Webster U Grad with No Legs Makes Successful Run to Hollywood – Katy Sullivan Receives Alumni Award & Sweet Homecoming - - MEDIA ALERT - -
Katy Sullivan will receive Webster University’s prestigious 2011 Young Alumni Award – and she is in the St. Louis, MO area to not only accept the award but will also teach a Master Acting Class. Already a veteran actor of the theater, the silver screen and television, Sullivan has already worked with Jason Lee, Phillip Seymour Hoffman and soon to star in a movie called “Recalculating” set to film next summer in the Chicago area.
"Webster University was an incredible place for me to feel safe to grow into the beginnings of being an adult and St. Louis was the perfect city to compliment that transition! My professors helped me have the confidence that I needed to enter the professional acting world and know that I deserved to be there. Receiving the Young Alumni Award this year is an honor that I did not expect but am so very touched that I have created a life that has made my roots proud,"
Katy Sullivan is a gifted actress, a paralympic champion athlete and an inspirational story for everyone. You may recognize her as the feisty redhead on "My Name Is Earl" or maybe you have heard her sing the National Anthem ... but she is something special on those 'sexy, titanium Terminator legs' as she holds Paralympic World Records in the 100M and 200M Races. A member of Team USA, Sullivan will compete at the World Paralympic Games in London in 2012.
(St. Louis, MO - September 16, 2011) - Katy Sullivan will receive Webster University’s prestigious 2011 Young Alumni Award – and she is in the St. Louis, MO area to not only accept the award but will also teach a Master Acting Class. Already a veteran actor of the theater, the silver screen and television, Sullivan has already worked with Jason Lee, Phillip Seymour Hoffman and soon to star in a movie called “Recalculating” set to film next summer in the Chicago area.
AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEWS – In Studio or On Campus at Webster University
Publicist: Dianemarie (DM) Collins | DM Productions LLC - 623.825.9122 Ext. 2 |
Dates Available: FRIDAY September 23, 2011 or SATURDAY September 24, 2011
ONLINE PRESS ROOM – HD Video, high resolution images, bio and press releases can be found online at www.CisionWire.com/Katy-Sullivan
There are plenty of things you are not supposed to do when you have no legs. Katy Sullivan never got that memo! This a wonderful story of determination, dedication, motivation and inspiration – join Team Katy!
Additional Topics for Interview include:
- Sports: Competing on Team USA in London World Games
- Medical Breakthrough: Katy Sullivan’s new running legs by Hanger Prosthetics are breakthrough technology and should enable Katy to run even faster for Team USA
- Hollywood: Disabled in the acting community puts Katy square into the Diversity Programs of NBC/Universal. Katy was one of only 14 professionals showcased this July to producers, directors, screenwriters and casting directors for Hollywood’s biggest shows – plus some Hollywood gossip!
- Education Pays Off! – Webster University provided the training that has now blossomed into an acting career for Katy Sullivan who graduated the Conservatory of Arts with honors.
"I was born without legs and have worn prosthetic legs all of my life. I was raised in Alabama and spent my early years trying to be just like my siblings, flipping around in gymnastics and practicing three times a week with the local swim team. Sports became frustrating because it was hard for me to keep up with the other kids so I turned all of my energy into becoming an actor," said Sullivan. "My performing career has taken me all over the country. I have worked on stage in Chicago, in movies in New York, on different television series in Los Angeles, and even had the opportunity to sing at the 1996 Olympic opening ceremonies in Atlanta."
NBCUniversal promotes diversity with non-traditional casting choices which benefits the entertainment industry, both on and off camera.
“We are investing in diverse talent that can be utilized for future casting opportunities, which benefits the entire entertainment industry,” said Kendra Carter, Director, NBCUniversal Talent Diversity Initiatives in a recent interview.
NBC’s series My Name Is Earl featured an episode in Season 3 called ‘Killerball’ which featured Katy Sullivan as Tiffany Hansen. Killerball is a game involving bringing a ball to a goal while being attacked by other people in wheelchairs. Sullivan’s feisty performance is memorable.
"I decided to get my degree in theatre and I went to Webster University, a fantastic conservatory in the Midwest where I blossomed as an actress. My favorite time at school was when I was cast in the starring role in Hedda Gabbler.”
When Sullivan moved to Los Angeles in 2004, it brought her not only tremendous opportunity with acting but it also brought Sullivan the opportunity to meet Will Yule at Hanger Prosthetics. Katy Sullivan was gifted a pair of running legs from Hanger, and a new chapter in her life was created.
"Through the generous support of Hanger Prosthetics and Ossur I received custom made running legs built especially for my body. In my new carbon fiber sprinting legs I began to compete at a higher level and started to excel in the competitive world of physically challenged track and field," shared Sullivan, a world record holder in her paralympic competitions.
ABOUT WEBSTER UNIVERSITY
Innovative, Comprehensive, Fresh, Resourceful, Respected, Local, Global. There’s no one way to view Webster University.
The school — founded on the principle of providing a higher education to those who might not possess the opportunity to obtain one — today operates as a private, nonprofit, accredited university offering undergraduate and graduate education. The home campus is located in Webster Groves, Mo., a picturesque suburb of St. Louis. The university certainly has grown since it was established in 1915 and now includes more than 100 campus locations throughout the United States and across the globe. It’s created a unique educational environment at Webster, blending the conveniences of a small university with the opportunities of a large one. Webster is dedicated to academic excellence, innovation in higher education, meeting students’ needs in an ever-changing world and incorporating an international perspective throughout the curriculum. Students can choose from programs in the schools of business and technology, communications or education; or select majors in the colleges of fine arts or arts and sciences. They can study in the U.S., Austria, China, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Thailand. It’s all a part of the Webster experience. Currently the university enrolls about 22,000 students around the globe who range from traditional college-age students to adult learners. They represent more than 100 nationalities.
DM Productions LLC
Phoenix - Reno - Lake Tahoe
Contact Dianemarie (DM) Collins at 623.825.9122 Ext. 2 or Email: DM@DMProductionsLLC.com
www.KatySullivan.com
Tags:
