Jack Sullivan’s passion for writing and teaching ‘inspire each other’

By Jasmine White

The famous quote by Mark Twain, “find a job you enjoy doing and you will never have to work a day in your life,” is the epitome of Jack Sullivan, a professor and accomplished writer, who lives his life sharing his love for journalism with students.

Former chair of the English department at Rider, Sullivan, who obtained his doctorate from Columbia University, wrote for a series of publications during his career and published a number of books. 

A few notable publications include The New Republic, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post.

“My first book was my Columbia dissertation, and it was a book called ‘Elegant Nightmares’ on the English Ghost Story,” Sullivan recalled. “Very few people were doing work in that field, and it’s very popular now, but it was a breakthrough for me.”

Originally from Clemson, South Carolina, Sullivan began his college career at Furman University of South Carolina, where he wrote for its publication, prompting his journalism career. 

Sullivan identified as Catholic in his early years, and began writing reviews for a smaller Catholic publication.

“This was a very long time ago but there was [a publication] called Catholic World,” Sullivan said. “I think it was kind of a progressive Catholic publication, and the editor asked me to start writing book reviews for them, and it was really great for me because I got to keep writing and I got a byline.”

More recently, he took his literary talents and wrote program notes for Wexford Opera as well as Carnegie Hall in fall 2025, including the gala opening concert, the Philharmonia Orchestra, the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, the Galilee Chamber Orchestra, the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, The Knights and the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra. 

Additionally, Sullivan wrote for The Metropolitan Opera and Play Bill Magazine, writing a wide range of play and music reviews, especially after his move to the Upper Westside in Manhattan, New York. 

Right before the pandemic, Sullivan wrote what he considered to be his favorite work because it was the piece that “saved his sanity,” while bedridden in a hospital room. 

“I did something for Carnegie Hall called ‘Beethoven at 250’ and it was on the 250th anniversary of Beethoven.” Sullivan said, smiling at the memory. “There was a whole festival then and I’m really proud of [that piece.]”

Outside of his freelance work, Sullivan teaches a number of English and journalism courses. At Rider, some select courses he teaches are writing and publishing, Broadway live and monsters in literature. 

Though Sullivan’s commute to Rider is a few hours by train, the impact on his students’ education makes up for the distance. 

“I really love teaching [and] I love being with the students,” Sullivan said.

Rider alum Jake Tiger ’25, was one of Sullivan’s students in a few of his classes. According to Tiger, the most impactful class was monsters in literature, giving him and his peers a new, broader perspective on creative writing.

“I gained a lot of appreciation for monsters in literature and horror,” Tiger said. “[I learned how to] analyze media as a whole, approaching writing from a more introspective and emotional standpoint.”

This course taught Tiger how to take a look beyond the surface approach when analyzing the creatures depicted in different novels, such as Frankenstein’s monster in “Frankenstein.”

“One of my biggest takeaways is that horror oftentimes is very beautiful because creatures that [writers] create are embodiments of their fears and their doubts,” Tiger said.

Jay Roberson ’25 reflected on Sullivan and his teaching tactics, acknowledging how personable and warmhearted Sullivan is with his students in the classroom and beyond that setting. 

Roberson’s key memories of Sullivan stemmed from his Broadway show course, where he took students to see shows in New York.

“It was [about] six shows throughout the semester and it was just so personal because we would go out to dinner all together afterward, and we would just talk about the shows and spend time together in New York,” Roberson said. 

Sullivan has been a part of the Rider community since 1983 and he continues to share his passion for writing and music with all his students. 

Sullivan’s well-versed career allowed him to bring his stories of personal experience while working in the journalistic field, inspiring up-and-coming writers.

“My two passions are teaching and writing,” Sullivan said. “They inspire each other.”