The Renaissance
Page 5
October 2014
LSMSA teacher works with national politician Isabela Walkin Staff Writer One of the Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts’s very own has rubbed shoulders with a prominent national politician and past presidential candidate. Dr. David Wood, foreign language faculty member of LSMSA, met and worked with the young Mitt Romney when the two served as missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in and around Paris, France, in 1968. Wood and Romney lived in the same mission home, a headquarters for the missionaries during their stay, though they had different assignments. “He [Romney] was the assistant to the president [of the mission]. He helped the president with everything that had to do with the missionaries, the young 19 through 21, 22 year old guys or gals,” said Wood. “My assignment was to work with the leaders of the church,
the core French leaders of the area.” Despite their different mission goals, the two did interact in the mission home, chatting and occasionally going out to eat together. “Mitt was energetic. He was quick to smile and laugh - he had a good sense of humor,” said Wood. “He wasn’t an overly serious person. He was dedicated to the work and just fun to be around.” Although Romney had not yet reached his current level of national fame at the time of the mission, he came from an affluent family. His father, George Romney, was an influential American businessman and politician, having been governor of Michigan, a member of President Nixon’s cabinet, and chairman and president of American Motors Corporation. Romney, just 21 years of age at the time, was then known because of his father’s national prominence, but he soon started proving
Romney and Wood with their fellow missionaries.
Romney and Wood (standing sixth from the left) with their fellow missionaries. Courtesy of Jordan Thibodeaux
his own competence for leadership. “He had a lot of leadership ability. That was obvious, way back then,” said Wood. “He had been a district leader, that is, in charge of four or six missionaries in a city, and then worked his way up. The position he held at the end of his mission was about as high a position as a missionary could hold. Before he even went on the mission, I think he was going to Stanford.” Wood has not spoken
Courtesy of Jordan Thibodeaux
with Romney since the trip, but he has been very impressed with what his fellow missionary has accomplished. “He has held some important leadership positions in our church in the area of the country where he lives,” said Wood. Wood also offered insight into Romney’s political career. “I don’t think he was born and bred as a politician. He’s an intelligent person; he wants to make a difference and help
people. He’s very altruistic, but I don’t think he was a hardcore politician with Machiavellian instincts. I think he maybe tried to please too many different factions in the Republican Party. I think if he could have run as a moderate Republican, he would have been successful [in his campaign for president],” said Wood. Whether Romney is president or not, Wood’s relationship with him surely gives him a story to tell.
Dr. Wood, beaming in his office. Taken by Elizabeth Fontenot
The Renaissance
October 2014
Page 12
The Donlons turn in their passports for LSMSA Johnnette Johnson Staff Writer From Baton Rouge, to Illinois, to Turkey, Cyprus and Botswana, the Donlons, Dr. Jocelyn Donlon, humanities faculty member of the Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts, and her husband, Dr. Jon Donlon ,have contributed their expertise in English language and culture. Both are also authors of books particular to their field of study. Their adventure started in 1984 when Jocelyn Donlon accepted an offer from her former French teacher at The University of Louisiana Lafayette to teach English in France. “We went to Europe for a year. That kind of started our love of living and teaching in different
places,” said Jocelyn Donlon. Subsequent of their residence in France, they completed their doctoral degrees at the University of Illinois, where Jocelyn Donlon studied American literature and culture, and Jon Donlon studied leisure in a psychological and philosophical sense. Jocelyn Donlon’s studies in American literature and culture evolved eventually into a passion for folklore and Southern fiction, which was the hallmark of her dissertation. Donlon extended her dissertation into an academic study, “Swinging in Place: Porch Life in Southern Culture,” while living in Botswana for a semester. The couple moved to Botswana after Jon
Donlon was hired at the University of Botswana. After their return to Louisiana, Jon Donlon applied for a position on the island of northern Cyprus, located off the coast of Turkey. The Donlons lived in Cyprus for a year, before moving back to Louisiana. But eventually, they moved to Turkey. Their residence in Turkey was prompted by the head of the department of American Studies at Ege University, whom the Donlons met at a conference. At this conference, Jocelyn Donlon was asked to teach in Turkey. After Jocelyn Donlon was awarded a Fulbright scholarship, a program that sends distinguished scholars out of the country as representatives, the Donlons lived
The Donlons, Jocelyn and Jon, presenting each others’ publications.. Taken by Johnnette Johnson
The Donlons, Jocelyn and Jon, sitting in the Quadrangle. Taken by Johnnette Johnson
in Turkey for half of a year. “They send important scholars as representatives of the United States over to other countries, so was a pretty big deal,” said Jon Donlon. From Turkey, the couple moved back to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and started their very own business, Donlon Consulting. “We did field work in cultural interpretation, which is basically going around and looking at cultural resources that can be used for tourism promotion or for educational programs,” said Jocelyn Donlon. After Hurricane Katrina, their business career came to a halt. At the perfect time, a Japanese colleague of Jon Donlon contacted him about a job opening in Japan. Although they initially planned to live in Japan for two
years, their residence expanded to eight years. While living in Japan, Jon Donlon completed his book, “Bayou Country Bloodsport: The Culture of Cockfighting in Southern Louisiana.” Although the language barrier presented a problem, the Donlons thoroughly enjoyed living and teaching in Japan. In their contemplation of departing Japan, LSMSA advertised an opening for a faculty member in the Humanities department, which led to the Donlons’ current residency here in Natchitoches. “I am very happy to be here; I really am. This is really the job for me right now at this time of my life. It’s not exotic or international, or anything like that, but it’s where we belong,” said Jocelyn Donlon.