Faculty Profile

Biology Instructor

Education/Degrees:

M.S. – Western Illinois University, 2002
B.S. – Western Illinois University, 1997

Classes Taught:

About Me:

I live on a small farm in Fulton county where my husband and I raised three wonderful boys. My kids and I spent our summers swimming and fishing in our pond and having campouts in our woods. I spent many years watching them play football, basketball, and baseball. They all joined the Air Force straight out of high school and I became a frequent traveler going to visit them in the various places the Air Force sends them. Our family has grown with the addition of two wonderful daughter-in-laws and I still travel several times a year visiting my kids.

I enjoy the outdoors and challenges and being an empty nester is giving me the time to pursue my own goals. I repelled a 140 foot cliff during a canyoneering trip in Moab, Utah and loved it. I also did some beginner rock climbing in Moab and it was tough. I made it to the top, but was slow and struggled. Now I want to join a climbing gym and practice then go back to Moab and conquer that climb. I have taken up trail running and have my sights set on doing ultra marathons and obstacle races such as Badwater and Spartan. I like to go camping, hiking, bike riding, and kayaking. My bucket list includes backpacking the Tahoe Rim Trail, Climbing Half Dome in Yosemite, and completing the Grand Canyon Rim to Rim hike.

As General George S. Patton said “Accept the challenges so that you can feel the exhilaration of victory.”

Why Spoon River College?

I have been teaching at Spoon River College since 1999. At that time I was working in the River Research Lab in Havana, IL as part of a team conducting studies on the Illinois River. I had an opportunity to teach a night class once a week at the SRC in Havana and discovered a new love for SRC and for teaching. For a while I worked my regular day job and taught night class part-time in Havana, then in 2005 I had an opportunity to teach full time in Macomb.

I love getting to know students and watching them grow and achieve their goals. I achieve my success by helping students achieve their success. I love that Spoon gives me the freedom to teach creatively. Students are unique and there are multiple ways to reach them. Other schools have strict, prescribed courses. I can adjust and use a variety of methods to meet the needs of each student.

My Educational Philosophy:

The goal of class is to learn and understand the material while developing important skills such as critical thinking and coping with challenges. You should be stronger, more resilient, and more knowledgeable at the end of class than you were at the start. Students should ask questions and take on challenges. Growth only occurs outside the comfort zone. My class is an environment to push your limits and become your best self by embracing challenges and working to conquer them.

Advice for Students:

I design my classes to empower students with control of their circumstances. You are given the opportunity to work ahead and correct mistakes. You get out of class what you put into it. Passing class requires meeting standards which are set forth at the beginning of the semester. I then serve as your guide, mentor, and cheerleader while you work to be successful in meeting or exceeding them. I am always here to explain material and answer questions. Your level of success depends on your level of taking advantage of the opportunities and materials provided to you.