RWU Class of 2026 Reflects on Mentorship, Purpose, and the Power of Education
BRISTOL, R.I., May 15, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The lesson Dick Sullivan ’79 wanted Roger Williams University graduates to remember was not one they would find on a syllabus, in a textbook, or listed among their degree requirements. It was mentorship – the trust, guidance, and belief that helped shape his life long before he fully believed in himself.
Speaking at RWU’s Commencement ceremony, Sullivan, the former Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of PGA TOUR Superstore, told the Class of 2026 that mentorship had been the defining thread through a career that spanned retail, sports, marketing, and entrepreneurship. Before delivering his keynote address, Sullivan received a Doctor of Humane Letters in recognition of his transformative leadership, commitment to innovation and organizational excellence, and longtime support of Roger Williams students.
“To me, mentorship is simple: Mentorship is trust, guidance, and belief – before you fully believe in yourself,” Sullivan said. “And today, I want to share a few lessons – really, qualities – that mentorship helped build my career.”
Sullivan centered his address on five lessons: work ethic, trust, the life-changing power of mentorship, core values, and lifelong learning. He recalled the early days of his career at TJX Corporation, when he made a point of arriving first and leaving last, not to impress anyone, he said, but to learn everything he could. A senior executive noticed and asked why he was always there so early and so late. That moment, Sullivan told graduates, changed everything.
“Hard work gets you noticed,” Sullivan said. “But more importantly – mentors invest in people who invest in themselves.”
Those early lessons helped propel Sullivan into leadership roles at The Home Depot, where he became one of the company’s youngest vice presidents, and later into new chapters with the Atlanta Falcons and PGA TOUR Superstore. Each step, he said, required him to build trust, take risks, and rely on mentors who saw his potential before he could fully see it himself.
One of those mentors was Arthur Blank, co-founder of The Home Depot, whose trust helped Sullivan move beyond his comfort zone and into major leadership assignments, including helping build the business side of the Atlanta Falcons after Blank purchased the team. Sullivan said the experience taught him that trust is not limited to one direction in an organization; it must extend to supervisors, colleagues, teams, and the people who count on you.
“Trust is the foundation for all relationships,” Sullivan said. “Without trust, mentorship does not happen. And remember, without mentorship, growth is limited.”
Dick Sullivan ’79, former Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of PGA TOUR Superstore, encouraged RWU’s 1,127 graduates to embrace mentorship, keep learning, and use their education to open doors for others. The ceremony celebrated the achievements of the Class of 2026, marking the culmination of their academic journey at Roger Williams University.
