From Rider to the real world: Trevor Sullivan

By Jasmine White

Trevor Sullivan, ’22, would have never imagined the great lengths that his involvement at Rider would take him to, exploring new heights in Virginia over 390 miles from home as director of volunteer recruitment for Sigma Phi Epsilon Social Fraternity at its headquarters. 

Sullivan majored in popular music studies, while being involved in over 10 different clubs and organizations. Since the start of Sullivan’s freshman year, he made it his business to place himself in every event, organization and club if he even showed the slightest interest in it, expressing how “letting Jesus take the wheel” and “giving 100%” to everything he partook in guided him in all his academic and social endeavors.  

“With the combination of just going to God before joining something, doing a calendar and always wrapping it up with ‘Jesus take the wheel,’ that’s how I was able to balance everything,” Sullivan said.

Sullivan became involved with Greek organizations early on in his career at Rider and took on leadership roles in most of the clubs and organizations he was a member of. Sullivan was vice president of Rider’s chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon’s learning community from fall 2019 through 2020 and elected as president in the 2020-21 school year.

Sullivan is a member of Alpha Phi Omega Service Fraternity, Alpha Symphonia Music Fraternity, a “sweetheart” of Alpha Xi Delta Sorority and was named “Mr. Ivy” for Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. in 2020, holding this title for five years until the recent crowning of “Mr. Ivy” in 2025.

Outside of Greek life, Sullivan was a community assistant, an orientation leader and a part of the Rider cheer team, obtaining the title of cheer captain during his sophomore year through his senior year. Sullivan was the only male cheerleader that stayed all four years during his time.

“I left one team to join the cheer team [from highschool] and was like, ‘this is a great decision, and it’s my freshman year,’” Sullivan said. “I made a lot of great friends and we had our little cheer family.” 

Sullivan was known for many things, but his love for the gospel and singing in churches in the community and letting God guide his life purpose came above all. He was a part of Unashamed Voices, a club on campus that welcomed students to minister on campus and sing in church choirs.

“It was a place for me and others to continue to express their faith through what we know to do, which is singing,” Sullivan said. “Growing up in church and singing, this is a great way to jump in and continue to express my love for God.”

Throughout Sullivan’s consistently busy schedule, he made many connections by putting himself out there and being a “ray of light on campus” as described by Vice President for Student Affairs Nick Barbati.

Barbati and Sullivan developed a mentor-to-mentee relationship, which then translated to a long-lasting friendship over the years. Sullivan described Barbati as being one of the three mentors for him that he could talk to, whenever necessary, during the ups and downs of his college life.

“If [Sullivan] wasn’t in class or wasn’t involved, he was working in the [Bart Leudeke Center] where he would just kind of set up camp and do all his work, but he was always present,” Barbati said. “By seeing him so frequently, I got to develop this really wonderful bond with him.”

Barbati admired Sullivan’s diligence in being able to juggle all of his activities along with being an “exceptional student and an exceptional alumni,” saying how Sullivan made sure everyone got to experience Rider pride during and after the pandemic when it was tougher because that is “what he exuded.”

Sullivan also looked to Kadi Diallo, director of student involvement and first-year programs, and Christine Mehlhorn, dean of students and deputy Title IX coordinator.

“I would go to their office to just spend time with them if I had a problem, but sometimes it was just, ‘Hey, your door is open and I want to see you,’” Sullivan said.

While in his current position with Sigma Phi Epsilon, Sullivan expressed how he loves helping people, traveling and making connections with his fraternity brothers from outside of Rider. Sullivan wears his letters because he believes God placed him in the position he is in for the sole purpose of being in a position to continue to build up himself and others.

Sullivan leaves two pieces of advice to current students and the Rider community as a whole.

“Pray without ceasing,” Sullivan said. “I say that because my second piece of advice would be to try everything.” 

This is an installment of The Rider News’ “From Rider to the real world” series highlighting accomplishments of Rider alumni.