Oct. 12, 2000

University of Illinois at Chicago senior cross country runner Shawn Sullivan has a very affable persona.

That persona has parlayed itself into several opportunities for the Kankakee native. His most recent opportunity came in the form of the Chicago Bears beat writer for Pro Football News Network.

"Luke Taylor, who used to be a tennis player (at UIC), forwarded me this e-mail from the director of programming at Pro Football News Network," Sullivan said. "I sent him my resume and clips and he flew in from Detroit. He interviewed me and said 'Hey you're the man."

Hanging around pro athletes and top-level journalists was nothing new to Sullivan.

"I interned at CLTV over the summer so I was in the Cubs and Sox locker rooms a lot," Sullivan said. "It's pretty cool. It's interesting being around such a large caliber of writers and reporters like Skip Bayless, Mike Mulligan and John Mullin."

Sullivan stepped up to the plate and didn't hesitate to approach the athletes.

"They're willing to talk," Sullivan said. "People think they are selfish, but they're not going to come up to you and talk. There is nothing to be scared of."

"Jose Valentin (of the White Sox) was really easy to talk to. As for the Bears, it's really hard to tell (who's easy to talk to). They haven't been real nice after games."

While Sullivan is enjoying writing for the Bears, he would like to be on camera soon.

"Television is what I want to do," Sullivan said. "The resume looks good right now, so hopefully I'll get a bite somewhere along the line."

His resume also includes his current stint as the Vice President of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee and as a member of the Midwestern Collegiate Conference committee.

"I like to be busy," Sullivan said. "I like to be in charge of things that are up to me."

Sullivan became a busybody early on in his life. He took up cross country in the sixth grade.

"(Cross Country) is a brutal sport," Sullivan said. "It started in my grade school, and there were only two sports you could play - basketball and track. So I figured I might as well do it.

"I was really the only one who could run a mile in the sixth grade and it just kind of blossomed from there."

Sullivan's career has come full bloom as a member of the UIC cross country team.

"I'm with a team now," Sullivan said. "We all run together and we have team-oriented goals. The running part isn't necessarily to fun part. It's the rewards of being a part of a team is what's fun."