Lisa Hawkins was born and raised in New York, although she also lived for some time in Miami, Puerto Rico, and on a commune in San Diego. The picture you see above her name is actually of someone she appreciates, Queen Elizabeth I. Lisa is actually not quite as much of an absolute monarch, nor is she nearly as fashionable. She went to Swarthmore College in the Philadelphia area, where she thought she was going to be a research biology major. After almost setting fire to her chemistry lab and mistaking a fake plastic owl for a real one, Lisa realized that a career in lab science was not for her, and probably dangerous for everyone else. Grudgingly, she took a history course her junior year and was immediately hooked for life. In 1993, she married her college sweetheart and together they have 4 children.
Instructor Qualifications:
I love history, I love teaching, and I love students. I also have a lot of experience and training related to teaching history in general and specifically to preparing students for the Advanced Placement US History exam. I put a great deal of thought and time into constructing and improving courses that are engaging, challenging, and well-organized. I also care a great deal about humanizing the on-line experience, and you will see that priority woven into many aspects of my course.
I majored in history at Swarthmore College, where I also earned my high-school teaching certification. I also did graduate work at Widener University with a focus on English and education. I worked for four years at an inner-city classical high school, where I taught American History and American Literature and served as Dean of Students.
In 1997, I earned my Masters in History at Temple University, and soon began teaching college courses for several universities. I have created or substantially revised over fifteen different online college courses, ranging from survey American History courses, to the History of American Business, Colonial History, Revolutionary History, Western Humanities surveys, and advanced history seminars.
For several years, I have also been an official grader and supervisor of graders of AP US History exams, receiving extensive training in the process and participating in College Board and ETS seminars. I have been awarded an “Outstanding Adjunct Faculty” award from one of my universities. Despite all my experiences at the high school and college level, and despite my appreciation for the more profound academic and cultural expressions, I am nevertheless a shameless fan of English Premier Soccer, The Simpsons, Napoleon Dynamite, and MST3K.