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Luna’s Dr. John Thompson has had an interesting life
The person behind the title
Luna’s Career and Technical Education Director Dr. John Thompson says he has had a very interesting life.
And he sure has.
Dr. Thompson has been the CTE director at Luna for two years. Thompson oversees automotive technology, collision repair technology, barbering, cosmetology and welding.
“While I have been here we have revised our entire curriculum, created new assessment processes and broadened our student population with the hopes of increasing enrollment,” said Dr. Thompson. “We have also expanded job opportunities for students. “
During his tenure at Luna, Dr. Thompson has also brought in nearly $600,000 in grant funding.
Among his plethora of occupations, Dr. Thompson has been a dean of a college, an associate minister of education at a Methodist Church and at one point was a chicken farmer and owned 192,000 chicks that were eventually sold to Pilgrim’s Pride.
He has earned a masters and doctoral degree and is quite the philosopher.
“I was always interested more in how I was being taught than what I was being taught,” says Dr. Thompson. “My high school teachers would ask my opinion in how they were teaching. I knew you could make a difference at all levels in higher education.”
With all the notoriety Dr. Thompson has earned over his illustrious career, recently he took on the task of designing and developing the Luna float that was entered in the City of Las Vegas’ Light Parade.
Over the years, Luna has always had a group of people assist on a daily basis on a parade float. So what made Dr. Thompson lead the way this year?
“One, it’s fun,” says Dr. Thompson. “When I was in the ministry, I was a project manager for a 3,000 member church and every week have to come up with some type of support project. “It was different from the day-to-day routine. I felt it needed to be done. Luna has to be a presence at these type of events. We have to be involved in the community and in our service area throughout northern New Mexico. That’s going to be hard, time and distance are against us.”
Over the last couple of weeks, Thompson has received accolades for both his design and presentation of the float.
Is Dr. Thompson surprised with all the attention?
“Yes and no,” says Dr. Thompson. “Many have told me that because of the presents of all the different programs on the float, I gave an opportunity for all of us to contribute. That makes people feel good about themselves—when they get some kind of recognition. The little tidbits of creativity caught people’s eyes.”
Thompson says he will be 76 in May.
“I’ve retired three times and had so many careers,” says Dr. Thompson. “I’ve been asked to do so many things in life.”
Most of those things he shared with his wife Beth, who died a few years ago.
“We were married for 40 years,” says Dr. Thompson. “She was the love of my life. We had an unwritten agreement that I accepted her as she was and she accepted me as I was. After she died, my friend told me that the whole two years that my wife was battling cancer what amazed her is that I made her feel normal.”
“When we traveled I would tell her you pick the place you want to go and I will take care of the details,” says Dr. Thompson. “We were a team. I miss her and think about her every day. I even set my personal email to read John Beth Thompson.”
If Dr. Thompson had 10 minutes to meet with his wife, what would he tell her?
“I would tell her all about the adventures I have had and most importantly tell her I still love her,” says Dr. Thompson. “She was the best investment I ever made.”
For more information on Luna’s CTE programs, contact Dr. Thompson at 505-454-2522 or via email at jthompson@luna.edu.