University president-elect Julie Sullivan will be the first layperson in St. Thomas’ history to head the university, but despite the shift in leadership, her promotion will leave the St. John’s Vianney Seminary and the St. Paul Seminary and School of Divinity unchanged.

President-elect Julie Sullivan will take a first step in making specific plans for St. Thomas on April 16, when she sends out a survey to students, faculty and staff.

TommieMedia creative designer Bailey Jordan compiled information for an infographic to demonstrate collegiate presidents in the U.S.

University of San Diego provost Julie Sullivan was announced as St. Thomas’ first female and lay president-elect Thursday at a press conference in the Anderson Student Center.

University Affairs Editor Gabrielle Martinson sat down with Julie Sullivan to discuss the things to come at St. Thomas under her leadership.

Sullivan, 55, will serve as the university’s 15th president and will succeed the Rev. Dennis Dease. She will take office July 1.

Many students vocalized their support for the president-elect, who will succeed the Rev. Dennis Dease who will step down June 30.

Chief Photo Editor Rosie Murphy and Senior Photographer Rita Kovtun captured the moments while Julie Sullivan was announced as St. Thomas’ first female and lay president-elect Thursday.

If recommended to and approved by St. Thomas’ Board of Trustees as the university’s new president, Julie Sullivan will have to leave sunny San Diego and make four-season Minnesota her new home.

With Thursday’s decision on St. Thomas’ new president looming, the university’s faculty and staff gave their opinions on who will lead the institution.

The St. Thomas presidential search committee recommended Julie Sullivan to serve as the next university president, according to a Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal report published Monday.

The staff member assigned to assist the search said it became clear that the presidency of St. Thomas was a desirable job when a committee began accepting applications last August.

Even though the presidential search committee was working toward recommending a candidate to the Board of Trustees before the holidays, that won’t happen until after the new year.

The St. Thomas presidential search committee is considering a “confidential” interview process for the remainder of the search but has made no final decision between that and an open process.

The Rev. John Malone said in an Undergraduate Student Government-sponsored public forum Thursday that the university’s presidential search committee is interviewing eight candidates for the job.