A Passion for Teaching – 1 Teacher + 46 Years of Encouraging Students

With 46 years in education, Mawhinney has taught mathematics at Jesuit/Loyola, has served as a golf coach, and has been the school’s tennis coach for 35 to 40 years. He has also coached girls’ and boys’ basketball and was the first girls’ basketball coach at Loyola. In addition to teaching and coaching, Mawhinney has been the Key Club moderator for 30 years.

At the age of six, Mawhinney and his family moved to Shreveport where he attended St. John’s Elementary School and then Jesuit High School. After graduating, he went on to attend Louisiana State University receiving a bachelor’s degree in math and physical education. He also holds a master’s plus 30 in secondary school administration. “I loved playing basketball in high school and wanted to come back to Jesuit and coach basketball,” he said. “Teaching was an essential part of that job description, which I have come to love.” 

Although teaching was not a career choice that ran in his family, Mawhinney had a number of mentors along his path who gave good advice as he began this chapter. Folks like Tony Rinaudo, Jerry Johnson, and Frank Cicero are among the many, including faculty and administration through the years, who have guided him with words of wisdom. “In teaching and coaching, you start out with the basics and build on those fundamentals,” Mawhinney noted. “It is always gratifying to see the progress your students and players achieve over a period of time.”

One memory Mawhinney recalled was, “Before our school had air-conditioning, I was teaching a freshman Algebra I class. It was the seniors’ last day and through an open window flew a water balloon landing on my overhead projector, dousing myself and several students. I went to the window and requested the person who tossed the balloon come see me. Within a minute there was a knock on my door and a young man admitted his guilt and apologized. I told him good shot but don’t do it again. We shook hands and I finished teaching the class.”

“I have been blessed to be a part of the Jesuit/Loyola family for many years. I attended Jesuit High School and have taught at this school when it was all boys and now coed,” Mawhinney said. “Over the years, I have found kids are still kids. Each generation has a different set of challenges, technology being the latest, but they are still young men and women that need to be prepared for the next stage of their educational life.”