River Campus' loss is Oman's gain

Jeff Lovett doesn't know what the next act in the play of life will bring. But wherever it leads, he'll be setting up the stage.

Thanks to a unique job opportunity for Jeff, he and wife Amanda Lovett will embark on a journey far away from the comforts of their current surroundings within the next few weeks, to the Middle Eastern country of Oman.

"You hear Middle East, and it immediately brings up bad thoughts. The area obviously has a bad reputation," Lovett said. "But I've done my research, and I couldn't be more excited to go work in Oman. From everything I've found on Oman, it's a great country."

Oman, known as a land of great natural beauty, is on the southeast corner of the Arabian Peninsula. The CIA World Factbook estimates Oman's population to be 3,030,000, and the country is governed by a sultan. While Oman is traditionally Islamic and Islam is the state religion, Omanis have accepted people of other faiths and cultures. Non-Muslims are free to worship at churches and temples built on land donated by the sultan. The United Nations Development Program listed Oman, from among 135 countries worldwide, as the nation most improved during the preceding 40 years. It rates Oman as one of the most developed and stable countries of the Arab nations. Lovett will be a part of this growth, helping a school in its capital city of Muscat design and build a theater.

"I'll be working on a performing arts center being built for the American International School there. It's a K-12 college prep school funded by the U.S. State Department to help give American expatriates and children from around the globe a good, well-rounded education," Lovett said. "This performing arts center will be a large part of their education experience, so I feel setting it up and getting it going for them is a chance to help these kids' future."

Jeff Lovett stands in the Bedell Performance Hall on Sunday before the start of ‘Young Frankenstein’. (Laura Simon)

Jeff Lovett inside the Bedell Performance Hall Sunday, April 22, 2012 before the start of 'Young Frankenstein'. (Laura Simon)

Lovett is the technical director of Southeast Missouri State University's River Campus, and has been since its inception. His job includes dealing with anything involving the technical aspects of a performance, including sound, lighting, rigging and staging. River Campus assistant director Bob Cerchio says Lovett has been invaluable to the growth and success the campus has had.

"I just can't tell you how much he has meant to us. From the start of construction through today, he has been such a positive influence on everything," said Cerchio. "He was instrumental in getting the campus up and running. And we've had some intricate shows with difficult setups, but he's always on top of things. He's going to be nearly impossible to replace."

Lovett, who is already well traveled having visited 48 states and 35 countries, says it wasn't an easy decision to leave a job he loves at a place he helped open.

"No question, it has been a fantastic experience at the River Campus. I'll definitely miss it," Lovett said. "Just watching that place become what it has grown into has been unforgettable. But the life experience that comes with this move to Oman is huge. And helping children is a big thing I think about with this."

Jeff and Amanda Lovett both say the cultural adjustments they will have to make will be difficult at first, but both expect to make a smooth transition. Amanda Lovett, who has worked as a graphic designer for the Southeast Missourian, is excited to take the opportunity to travel and get back to her artistic roots. She says that, unlike the stereotypical view of an Islamic society, women are not treated as second-class citizens in Oman, and aren't required to wear headscarves to cover their faces.

"It's not an easy decision to pick up and go live in a foreign country, but it is life changing in a good way. Before I looked into Oman, yes I was a little weary of what my place in that country would be," Amanda said. "But ultimately, I see this as an exploration of a culture. I already have a list of things I want to do, like travel to Italy. I'm also really looking forward to being an artist again."

And while Cerchio will miss his friend and technical go-to guy, he says Jeff Lovett will have no problem in his new country or job.

"Working here at SEMO for so long, he's already experienced and excelled at working with an international population. His personality and research will help him, too," Cerchio said. "I can't see how he would be anything but fantastic. That's just who Lovett is."

jsamons@semissourian.com

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