Seton Hall Magazine, Summer 2001 - TLTC Blogs - Seton Hall ...

During the rally, Tomason and his teammate, David Moffatt, drove a 1961
Bentley S2 Saloon. On the blistering hot Day 27 of the 40-day rally,
they entered the Taklimakan Desert in western China for a 12-hour-long
diversion off the main route through the desert.
decision. Rally organizers spent three years planning the route
and getting permission to bring private cars into regions that
had been closed off for years. Although the remoteness meant
there was little in the way of accommodations, that reality did
not dampen Tomason’s spirits. “No matter where we were,
I saw and learned new things every day,” he says.
One of the most interesting legs of the trip was along Asia’s Silk
Road, used by silk and spice traders between 100 B.C. and 1300
A.D. Retracing that historic trade route sparked Tomason’s interest
in Central Asian history and the Ming Dynasty.
In addition to performing well in the race, Tomason was determined
to share his experiences with friends, family and students
back home. A member of Seton Hall’s Board of Regents, Tomason
set up a University e-mail account prior to leaving. “It was critical
to have reliable e-mail, since technology itself can be sketchy in
remote areas of the world,” he explains.
Equipped with a laptop computer and digital camera, Tomason
snapped photos on a daily basis and downloaded them to his
computer. In the evenings, he wrote commentary to accompany
his photos before periodically e-mailing the files to Carol. She
forwarded his digital diary to family members and friends who
were following his trip.
That group soon grew, as more people became interested in his
Tomason often donned his Pirates baseball cap for good luck.
He and Moffatt (right) had spent a year reconditioning “Number 60,”
the 1961 Bentley.
travels. Tomason’s nephew, Jeffrey Madonna, a social studies
teacher, shared his uncle’s journey with his sixth-grade class in
Tinton Falls. Using the tagline, “Where in the World is Uncle
Bruce?,” he introduced a new unit in which students logged on
to follow Tomason’s adventure. He supplemented the online
updates with lesson plans about the history and culture of each
region. This educational tool of relaying his experiences via the
Internet motivated the sixth-graders and helped them comprehend
differences in language, culture and economics. “Students
were able to learn about these regions in a real, very meaningful
way,” Tomason says.
Seton Hall, Tomason adds, was frequently in his thoughts
during his journey. He paid tribute to his alma mater by donning
his prized Pirates baseball cap on each leg of the trip. He
also distributed T-shirts from the School of Diplomacy and
International Relations to the many local people who welcomed
the rally teams along the way. But Tomason has given Seton Hall
much more than some unexpected international exposure. Upon
his return, he shared his experiences with students enrolled in
“Introduction to Leadership,” taught by Philip Moremen, J.D.,
assistant professor in the School of Diplomacy. “I want students
to see how this type of experience translates into the business
environment,” Tomason says.
Citing several such lessons learned, the alumnus observes,
“The more I travel, the more I realize that people are people.
They are thoughtful and curious, and the majority are willing
to help others.”
Another point Tomason wants students to appreciate is
how important organizational and communication skills are to
reaching both personal and professional goals. He is convinced
that these qualities kept his team moving with only minimal
delays, enabling the 1961 Bentley to reach the final destination
in Beijing right in the middle of the pack. “I am very proud of
this accomplishment,” he comments.
Although some might classify Tomason’s journey as
a once-in-a-lifetime experience, if given the opportunity to do
it again, he would jump at the chance. “My passport looks like
a checkerboard, but I wouldn’t want it any other way.”
SUMMER 2001 29