Steve Sheridan always had a passion for writing. A dedicated reader of The Boston Globe, the Bay State native was especially captivated by the punchy prose and colorful metaphors of the newspaper’s sportswriters and columnists – chief among them, Dan Shaughnessy.
From left: Jack, Steve, Rachel and Julia
“I always wanted to be the next Shaughnessy, writing sports for The Globe,” said Sheridan, assistant athletic director for communications.
Sheridan grew up in Westford, theoretically 45 minutes west of Boston – emphasis on “theoretically,” thanks to the white-knuckle traffic snarl that is Interstate 93. He attended Colgate University, where he double majored in Latin and history.
“My college adviser is to blame for the Latin. She noticed that I took it in middle and high school, and in our first meeting she asked me why I hadn’t registered for a course. I guess I didn’t have a good answer.”
Still, journalism remained his true calling. His college years were filled with late nights chasing stories for The Colgate Maroon-News. By senior year, he was editor-in-chief. The newspaper life beckoned, but the industry’s decline prompted a pivot to a more stable career path.
“I did some work for the athletics office at Colgate but didn't think of it as an option until I dropped my resume off at a Boston job fair. My writing background got me my first job in athletic communications at Northeastern University.”
At Union, Sheridan manages the marketing and strategic communications for 26 Division III and Division I sports. His work may be found on the athletics website and social media channels.
His official Union home may be a basement office in the Athletics Center, but good luck finding him there – he’s more often out on fields, courts or rinks, on campus and on the road. Years of covering everything from baseball to hockey have made it easy for him to put names to the faces of hundreds of student-athletes.
“I always find it amusing when students stop by my office or come up to me somewhere on campus and introduce themselves so formally,” he said. “I want to respond with, ‘Yes, I know who you are; I saw you score four goals last week.’”
Sheridan lives in Clifton Park with his wife, Rachel, and their two children, Jack and Julia. Although his Massachusetts driving instincts have atrophied a bit after years of living in upstate New York, he freely admits those primal reflexes kick back in during the trip to Hampton Beach, N.H., for the family Fourth of July reunion.
FIRST APP YOU LOOK AT IN THE MORNING:
The New York Times Games app. I try to avoid social media until after the morning chores, and I like to get at least the crossword puzzle done before my kids wake up. I’m currently on a streak of more than 1,200 consecutive days of completing it – I really hope this isn’t a jinx – so I don’t like to leave it to the last minute (especially on game days).
WHAT’S THE LAST GREAT BOOK YOU READ?
“Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland.” My wife and I watched the Hulu miniseries based on the book. It was great, but the book was even better. I usually read historical nonfiction or a crime thriller.
BEST ADVICE YOU EVER RECEIVED:
The highs that come from watching student-athletes you know succeed are incredibly rewarding, and that’s one of the things that keeps me motivated daily. While in my first job out of college at Northeastern University, we had just watched the men’s hockey team beat No. 1 Boston College in overtime. When we got back to the office, my boss said, “Nights like this are why I love my job. You might not like every minute of every day, but finding times to love it makes the other times worth it.”
WHAT ARE YOU WATCHING RIGHT NOW?
Whatever my wife is watching. I usually don’t get interested until I eventually get sucked in anyway. On the rare occasion I’m watching something on my own, I’m catching up on “Welcome to Wrexham.”
ONE SKILL YOU WISH YOU HAD:
I’ve always admired anyone who can play an instrument or sing in public. It might sound odd coming from someone with a quasi-public-facing job, but I’d love to have the ability and the confidence to do that.
THREE DINNER PARTY GUESTS (LIVING OR DECEASED):
Being from Massachusetts and loving sports, I’ll be stereotypical and say Tom Brady, David Ortiz and Larry Bird, just to hear stories about winning championships and what it’s like to be the best in the world at something.
FIRST CONCERT:
Other than a few small ones in college, I’ve never actually been to a real concert.
LITTLE-KNOWN FACT ABOUT YOU:
I’m a huge Latin and classical history nerd. I took nine years of Latin and have been to Italy three times, twice on school trips and once on my honeymoon. I don’t use my college Latin degree professionally, but I met my wife on a college extended study trip to Rome, so I’d say it’s paid off in a big way.
FAVORITE UNION MEMORY/EXPERIENCE:
Without a doubt, the men’s lacrosse team’s run to the 2022 national championship game. While the final didn’t go our way, the atmosphere was unlike anything I had ever experienced. The school spirit from Union students was incredible. I tried to soak in every moment, from hosting the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament, to the trip to Virginia for the quarterfinals and semifinals, to coming home from Connecticut after the final. You never know when you’ll get the chance to be part of a run like that again.