Book Award Recipient, Michael Sullivan

Michael Sullivan, director of Mercer County Community College’s distance learning program, has an impressive resume.  He leads the distance MSullivanBloglearning department to create over 375 online sections, supporting 8,000 students and over 125 faculty and adjuncts.  For his Instructional Design MEd Capstone Project, Michael assessed the instructional needs for students at Rivier University and helped the University switch to a new Learning Management System (LMS).  His assessment and resulting training modules offered students an introduction to the new LMS as well as guidelines for proper etiquette when learning online.  In addition to his many professional and academic achievements, it is Michael’s perseverance through adversity and hardship, and his unwavering willingness to mentor his classmates that made him this year’s Instructional Design Graduate Program’s Book Award Recipient.

Michael began his journey in the Instructional Design Graduate Program with a trip to Nantucket for the 2010 two-week Summer Intensive Program.  The friendships he made with faculty and classmates there continued online when he returned to his home in New Jersey.  He generously assisted his classmates navigate the job market and tirelessly worked toward his degree while he and his wife, Rose, raised three small children, two of which they had together while Michael was in the middle of the ID program.  When Hurricane Sandy devastated the New Jersey coast in 2012, Michael’s family was greatly impacted.  Michael didn’t know if he would finish his degree as he took a leave from school to assist in the rebuilding of what was lost to the storm, both physically and virtually.  He did return to his studies a few months later, finishing his degree and inspiring his classmates to pursue their own goals.

During the GIDA Event, after Michael received his award, he spoke of his achievements humbly, and thanked his wife and his children for all of their support and love.  A self-proclaimed Star Wars geek, Michael themed his Capstone Project presentation appropriately.  While drawing big laughs from the audience, Michael has more in common with Hans Solo in overcoming the Dark Force than he in his humble words may admit.  Michael serves as an inspiration to us all to continue in pursuit of our goals, even when times are tough.

Again, congratulations Michael—on this highest award in Master’s work at UMass Boston.