Inaugurations are rare events at St. Thomas University in St. Paul. It's had just three presidents in 47 years.
But on Thursday, it will make history when Dr. Julie Sullivan is formally installed as the first female president, and the first lay person at the Catholic university. To mark the occasion, St. Thomas has canceled all afternoon classes that day to allow students, faculty and staff to attend.
Sullivan, 56, started her job July 1. She was preceded by Father Dennis Dease, who became president in 1991, and Monsignor Terrence Murphy, who started his term in 1966.
The ceremony begins at 2 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 17 at the field house of the Anderson Athletic and Recreation Complex at the university's St. Paul campus.
