Down Life's Highway

When I first met Dr. Tom Johnson, the new president of Lamar State College-Orange, who replaced Dr. Mike Shahan, who served 24 years as LSCO president. I liked Mike, he and I were bonded by an old Port Arthur connection but here was this new guy, Johnson, I had no idea where he hailed from but I knew that he was going to be alright. I could tell right away, and I told him so, that anyone who wore a bow tie with cowboy boots had to be alright and would do to ride the range with. I recalled in my earlier days that Sen. Dudley J. LeBlanc, the Hadacol medicine man who became a millionaire, along with the Abbeville sheriff Irby Hebert, wore bowties but no boots. I recall my father Clay laughing about a sheriff with a bowtie and no gun. All that came back to me when I met Dr. Tom. I learned he wasn't a power puff. This guy would have to be hardened by 20 years of service in one of the toughest police departments in the country, in Houston, Texas. On the other hand he had to have a politicians' quality after serving in Washington with our congressman Charlie Wilson. Looking him in the eyes I asked, "Where are you from?" Doc responded, "In Port Arthur, on 39th St. and raised on Nick's and MawMaw Judice's boudin. That's all I needed to join us at the hip. The town that produced Coach Jimmy Johnson also gave birth to this guy, who is no dummy. Different than CPA John Dubose and me, he is hanging it up at age 63.

Here is his education background. He earned five college degrees, including two associate degrees, a bachelor of science in Criminology and Corrections and a master of science in Criminal Justice. Management from Sam Houston State University, and a doctorate in Higher Education Administration from Texas Southern University.

Johnson was confirmed as president of LSCO in August, 2018, by the Board of Regents of the Texas State University System. He stated at the time, "Lamar State College Orange will be a place where hope meets opportunity and together we will transform lives. The majority of our students are first generation (like me) who just want a better life for themselves and their families. LSCO provides the educational pathway for that dream to become a reality." "LSCO is an oasis for those who seek a trade, craft skills or take advantage of local low-cost, high quality academic courses that can transfer to a university. We are an open-door institution of higher education that focuses on our students and, my friends, we do it well." Under Johnson's tenure as president, LSCO has grown with increasing enrollment and graduates. Since 2019, LSCO has introduced 17 new programs of study including electromechanical technology, building construction technology, court reporting and massage therapy, among others. He completed 10 years of golds in six years.

The move is bittersweet for Johnson, who says LSCO has been the greatest honor of his life. He and his wife, Karen, will treasure the friendships made in the Orange community. The president said he looks forward to traveling and spending more time with family and wife, since they are both relatively young and in good health.

Going back to the college's first president Dr. Joe Ben Welch, when it was affectionately called "Tilly Tech," the school has been blessed with good leaders. However, Dr. Tom has cut quite a path for others to follow. We await the next LSCO president who has some big shoes to fill. On a personal note, even though Tom is younger than any of my children and I'm old enough to be his grandfather, I would be a proud one. He will be around for another seven months so during that time I hope to turn 91. If I don't, I wish Tom and Karen a long, happy, healthy life filled with the joy they have earned.