Versatile San Jacinto College English professor Dr. David LeMaster is equally at home on stage, at the author’s desk, or in the classroom.
Central Campus students know LeMaster as a gifted English professor with an engaging and interactive teaching style. Outside the classroom, he finds a creative outlet as a prolific playwright, director, and actor. He portrayed the role of President Roosevelt in the Central Campus’ production of “Annie,” and served as director for “What’s Past is Prologue,” a one-act play he authored.
LeMaster knows firsthand about the quality of education available at a community college. “One reason I chose to teach at a two-year college is because of my own positive experiences,” he commented. “I attended Midland College, and later attended a large university. My favorite professors were those at the two-year college. In fact, one of the best teachers I ever had was a history professor at Midland College.”
LeMaster earned an associate degree in general studies from Midland College, and then transferred to Texas Tech University on an academic scholarship, earning a bachelor’s, a master’s, and a doctorate degree from Texas Tech. He holds a Ph.D. in acting/directing/theater management.
LeMaster seemed destined to be an educator. His grandmother, father, mother, and favorite uncle were all teachers, and his sister Chyree is a teacher. He began his career at San Jacinto College in 1997, serving first as a drama professor, and then assuming his current position as an English professor in 2001. He currently teaches freshman composition, technical writing, and an Honors film and literature course.
“I switched from the field of theatre to English because I wanted to concentrate on writing, which has been an important part of my life since I began writing stories when I was about 6 years old,” he said. LeMaster, who lives in Clear Lake, has about 60 published works that include short stories, magazine articles, academic essays, and many plays, most of which are geared for young audiences.
His plays have been particularly successful, and have also been performed internationally. His show “The Eleventh,” which is about his personal experiences during 9/11, has been shown in many high schools in America. His murder mystery series, which includes “Did Someone Say Murder,” “Murder With Tomato Sauce,” and “I Can’t Believe it’s not Murder” are currently in production in England. “Shaken,” which is about his battle with Early Onset Parkinson’s Disease, debuted at San Jacinto College in September 2010 and is being marketed internationally. His humorous one-act play “What’s Past is Prologue,” which explores an age-old debate about who really authored Shakespeare’s works, also premiered at the College as part of the American College Theatre Festival.
As an educator, LeMaster instills in his students a love of learning, and particularly a love of writing. “I like the challenge of teaching the freshman composition class, which many students dread,” he commented. “I love to see the light come on when a student who has problems with writing realizes that he or she really can communicate well through writing. The mindset changes from dread to satisfaction. I want students to feel that mine is the most important class they have, because a college student really cannot be truly successful until the student learns to communicate effectively through writing.”
Rob Vanya