A woman’s commitment to education and profound respect for medical professionals will live on through a new scholarship at Virginia Peninsula Community College.
Christopher Sullivan established the Susan Diane Sullivan Memorial Scholarship in memory of his late wife, donating $10,000 to the VPCC Educational Foundation. The fund will provide four $2,500 scholarships to eligible students in the College’s Emergency Medical Services program. Awards will go to two recipients in the fall semester and two in the spring.
A Williamsburg resident, Sullivan said the scholarship acknowledges his wife’s belief that education strengthens communities.
“She was very committed to that idea of being a lifelong learner,” he said, noting she strongly encouraged their son, Michael, throughout his studies at VPCC.
For Michael, seeing a scholarship named for his mother brings sadness and gratitude. She died in July 2025, but her legacy honored by students training to serve their communities brings some solace.
“There’s part of me who wishes this wasn’t being introduced for the reason it is,” Michael said. “But my mom was probably one of the biggest supporters of people in the medical field, whether nurse, physician, paramedic, or EMT.”
He described his mother as kind and welcoming. He said those were her most endearing qualities and the foundation of her belief in healthcare professionals.
“She had such a big heart,” he said. “My mom was probably the most heartwarming and welcoming person you’ll ever meet. No matter what walk of life you’re coming from, she accepted you for who you are.”
The scholarship also reflects the College’s impact on Michael’s career. He first enrolled in its EMT program in 2018 and joined the Army shortly after. He served four years as a combat medic and reached the rank of sergeant. Michael returned to VPCC in 2022 and graduated a year later with an associate degree in EMS management and his paramedic certification.
Today, Michael works as a firefighter-paramedic with the Southgate Fire Department near Detroit. He credits VPCC with putting him on track and giving him the skills to provide compassionate patient care.
“I was spinning my wheels when I joined my EMT program,” he recalled. “I didn’t really have a direction in life, what I wanted to do, or where I wanted to go. So, the program shaped my career.”
His father hopes the scholarship will encourage future EMS professionals to pursue their goals and even continue their education. He offered encouraging words and sound advice for scholarship recipients.
“Thank you for seeking a career in EMS. It’s very important as a society that we have the knowledge, skills, and ability to take care of people,” said the elder Sullivan, further urging students to continue their education because EMS training is an ideal gateway to other healthcare careers.
He is heartened that the scholarship has already drawn an outpouring of support from family, friends and others.
“The response from family and friends to this opportunity to fund these scholarships has been overwhelmingly positive … 100% positive. I have received (for the Educational Foundation toward the scholarship) donations from people that I haven’t spoken to literally in 40 years,” he marveled.
“That’s a testament to their desire to help the community, and more specifically to help EMS students and the program,” Sullivan added.
While his initial agreement with the foundation covers one year, he is committed to funding the scholarship at its current $10,000 per year level for the foreseeable future. Sullivan hopes to achieve this through a combination of personal donations and fundraising in collaboration with community groups and the College.
As for Michael, an opportunity to reflect on the scholarship came during a stop at VPCC’s Historic Triangle Campus while in town from Michigan for a visit. Alongside his wife, Jacqueline, he toured the College’s EMS facilities with EMT faculty member Kerri Duncan. The tour became a “family” reunion. They reminisced about classroom experiences, faculty members and Michael’s classmates.
He said the VPCC student experience introduced him to the medical field and to instructors, including Duncan, who became mentors and friends. Classmates were also close-knit, and that sense of family still resonates.
“We spent so much time together, either in class or at clinicals or studying. We showed up together, we worked, learned, and cried together,” he recalled. “I think that’s what I miss the most. It’s the family atmosphere, the learning together, struggling together, and being victorious on the other end together.”
Michael emphasized the Susan Diane Sullivan Memorial Scholarship sends a message of support and encouragement.
“Not only do I believe in you, but my mom believes in you, my dad believes in you, our family believes in you,” he said, speaking to students selected for the award and others in the EMS program.
