Cheers to John Sullivan and Dads' Alliance, our stars of the month. Meet the leader of the group of men committed to supporting USN, and discover what motivates him to volunteer with this dynamic group.
By Melanie Block, USNA Volunteer Coordinator
This month, our spotlight is shining brightly on Dads' Alliance and its leader, John Sullivan. Dads' Alliance extends a warm welcome to all fathers at USN, emphasizing community, service, and camaraderie. This dedicated group plays a vital role in supporting and enhancing various events at USN and contributes significantly to the vibrant spirit of the USNA community. Whether it's lending a hand at Artclectic, flipping burgers at Fall Fest, or bringing the hype to Spirit Night, Dads' Alliance is in the mix, making sure everyone is having fun. Big kudos to these folks for making our events top-notch.
Sullivan has been an active member of Dads' Alliance for two years and has served as the leader since the start of the school year. He credits Dads' Alliance with helping to provide a sense of connection to USN.
"We started at USN during COVID, so there were no group activities, and everyone was masked. It really slowed getting to know fellow parents. Dads' Alliance has been a great way to meet other dads, support school activities, and hang out and talk," he said.
Sullivan appreciates the pervasive positivity and general goodwill at USN that has welcomed his family since day one. Reflecting on his decision to volunteer, he considers the how quickly time flew by with his older children and feels fortunate to experience parenthood for the third time.
His golden nugget of advice? "Make every effort to be involved. Your kids will lovingly remember your involvement."
Outside of the Dads' Alliance and USN, Sullivan and his wife Amy are the ultimate sports parents. Their son Mason '32 plays baseball and basketball. Attending Mason's games is a priority, and they're also enthusiastic supporters of the Preds.
Sullivan has an invitation to all the USN dads out there: "Come see what you’re missing!" The Dads Alliance gathers every second Tuesday of the month in the Gordon Multipurpose Room.
A big thanks to Sullivan and the Dads' Alliance crew for all that you do to make USN an awesome place to be.
Students in grades 5-8 and their families can take USN Evening Class 702: Mah and Pah Jong and Me to learn to play a board game together while benefiting USN's need-based scholarship endowment.
The Helen Meador Summer International Fellowship funded a summer of professional development in South America for Lower School Naturalist Carrie Riley. Through this profound experience, she said she plans to bring these lessons into her teaching, grounding her voice in wonder, joy, and a commitment to protecting the natural world, which she loves.
The impact of USN’s Art Department is not confined to art studios in the Christine Slayden Tibbott Center. Students often engage with art in ways that transcend traditional classroom learning, such as at the opening reception for artist Yanira Vissepó's “Fantastical Views.”
Tiger golfers have officially qualified for the region tournament, and our other teams are not far behind. Volleyball sits near the top of the district, finishing up regular season play next week with Senior Night. Girls soccer continues to hold first place in the district after another 9-0 win, and our cross country runners are chasing after some school records. To round it all out, our mountain bike team traveled to Oakfield to continue to improve on their times for the season. There’s plenty more where that came from- so be sure to come out to the River Campus, Sperling Gym, or out on the road to cheer on our Tigers before their seasons end.
Middle School volleyball and tennis teams are nearing the final games of their seasons, with the competition heating up while the Tigers play to determine their HVAC rankings. Cross country was finally able to race at the River Campus despite the heat, and our mountain biking team traveled to Oakfield, Tennessee, for a high-temperature race weekend.
The MTB team returned to the the twisty trails of tranquil Oakfield, TN on Sept 13th to take part in the second race of the season, as part of the 5-race series hosted by the NICA/TICL League.
USN Mission: University School of Nashville models the best educational practices. In an environment that represents the cultural and ethnic composition of Metropolitan Nashville, USN fosters each student’s intellectual, artistic, and athletic potential, valuing and inspiring integrity, creative expression, a love of learning, and the pursuit of excellence.