Dana Thomas is the associate dean of liberal arts and sciences at Florida Community College at Jacksonville’s North Campus. She joined the faculty seven months ago.
WHAT DOES SHE DO?
“I am the front line for teachers. I answer any questions, handle all the problems and issues that arise, schedule all the liberal arts classes, order books, handle the student evaluations of teachers, budgets and grant writing.”
HOW LONG HAS SHE BEEN IN THIS FIELD?
“Going on 20 years. I was the vice principal at Paxon School for Advanced Studies and the assistant principal at Matthew Gilbert Middle School. Before I became an administrator, I was a middle school and high school teacher.”
HOMETOWN
Jacksonville.
WHY GO INTO EDUCATION?
“I love being a student and learning myself. I never saw another avenue for me except being in a classroom or educational institution.”
TEACH THE TEACHER
Thomas graduated from FCCJ and the University of North Florida. Having reached the doctorate level in her studies, Thomas holds degrees in educational leadership, curriculum and instruction and literature.
EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
“The Ditchwalkers,” Thomas’ first published novel, arrived in bookstores last month and recently won the Wordweaving Award for Excellence. She describes her debut novel as a blend of many genres: horror, romance, fantasy and suspense. Currently, she has another novel, “Tradewind Island,” a paranormal romance in a tropical setting, in the editing process. “Silhouette,” her third and most current project, is a prequel to “Ditchwalkers.” She writes under the pen name Morgana MacArthur.
HOW DID SHE PICK HER PEN NAME?
“MacArthur is my grandmother’s surname. She was born in Scotland. I wanted a first name that went well with MacArthur. I looked online for some Scottish names and Morgana was quite a popular name. The two names fit well together; it has a nice sound.”
WHAT WAS HER INSPIRATION FOR “DITCHWALKERS”?
“My son and I noticed when we were out driving one day that there are always people walking down the road with no belongings. The idea in the book is that they are people who have died, went to purgatory and have come back to earth to tempt the living to become evil. If they do that, they earn their freedom. My main character, Moe, is a ditchwalker.”
WHAT’S MOST CHALLENGING ABOUT HER WORK?
“Trying to please everybody. My goal is to make my employees feel their problems are a priority but you can’t make everybody happy. In the same breath, with a novel you have to keep the reader engaged, so it’s a similar challenge.”
IS THE BOOK MEANT TO BE CONTROVERSIAL?
“I think so. Anytime you dip into someone’s religious beliefs, you’re going to strike a cord with people. What I’m suggesting is we need to have an open mind about others’ beliefs. And understand, it’s a work of fiction. The novel doesn’t necessarily reflect my own beliefs.”
FAMILY
Thomas is the mother of two teenage sons, Curren and Adam. She is married to Dennis and they reside on the Southside.
HOBBIES
An admitted reality show nut, Thomas follows the television show “Survivor.” She loves playing racquetball, eating sushi and reading American short stories. A parrothead at heart, Thomas enjoys the music of Jim
my Buffett and trips to the tropics. Her favorite book is “Remembering Blue.”
HER PET PEEVE?
“I hate the phrase, ‘That’s not my job.’ I can’t stand that. Wherever you work, you have to be a team player. So what if it’s not your job? Let’s all do it and pitch in and get it done. The organization is really better off for it. I have a sense of fun about me. We’re going to be happy and positive. I can’t stand people that drag down the office. I will not have it.”
HER HERO?
“My old speech professor, Ozzie Banacki. He brought me out of my eternal shyness and gave me the confidence to talk in front of people.”
WHAT ONE THING DOES JACKSONVILLE’S EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM NEED MOST?
“A whole new way of preparing teachers. I really believe that it all happens in that classroom, with that teacher. Principals are so overwhelmed with management issues that they have to deal with on a daily basis, that it is literally impossible to give the amount of time and energy necessary to enter the classrooms, to observe what’s going on and to shape teachers with best practices. If we were able to do that and attract the kind of teachers we want and train them professionally and monitor their progress, I think we’d see a lot of things start to change. I believe we are working in that direction, but it is a monumental task.”
— by Monica Chamness