Dr. Patricia Ann Sullivan (nee Nagengast) was born in Staten Island, New York in 1939. In 1961 she graduated from the Notre Dame College of St. John’s University in New York. After graduate school, she taught at Wells College in New York and Texas Woman’s University. In 1981, she began a job as dean of the college at Salem College in Winston Salem, North Carolina and was there until 1995.
She served as Chancellor of UNCG from January, 1, 1995 until July of 2008. The Sullivan Science Building on UNCG’s campus was named in her honor in 2008.
During her time as Chancellor, she was responsible for more than $500 million in construction and developments on campus, including the science building, the music building, a residence hall, a promenade, and a renovated student center. She increased the enrollment, endowment funds, exchange programs, and number of PhD programs at the university. In April of 2008, she was honored with the Old North State Award for her service to North Carolina (given by Governor Mike Easley).
She died on August 20, 2009, at the age of 69, of pancreatic cancer, survived by her husband Dr. Charles Sullivan (Charlie).