NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Yale women's crew alumna Elizabeth "Betsy" Sullivan '74, '76 MA has been named a recipient of the 2024 Yale Medal.
 
The Yale Medal is the highest honor presented by the Yale Alumni Association and has been given to over 340 individuals who have shown extraordinary devotion to Yale's ideals and demonstrated their support through extensive, exemplary services to the university and its schools, institutes, and programs. 
 
Sullivan was one of the trailblazers for women's varsity sports at Yale. In 1972, she became a founding member of the Yale women's crew program and then during the 1973-74 season, she became the first varsity captain of the program.
 
Sullivan is being honored as a leader who is more committed to results than recognition. She has made significant contributions to the Graduate School Alumni Association, the YAA Board of Governors, Yale Women's Crew alumni association, Yale Day of Service, the Alumni Schools Committee, and the Yale Club of Cleveland.
 
In her role as co-chair of Yale Day of Service in 2020 and 2021, Sullivan worked with her co-chair to find creative ways to foster community when in-person gatherings were off-limits due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She supported and promoted projects like a letter-writing campaign for seniors experiencing isolation and loneliness and amplified Yale Day of Service virtual programs throughout the broader global alumni community. Sullivan was proactive in seeking feedback from Yale Day of Service leaders; this engagement with the broader volunteer group impacted the trajectory of Yale Day of Service programming moving out of the pandemic and laid important foundations for the program's infrastructure.
 
Sullivan has a highly regarded reputation in the regional community in Cleveland and all of Ohio, where she has reliably and enthusiastically supported and led multiple activities and programs over the years. Her unwavering dedication to getting the job done no matter the circumstances and genuine love for Yale make her an invaluable member of the alumni community. 
 
Sullivan will be honored, along with four of her peers, in a special ceremony during the YAA Assembly and Yale Alumni Fund Convocation event.