Breaking Barriers and Finding Purpose: Noah Sullivan’s Journey to Baylor Law School
Raised in Laverne, California, 1L Noah Sullivan’s path to law school was not always set in stone. “It came down to a deal with my parents where if I got into Baylor for undergrad, I’d go, and if I didn’t, they’d get off my back, and I’d get to join the military,” he explained. After his acceptance to Baylor, Sullivan enrolled as a business major.
As a first-generation college student, Sullivan struggled with imposter syndrome, feeling inadequate compared to his peers. Despite this, Sullivan forged ahead, relying on his faith and headstrong nature. “I just knew that God was calling me in a certain direction,” he said, “And if this [wasn’t] it, he’d make it perfectly clear that that’s not where I was supposed to go.”
Early in his academic career, Sullivan considered honoring his father by following in his footsteps in law enforcement. However, it was his father, a police officer, who initially inspired him to pursue a legal career. Sullivan explained that his father told him, “If you really want to do good, you really want to help people, you [have] to get in the courtroom.” As a result, Sullivan decided to seek a career within the legal field, hoping to be able to advocate for others.
Sullivan knew it was at Baylor Law School where he would take the next step in God’s plan for his life. “If you want to be the best, well-spoken attorney and legal advocate you can be, I don’t think there’s anywhere else in the country you should go,” Sullivan said. Still, before coming to Baylor Law, expecting a high-pressure and fierce competition environment, he worried that his fellow students might be too intense for him, a first-generation law student. Instead, he discovered a welcoming and supportive community where classmates empathize with one another and are always willing to help. “[Other students] want to support you, they want to have a good laugh, they want to relax, but when it comes time to it, they know when they need to study,” Sullivan explained.
Winning Professor Larry Bates’s contract competition in his first quarter was a proud moment for Sullivan and a testament to his dedication and work ethic. “Maybe I’m not the smartest person in the room, but I’m the hardest working,” he remarked. “And I’m going to make sure I leave an impression on this place.” This achievement set the tone for his approach to law school, where his persistence and determination have guided him through every challenge.
Recently, Sullivan completed a summer internship with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office. His enthusiasm for public service was renewed after working with prosecutors with a firm sense of justice and compassion, dropping cases when they could not provide sufficient evidence or pursuing alternatives to jail time. “It’s not necessarily about throwing the book at people; it’s about helping them and making sure that…victims see the justice that they need to see, but also that we’re not just perpetuating a cycle that is going to do more harm than good,” Sullivan said, “that we’re actually working toward a better society…and I was hooked the moment I got there,” Sullivan said his experience with the DA’s office echoes his father’s advice of advocating for a better world through serving something bigger than oneself.
Sullivan aspires to impact the world through public service, focusing on criminal justice, to make a difference. Even though he is only starting his legal journey, his demanding education at Baylor Law School sets him up to succeed as the lawyer he dreams of being. Sullivan is determined to continue his family’s ideals and make a difference.
