{"id":396,"date":"2023-02-23T14:20:03","date_gmt":"2023-02-23T14:20:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/esustage.wpengine.com\/kansas-city\/?page_id=396"},"modified":"2026-01-26T12:11:02","modified_gmt":"2026-01-26T18:11:02","slug":"our-community","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.esuus.org\/shreveport\/who-we-are\/our-community\/","title":{"rendered":"Our Community"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<section id=\"\" class=\"esu-basic-full-width\">\n\n    <div class=\"inner\">\n        <div class=\"wrapper\">\n\n            \n                            <div class=\"title heading-2\">\n                    President&#8217;s Message                <\/div>\n            \n            \n                            <div class=\"content\">\n                    <p>Welcome to the Shreveport Branch of the ESU! We are a community of people who celebrate literature, language, arts, theater, and global understanding. For over 100 years, the English-Speaking Union (ESU) has enriched the lives of students, teachers, English language learners and members worldwide. Our Shreveport Branch, founded in 1970, is proud to be a part of Shreveport\u2019s past while shaping Shreveport\u2019s future. If you are looking for a place to belong, a place that values what you value, a place for constructive and positive action, you are here. ESU is for you.<\/p>\n<p>Who is the ESU for?<\/p>\n<p>If you love the arts, value education, and believe in the power of cultural exchange, you belong here. Our members enjoy theater, literature, lectures, travel, meaningful community connections and social interactions.<\/p>\n<p>Our outreach programs<\/p>\n<p>Teachers \u2013 Do you know a teacher, or you are one? Apply for our popular Teachers Learning Abroad scholarship (TLAB). Every year we send one teacher from the Shreveport area to study in the location of their choice: Oxford University, Edinburgh University, or the Globe Theatre. Meet with other ESU members from around the world and international scholars for a once-in-a-lifetime experience. These are summer programs that can change your life.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The ESU is for you\u2014whether you want to participate in programs, volunteer your talents, or simply enjoy rich cultural and social experiences with like-minded people.<\/p>\n<p>As president of the Shreveport Branch, I\u2019m delighted to welcome you. I look forward to meeting you at an upcoming event and exploring ways you can get involved.<\/p>\n<p>Come be part of our next chapter!<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Robert McGowen<\/p>\n<p>President, ESU Shreveport Branch<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1120\" src=\"https:\/\/www.esuus.org\/shreveport\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2025\/10\/1_mcgowen.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"100\" height=\"100\"><\/p>\n                <\/div>\n            \n            \n\n            \n        <\/div>\n\n    <\/div>\n\n<\/section>\n\n\n<section id=\"community-block\" class=\"accordion\">\n  <div class=\"inner narrow\">\n    <div id=\"accordion\" class=\"accordion-container\">\n              <h5>The English-Speaking Union<\/h5>\n      \n              <h2>Shreveport Branch<\/h2>\n            \n              <h3 class=\"item-title item-toggle\"><span>Shreveport ESU Officers<\/span><i class=\"icofont-thin-right\"><\/i><\/h3>\n        <div class=\"item-content\">\n          <p>Robert McGowen<br \/><em>President<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Cindy Jones<br \/><em>Vice President<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Susan Torma<br \/><em>Treasurer<\/em><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n        <\/div>\n              <h3 class=\"item-title item-toggle\"><span>Shreveport ESU Board of Directors<\/span><i class=\"icofont-thin-right\"><\/i><\/h3>\n        <div class=\"item-content\">\n          <p style=\"font-weight: 400\">Lea Stroud<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400\">Scott Kennedy<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400\">Carol Peterson<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400\">Bob Robinson<\/p>\n<p>Ellen Alley (Past President)<\/p>\n        <\/div>\n              <h3 class=\"item-title item-toggle\"><span>Committees<\/span><i class=\"icofont-thin-right\"><\/i><\/h3>\n        <div class=\"item-content\">\n          <p style=\"font-weight: 400\">Carol Peterson\/Bob Robinson<br \/>\n<em>Tlab<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400\">Cindy Jones\/Lea Stroud<br \/>\n<em>Programs<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400\">Scott Kennedy<br \/>\n<em>Membership<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Robert McGowen<br \/>\n<em>Webmaster<\/em><\/p>\n        <\/div>\n              <h3 class=\"item-title item-toggle\"><span>Past Presidents<\/span><i class=\"icofont-thin-right\"><\/i><\/h3>\n        <div class=\"item-content\">\n          <p>Robert McGowen<br \/>2024-present<\/p>\n<p>Ellen Alley<br \/>2021-2023<\/p>\n<p>Harvey Anne Liembrook<br \/>2018-2021<\/p>\n<p>Delton Harrison<br \/>1970-2017 (deceased)<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n        <\/div>\n          <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n<script>\n  jQuery(function ($) {\n    $('#community-block .item-title').on('click', function () {\n      $(this).next().slideToggle(200);\n      $(this).toggleClass('open', 200);\n        if ($(this).hasClass('open')) {\n            $('#community-block .item-title').not(this).removeClass('open').next().slideUp(200);\n        }\n    });\n});\n<\/script>\n\n\n<section id=\"\" class=\"cta-section small-width\">\n    <div class=\"inner\">\n\n                <div class=\"cta-title\">Shreveport Branch Region<\/div>\n        \n        \n        <div class=\"cta-button\">\n                            <a href=\"https:\/\/www.esuus.org\/shreveport\/who-we-are\/branch-coverage\/\" class=\"btn btn-solid cta-button-link\">Branch Coverage<\/a>\n                    <\/div>\n\n    <\/div>\n<\/section>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":16,"menu_order":4,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":true,"advgb_blocks_editor_width":"","advgb_blocks_columns_visual_guide":"","ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"_EventAllDay":false,"_EventTimezone":"","_EventStartDate":"","_EventEndDate":"","_EventStartDateUTC":"","_EventEndDateUTC":"","_EventShowMap":false,"_EventShowMapLink":false,"_EventURL":"","_EventCost":"","_EventCostDescription":"","_EventCurrencySymbol":"","_EventCurrencyCode":"","_EventCurrencyPosition":"","_EventDateTimeSeparator":"","_EventTimeRangeSeparator":"","_EventOrganizerID":[],"_EventVenueID":[],"_OrganizerEmail":"","_OrganizerPhone":"","_OrganizerWebsite":"","_VenueAddress":"","_VenueCity":"","_VenueCountry":"","_VenueProvince":"","_VenueState":"","_VenueZip":"","_VenuePhone":"","_VenueURL":"","_VenueStateProvince":"","_VenueLat":"","_VenueLng":"","_VenueShowMap":false,"_VenueShowMapLink":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-396","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.2 (Yoast SEO v27.4) - 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