by Mike Gonzalez, The Monitor, Originally published 6/2/09
Education was never a big part of Donald Duane Lovestrand's life. That is, until last week when he graduated with honors from South Texas College.
Lovestrand, 38, grew up in North Dakota where he was home schooled for 10 years while helping at the farm where his family raised more than 3,000 pigs and dairy cows. Lovestrand said. His parents never stressed the importance of education; they focused more on the daily chores and grind of the farm. Lovestrand graduated May 24, receiving his diploma for two associate's degrees; in secondary education and in interdisciplinary studies.
Lovestrand said his education story began in unlikely fashion.
In what turned out to be a blessing in disguise, a back injury led Lovestrand to Weslaco chiropractor Dr. Robert Bishop, who suggested that Lovestrand go to college. "He said, ‘Try it,'" Lovestrand said. "It was never for me because I was home schooled and my parents never encouraged me in any way shape or form to go to school." Away from any form of education for more than 16 years, Lovestrand enrolled at South Texas College in 2005 and took a bulk of his courses at the Mid-Valley Campus.
Lovestrand said describing his early college career as "difficult" would have been putting it mildly. "I didn't know what algebra was," he said. "I couldn't tell you what the parts of the cell were in biology. I didn't know how to take notes. It was overwhelming."
He thought about giving up, but his past experiences led him to persevere. He went through life supporting a wife and two children through all manner of jobs, from a truck driver to knocking down trees and moving appliances.
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