Dr. Nick Sullivan (BMus '04), Fine Arts Recruitment & Retention Specialist

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I was raised in Lethbridge, so I’ve been here for a while! I attended school locally, but as a budding musician I was able to participate in and benefit from some of the great programming the University offered through the Conservatory of Music during my school years. It made it easy to decide to attend the University of Lethbridge for my undergraduate degree, in music!

I’ve always been attracted to the coast, however; probably a by-product of my family having come to Alberta from Eastern Canada. I was able to continue my studies in music at the University of Victoria, satisfying my urge for more music but also an ocean and seafood! I returned out to the west coast to complete my doctorate in Vancouver at UBC, but I’ve always found my way back to Lethbridge and the great things that we have to offer in our city.

How long have you been at ULethbridge and what do you do here?

I’ve been teaching in the Department of Music at ULethbridge since 2007, working with our students in a variety of classes. I have the pleasure of teaching our low brass students (tuba, trombone, euphonium) in the Faculty of Fine Arts.

In addition, I’ve taken on a new role this past spring as the Recruitment and Retention Specialist for the Faculty of Fine Arts. In this role, I get to connect with potential students from all walks of life, supporting our Faculty in recruitment initiatives and sharing the wonderful things that happen throughout the Faculty of Fine Arts!

What's the best part of your job?

I truly believe that we offer a superb and unique experience for our developing artists in the Faculty of Fine Arts. Being able to talk about my excitement for our programs and opportunities, sharing those ideas with young students, and supporting their enthusiasm to join us in their artistic and academic pursuits is brilliant!

Having worked with several students from acceptance to graduation over the years in the Department of Music, I know how successful they can be with the support of all the amazing people that are at ULethbridge.

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

Well, I’m an active musician across Western Canada, so I tend to always be practicing and performing! I love to have the opportunity to perform new music written for my instrument (bass trombone) and getting the chance to share my love of music with listeners. Chances are if you’ve ever been walking through the Centre for the Arts, you’ve heard me playing a bit ‘too loud’ while classes are going on!

Our family loves to camp, and we have a year-long site that we visit nearly every weekend. Amongst other things, we’ve recently completed building gazebos and decking, with several solar panels and other amenities to firmly move the experience from ‘camping’ to ‘glamping’!