Higher Education veteran Tracy Sullivan announces candidacy for Moraine Valley Board

Tracy Sullivan is offering nearly three decades of higher education experience for the benefit of Community College District 524, Moraine Valley Community College.

The Orland Park resident has announced her candidacy for the Moraine Valley Board of Trustees, an unpaid elected position.

“I bring an unmatched knowledge of higher education,” Sullivan said.

“I worked at Moraine early in my career and I served as an adjunct professor there for 20 years. I love Moraine and want to do what I can to help the best community college district in the State of Illinois,” she added.

Sullivan served as a purchasing agent at Moraine from 1994 to 1995 when she was named director of purchasing, a position she held until 1998 when she accepted a position at Governors State University.

Sullivan was named director of purchases at Governors State in 1998 and has served in several operational and procurement capacities including her current role as Associate Vice President of Procurement and Business Services at GSU.

She holds an MBA from Loyola University with a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree from St. Mary’s College of Notre Dame. She is a graduate of Providence Catholic High School.

“I really enjoyed serving as an adjunct professor at Moraine from 1994 to 2015 teaching business administration, marketing management, advertising, salesmanship and principles of marketing,” Sullivan said.

“I took classes at Moraine. I taught at Moraine and I worked at Moraine,” she said smiling. “I love Moraine Valley!” “I have lived in District 524 for a majority of my life,” she added.

“Moraine Valley Community College is the destination of choice not only for high school students but for adults from throughout the southwest suburbs,” Sullivan said. “I am willing to share my experience and knowledge to help guide Moraine Valley as the college plans its future,” she added.

Community College District 524 encompasses nearly 140 square miles and serves 26 communities including Alsip, Bedford Park, Blue Island, Bridgeview, Burbank, Calumet Park, Chicago Ridge, Crestwood, Evergreen Park and part of Forest View. The district also serves Hickory Hills, Hometown, Justice, Merrionette Park, part of Oak Forest, Oak Lawn, Orland Hills, Orland Park, Palos Heights, Palos Hills, Palos Park, Robbins, Summit, part of Tinley Park, part of Willow Springs and Worth.

Sullivan serves on a number of statewide boards, committees and councils, both chairing them and as a member. Her primary focus is procurement and supplier diversity.

She reports that she is passionate about these topics and often speaks as an expert or volunteers to assist with problem solving, business process redesign and drafting legislation improvements.

She added “Helping others, serving others, that is how I was raised. If listening, sharing my knowledge or working collaboratively with others improves a situation, we all win. I love MVCC and look forward to assisting the board and administration to continue offering excellent academic and non-academic opportunities for everyone.”

“College is not all academics. It’s the arts. It’s career programs. It’s athletics. It’s health and wellness and Moraine Valley Community College is a destination for everyone in the district to utilize,” she said.

Sullivan noted that her candidacy differs from others because of her extensive knowledge of state processes, expertise with higher education institutional topics, operational practices and business operations. “I have nearly 30 years of public higher education leadership experience,” she said.

“At Governors State, I’ve worked with university leadership on strategic planning, capital planning, construction bidding, business operational management, and compliance,” Sullivan said. “My proudest moment is when I see our students graduate and achieve their dreams.”

Sullivan was recognized by the university administration in fall of 2022 when she was awarded the university’s highest staff award for competency, integrity, dedication and civility.

Sullivan is a certified professional procurement official and is a member of the National Institute of Governmental Procurement and the National Association of Educational Procurement. She is also a member and Chair of the Board of Trustees of Illinois Public Higher Education Cooperative.

Details about Sullivan’s campaign can be found at votesullivan.com.

Election Day is April 4, 2023. Early voting will be available from March 20 until April 3 at a number of early voting sites within Community College District 524. Along with Monday through Friday hours, early voting will also be available on Saturday, March 25 and April 1 and Sunday, March 26 and April 2.

Early voting locations can be found on the Cook County Clerk’s website at https://www.cookcountyclerkil.gov/elections/ways-to-vote/early-voting/early-voting-locations.

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