Kate Sullivan Collection on the Nursing Program at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras (RG21.5)

Biographical / Historical

Catherine "Kate" Sullivan, also known as Sister Marilyn Sullivan, R.S.M, devoted her life's work to mental health nursing and was instrumental as a Sister of Mercy and Salve Regina faculty member in the establishment of a national nursing program in Honduras in the late 1960s.

Sister Marilyn entered the Sisters of Religious Mercy in 1950 in Providence. She received a B.S. in Nursing from Salve Regina College in 1956, and an M.S. Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing from Catholic University of America in 1958, and then returned as faculty to Salve Regina College.

During 1966-1971, the administration and faculty of Salve Regina College actively supported Latin American universities in establishing academically recognized nursing education programs. Honduras was facing a critical nursing shortage and SRC faculty and administration provided the support to the National University of Honduras (UNAH), which led to the establishment of the UNAH Nursing Education program that continues to thrive. Sister Marilyn served as Assistant Director in 1966, and then Director of the Department of Nursing Education at National University of Honduras from 1967-1970. The program received official recognition from the World Health Organization.

Sister Marilyn also served as a short-term World Health consultant in Peru and Colombia assisting agencies in planning, implementing, and evaluating mental health programs and also conducted surveys of nursing education programs from 1969-1971. She authored articles on the role of psychiatry in the family life cycle, and surveyed methods of teaching psychiatric nursing.

Sullivan returned again to work as faculty at Salve Regina College as a professor of nursing and as administrative coordinator and counselor of the college's counseling center in 1970-1971. She continued to devote her life's work to mental health nursing, serving as director of various agencies, including the Morris County Mental Health Department in New Jersey and the University of Rhode Island Health Services.

She returned to Salve Regina College to earn a master's degree in Administration of Health Services in 1985. She received the Salve Regina Mission Award, which recognizes a Salve Regina graduate whose service to others exemplifies the mission of the University, in 2012.