USNA Volunteer Spotlight: John Sullivan

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.
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School News

List of 3 news stories.

  •  University School of Nashville students Eleanor Mixon '27 and Dylan Omary '27 voted first the first time on Thursday, October 29, 2026 at the Scarritt Bennett.

    Seniors take field trip to cast first ballot

    All 40 eligible University School of Nashville students in the Class of 2037 registered to vote ahead of the voter registration deadline, and Eleanor Mixon '27 and Dylan Omary '27 walked across the street from USN to the Scarritt Bennett Center to cast their first ballots on the final day of early voting.
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  • The ballot box and beyond: USN Seniors civically engaged

    Students in High School History Teacher Cameron Parsons' Advanced Topics: American Government and Politics Class have been working diligently on civic engagement projects that required them to participate in the democratic process.
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  • An evening of erudition: 22 seniors enter Cum Laude Society

    Congratulations to the Class of 2027 inductees of the USN Cum Laude Society: Jack Barrett, Charlie Blau, Alder Brandon, Olivia Brown, Elisabeth Crane, Alexandra Drewry, Lucia Gellert, Melis Kurtulus, Abigail Manoukian, Lily Margalit, Eleanor Mixon, Louisa Nordberg, Mia Orefice, Karsen Puzniak, Ruchika Ramachandran, Jacqueline Seale, Elliott Spiller, Laine Theobald, Alexander Truss, Yifan Wang, Madeleine Wiseman, and Julia Young.
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Archive

Athletics News

List of 3 news stories.

  • Mountain Bike Team Takes on “Electric" State Champs Trails, Dehner Snags Overall Podium Medal

    Steve Smail & MTB Team Coaches
    With trail names like Megawatt, Electric Avenue, High Voltage and Livewire, the mountain bike team knew it was time to pedal out some extra watts for their NICA/TICL State Championships at Raccoon Mountain, and survive the technical trails above Chattanooga full of boulder gardens, rock drops and sandy rubble.
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  • Mountain Bike Team Takes on Winged Deer Trails, HS Makes Podium Appearance

    Steve Smail
    Winged Deer Park and trails in Johnson City hosted our 4th race on Sunday October 11th, and despite a bit of hurricane outwash winds and showers - and reduced team numbers due to fall break and distance from Nashville - our racers utilized all available skills and speed which helped “wing" Sophomore Claire Dehner to a 4th place podium spot, our first podium appearance and medal for the season.
     
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  • HS athletics recaps for September 11-17

    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.
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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.