomas without help,” Collins noted.
“However, perhaps even more important than the benefit they receive from us is the way in which these students – like all our students – enrich our lives.”
The Sullivan legacy check was accepted on behalf of the school community by Dominique MacDonald, Vice-Chairperson of the St. Thomas Aquinas School Board – and someone who understands the impact of this gift more than most. She and her husband Tim are both members of the STA class of 1982, her children are recent grads, and she was recipient of the 2009 Distinguished Alumni Award.
“The sisters have given us a tremendous gift,” she remarked upon accepting the gift. “In this economy, I’ve seen how an STA education has become more difficult to attain. This will help so many families.”
The gift of the Sullivan sisters – Ruth, Alicia and Melanie – will help secure the future of STA students for years to come. There is a play by Anton Chekov which includes this line: “…our sufferings will pass into joy for those who will live after us, happiness and peace will be established upon earth, and they will remember kindly and bless those who have lived before.”
The name of the play? “The Three Sisters.”
Photo caption: From left to right: Sullivan family attorney Anthony McManus, family friend Paul Boucher, STA Dean of Students Gordon Quimby, Vice-Chairperson of the STA School Board Dominique MacDonald, Dean of Studies Ron Holtz and Principal Kevin Collins. (Courtesy photo)
