(January 27, 2014)

Staff Q&A with Tommy Newton

SHREVEPORT, LA — Tommy Newton, Director of Admission at Centenary, spent the bulk of his 17-year career in higher education as the Director of Recruitment at Southern Methodist University's (SMU) Meadows School of the Arts. Newton met his wife, Amy, as an undergraduate at Steven F. Austin State University and received his MA from SMU. They are proud parents of the nearly 3-year-old Milly and 6-month-old Sammy.

1. Where did you grow up?
I'm a proud "Army brat" who was born in Houston, Texas. Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Texas, and Hawaii followed. When my dad retired from the service we moved to the north Houston suburb of Spring, Texas.

2. What would students be most surprised to find out about you?
If left to my own devices, I could subsist on Haribo Gummy Bears, Swedish Fish, and Diet Coke.

3. Most treasured moment at Centenary?
That's easy—when my wife, Amy, had an emergency C-section and delivered our preemie baby-boy more than a month early and the Centenary Family ensured that we didn't cook a meal for more than two weeks!

4. What leader do you most admire?
Princess Leia, a senator by the age of 20 who led the rebellion against the evil galactic empire and is one heckuva shot with a blaster!

5. What's an item you still have on your bucket list?
I have a pair that are "Magnum: P.I." related:
A. Drive a red Ferrari 308 around the island of O'ahu.
B. Take an "island hopper" helicopter tour of O'ahu.

6. What is your goal this year?
To welcome a whole bunch of students to Centenary!

7. What advice would you give your students?
Go to class! Nobody takes better notes than you do!