Their spark shines in our hearts: Remembering two pillars of the Mount

This autumn, the Mount Saint Mary College family said goodbye to two of its most resolute architects.

In the span of a single month, the college lost a visionary president who expanded our horizons, and a beloved professor who nurtured our roots. 

Fr. Kevin E. Mackin, OFM, the college’s fifth president, and Sr. Patricia “Pat” Sullivan, OP, a foundational member of the Class of ’64, a Mount trustee, and long-time professor, have passed away.

While their roles differed, their legacies are intertwined: both dedicated their lives to the service of others, leaving an indelible mark that will benefit generations of Mount students to come.

The Resolute Leader 

Fr. Mackin passed away on Saturday, November 15, at Teresian House in Albany, following a long illness. He was 87 years old.

He was a pivotal figure in the Mount’s history, and his loss is deeply felt by the many alumni, faculty, and staff whose lives he touched.

His presidency from 2008 to 2014 was a period of visionary leadership and transformative growth for the Mount. Fr. Mackin’s unwavering commitment to the Mount’s mission, combined with his deep Franciscan spirit, guided the college to new heights.

“I had the pleasure of meeting Fr. Mackin at a gathering of Franciscan college presidents about 17 years ago, not long after he left Siena to become president of the Mount,” said Dr. Robert Gervasi, current Mount president. “He was a truly impressive leader and inspiring priest.”

Under Fr. Mackin’s direction, the Mount purchased the Dominican Center, which originally served as the home of Mount Saint Mary Academy and also functioned as the motherhouse of the Dominican Sisters of Newburgh. Fr. Mackin launched “A Call to Excellence: The Campaign for the Dominican Center” in 2012, to raise $10 million for the building’s transformation into a new, state-of-the-art living and learning environment. The Dominican Center has become an indelible part of the college in the decade since, housing public lectures, the college’s Kaplan Family Library, the Chapel of the Most Holy Rosary, and serving as a residence hall for upperclassmen.

Also during the six years Fr. Mackin served as president, the college launched an online RN to BS degree program and a sports management concentration. These programs have evolved over time, and their current iterations remain popular with our students to this day.

Fr. Mackin came to the Mount from Siena University, where he served as president from 1996 through 2007. His time as Siena’s president was a sort of homecoming for the priest, who had earned a master’s degree in history from the university in 1967. Before that, he had earned his bachelor’s degree from St. Bonaventure University in 1960, and he would later earn four more degrees, including a doctorate in sacred theology, from the Catholic University of America.

After concluding his dedicated service to the Mount, Fr. Mackin returned to his ministry: He retired to Florida in 2014 and served in a parish in St. Petersburg, continuing his life of service and leadership.

Fr. Mackin’s legacy is woven into the very fabric of the college. He built not just structures, but a stronger community, leaving an indelible mark that will benefit generations of Mount students to come.

In an interview just a few weeks before his retirement in 2014, Fr. Mackin expressed his gratitude for the entire Mount community.

“I truly believe that when one door closes in life, another door opens,” he said. “Yes, this door at the Mount is closing for me, but another is slowly opening: a door to new forms of pastoral ministry.” He added, “The Lord be with you. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart.”

A memorial service for Fr. Kevin will be held on the Mount campus at a later date. 

The Heart of the Classroom 

Just weeks before Fr. Mackin’s passing, the Mount lost one of its beloved Dominican Sisters. Sr. Sullivan passed away on Wednesday, October 15 at the age of 84.

Her connection to the college was as steadfast as they come: Not only was she in the Mount’s first graduating class, she also taught at the college for 41 years. 

Sr. Sullivan chaired the Division of Mathematics and Information Technology twice and served as Faculty President, Interim Director of Residence, and was part of Campus Ministry. 

She entered the novitiate of the Dominican Sisters of Newburgh, N.Y., in September 1959, made her First Profession in June 1961, and Final Profession in August 1966. Sr. Sullivan earned a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from the Mount, a Master’s in Mathematics from Ohio State University, and a doctorate in Mathematics Education from Columbia University.

Sr. Sullivan’s dedication to teaching inspired countless students to achieve their best. She’s remembered for her capacity to relate with students and to make math accessible to even reluctant learners. Many of her former students remained in contact with her over the years. 

Sr. Sullivan taught mathematics at Pope Pius XII Regional High School in Passaic, N.J., from 1964 to 1969; and at Immaculate High School in Danbury, Conn., from 1969 to 1975. She was assistant professor of mathematics at the Mount from 1975-88, and after completing her doctoral studies at Columbia University, she returned to the college for the remainder of her teaching career.

A true Dominican, Sr. Sullivan embodied Dominican community through her expansive relationships, her love of contemplative prayer and liturgy with the Carmelite Community in Beacon, her dedication to study, and her commitment to mission. She served on the Board of the Newburgh Ministry for 13 years and volunteered at Caring for the Homeless and Hungry of Peekskill.

In her later years, Sr. Sullivan enjoyed her role as a Eucharistic Minister to the homebound at St. Joachim’s Church in Beacon.

In an interview with Mount Saint Mary College Magazine about five years ago, Sr. Sullivan discussed how she found herself on the path of becoming a teacher. 

“I knew I wanted to be a math teacher since I was in the fourth grade,” she explained. “Sr. Mary Gertrude, who taught my mathematics at the Mount, encouraged me to come to the college…It was an enriching experience. I loved teaching. I really loved mentoring young faculty and seeing them grow as teachers and young mathematicians.”

She added, “It is hard to summarize 50-plus years [of Mount history]. There have been a lot of changes, but the fundamental values and vision on which the college was founded by the Dominican sisters have not changed.”

The Sr. Pat Sullivan Endowed Scholarship Fund will support the education of future teachers. More info can be found here: www.msmc.edu/Sisterpat