William J. Sullivan serves as National Chairman of the AOH National Board’s Irish Way Program’s Scholarship and the AOH National Board’s Study Abroad Scholarships, as well as the National Chairman of the AOH National Board’s Hunger Project. The AOH National Board Scholarship initiatives provide opportunities for AOH members children and grandchildren to study in Ireland, while our Hunger Project provides for community outreach by our Divisions to exemplify the AOH motto of “Friendship, Unity and Christian Charity.”
Bill Sullivan, a native of Lawrence, MA and graduate of Central Catholic High School, Salem State University and Cambridge College, retired from the Lawrence Public Schools in 2009 where he served for 35 years as a teacher, Assistant Principal, Principal and District Administrator.
A member of the Rev. James T. O’Reilly OSA Division 8 AOH in his hometown for 47 years, he has served on the AOH National Board, the Massachusetts AOH State Board, the Essex County AOH Board, and Division 8 AOH in a variety of elective and appointive offices, most recently as an AOH National Director.
Besides being a member of the AOH, Bill is a member of the Knights of Columbus, the Irish Cultural Centre of New England, and the Boston Irish Network, just to note a few. He was selected by Division 8 as their Irishman of the Year in 1982 and was the 2014 recipient of the David R. Burke Golden Bridges Award by the Irish Echo Newspaper of New York. In May 2018, he was awarded the Saint Marcellin Champagnat Award for Humanitarian and Community Service by Central Catholic High School in Lawrence, MA.
In December 2009, he was awarded National Life Membership in the Ancient Order of Hibernians. In addition to his other Irish activities and commitments, he serves as the Volunteer Director of Division 8’s Hibernian Irish Collection; a collection of over 20,000 Irish books, Irish media, Irish Exbibits and Irish memorabilia that is housed in the David R. Burke Memorial Room at the South Lawrence Library in Lawrence, MA.
Irish Way & Study Abroad Scholarships Report – May 2025
It’s hard to believe that 2025 is already a third over and summer will soon be upon us. Do you have a child or grandchild of high school or college age who has talked about studying in Ireland? If so, now is the time to do something about it. Your AOH National Board has scholarship initiatives to make this idea possibility happen. The AOH offers a $1,000 scholarship for high school students to study in Ireland during the summer in the Irish Way Program. At the same time the AOH offers a $3,000 scholarship for a full year of study and/or a $1,500 semester scholarship for study at a college of your choosing in Ireland. Let’s find out more.
For more than 35 years the AOH has helped American high school students study in Ireland through the Irish Way Program. This multifaceted program consists of a wide variety of classes, workshops and tours. The dates for the 2025 Irish Way Program are June 29 – July 23.
The $1,000 scholarship offered is for an AOH member who is attending high school, as well as for the child or grandchild of an AOH member. For more information on this scholarship, and the Irish Way Program, please visit our AOH National Web Page (aoh.com) under Committees/ Scholarships. Information on this program and our Irish Way scholarship can also be found on the AOH Facebook page.
If you are a college student, or the parent or grandparent of a college student who just might be on the fence to study or not study in Ireland, take the leap or at least give it some serious thought. This scholarship could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to study abroad! Opportunity does not knock twice! We strongly encourage you to take advantage of this scholarship’s golden opportunity. Please check out the AOH National Board website under Committees/Scholarships for a Study Abroad Scholarship Application and other pertinent information on studying in Ireland at the undergraduate and graduate level. Information on our study abroad scholarships can also be found on the AOH Facebook page. Please note: our college scholarships are open-ended until filled.
Please feel free to contact me with any concerns, comments or questions. I look forward to hearing from you! My email address is: williamjsullivan@verizon.net Happy Spring!