Academics

Dr. Elizabeth W. Fischer
Lecturer in Chemistry

I began teaching at Lake Forest in 1991 after thirteen years at Barat College. For eight years, I served as the Dean of the College working with student services and student academic affairs. I have always taught at least one course in the chemistry department. Currently, I am teaching three courses.

At Barat, I taught chemistry including Science Methods for Elementary Certification. As a scientist, I made the course practical; the teachers developed resources and ideas for their classrooms throughout the time of the course. In addition, students observed different classrooms and reported on their observations. During that time, I served as a judge for many science fairs and visited many elementary school classrooms.

From 1983-85, I served as a member of the Waukegan Public School District 60 Science Committee. The committee was charged with reviewing the K-12 science curriculum for the entire district. In addition, I served as a member of the North Central visiting Teams for Woodlands Academy and Waukegan East High School. For both Teams, I chaired the Science Committee.

I respect our Education Department and our students who are becoming certified to teach because of their emphasis on excellence. As Dean of the College, I worked to support the ninth-semester students with housing because their schedules were so uniquely demanding. We have sent some of our most talented students into the teaching field. I know that their preparation not only serves them well but also serves their students well. As I work with the teachers on EAC some of whom are alums and are giving back to Lake Forest by serving on the EAC, I hear first-hand how they are handling their teaching assignments. I find their excitement and energy for classroom work exciting and a reminder of my reasons for being a teacher.