Dr. Warren Donworth

I saw a book years ago that was titled: Meetings With Remarkable Men. While I only skimmed the book, it has struck me over the years that the direction of our lives can change overnight by our encounters with such people. I believe God sometimes puts such men in our paths to teach us about life. I've been very fortunate in my life to know a few remarkable men. One of the most remarkable I've known is a man named Warren Donworth.

Dr. Donworth is a professor of Welding Technology at Austin Community College in Austin, Texas. A few years ago I decided to go back to school to learn welding and blacksmithing. I looked all around only to find that the best program in the country was 20  minutes from my doorstep. ACC, like most community colleges, has a welding program that was started to fill a need in the community. When Dr. Donworth took over the program it was set to be discontinued. He was tasked with rejuvenating it. In what can only be described as pure genius, Dr. D expanded the welding curriculum to include classes in Art Metals. He reasoned that some people who would like to learn to weld didn't necessarily want to go into technical welding. Some people just want to use welding skills to make metal art.

The program has proved to be a tremendous success. The Art Metals program expanded to include blacksmithing and jewelry making. The energy in the welding department now is palpable. People are just plain excited to take classes there! The addition of art metals has proven to be synergistic as well. Technical welders look over and see artists making metal sculptures and want in on it. Art students look over at technical welding classes and see the potential for a new career and want in on that! People now come from all over the country to join the program. And all of this because of a remarkable man thinking outside of the box.

Dr. Donworth holds a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Educational Administration and wrote his dissertation on welding technology in Texas community colleges. Sitting in on one of his classes makes a few things immediately apparent. The man is a genius. He loves what he does and he instills that love in his students. He is the kind of teacher that makes learning exiting, fun and practical. He uses his deep, resonate voice and his vast knowledge and experience to make difficult concepts crystal clear. This man is a true teacher and motivator.

While Dr. Donworth and his lovely wife Koma have no children of their own, Dr. D has become a father-figure to hundreds, and perhaps thousands, of students over the years. His logic is simple...the college experience exists to get people into the work force. Taxpayers subsidize the students he teaches and he figures that they deserve to get a return on their investment. With that in mind Dr. D connects both former and current students with the work force opportunities in welding and welding inspection. He maintains the relationships and connections he's made, in some cases, for many years. When asked what his favorite thing is he is quick to answer: “Launching careers.”

One of the most remarkable things about Dr. D is the fact that he could go anywhere he wants and do anything he wants but he chooses to teach at a community college. He even stepped down as the department head of the program he created...just to teach. He was born to do it. He's probably launched more careers than any other instructor I've ever met. Any of his students will tell you how lucky they feel to have had him in their lives. I'm certainly one!

Perhaps the most remarkable thing about Dr. D is that, despite his higher education,  he has maintained his common sense! ( The old joke is that BS doesn't mean Bachelor's of Science, it means: BS! MS means: "More of the Same", and PhD means: "Piled Higher and Deeper"! ) Dr. D doesn't live in any Ivory Tower. He's often been referred to as a "Blue Collar PhD". He's one of those rare men that has maintained his connection to reality despite his lofty education.

One need only get him talking about politics to see that his common sense guides his thinking. More rare yet is that he is a conservative in world known to be mostly inhabited by liberals. That in it's self is enough to tell you he is his own man. He embodies the American spirit through and through. He's innovative, he's independent, he believes in giving back to his community and he's a light in a dark world...the kind American students need desperately. ( Now if we can just convince him to run for office!...Or, at the very least, clone him!! )

One may read this and think that it's only about Dr. Donworth. That isn't true. You see, I've been blessed not only to have this remarkable man as a teacher but I have the honor of knowing him as a friend as well. In a sense this is about how my life has been rewarded because of him. I am able to do what I do, and live where I live today, because of my friend Dr.Warren Donworth.

Thanks Warren...

Onward and Upward into the Light!