Close to 700 University of St. Thomas students are expected at a special event on campus today in honor of retiring president Fr. Dennis Dease.
In February, the school announced Julie Sullivan would take over as the new president of the St. Paul Catholic school, the largest private college in Minnesota with close to 10,000 students.
The first lay person to lead St. Thomas, Sullivan, 55, served as executive vice president and provost at the University of San Diego. St. Thomas officials have said Sullivan is expected to officially start as president in July.
A free lunch as well as ice cream and cupcakes will be served on the plaza. Hundreds of students have already shown their gratitude by signing thank-you banners that will hang in the Anderson Student Center.
![The University of St. Thomas announced its new president Julie Sullivan at a press conference today, Thursday, February 14, 2013. She is the school's first female and first lay person to serve as president. The Board of Trustees this morning elected the successor to Father Dennis Dease, who will retire June 30 after 22 years as 14th president of Minnesota's largest private college or university. ] GLEN STUBBE * gstubbe@startribune.com EDS: behind her are l to r top, Archbishop John Nienstedt, Fr. Kevin McDonough and Bishop Lee Piche. Bottom: Archbishop Terry Flynn, search committee chair John Morrison and Fr. Dennis Dease.](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/OMOFD7ZDY5BCPOZMLWSUVD3XRU.jpg?&w=1080)
