Linus Griswold (1987)
Associate Professor – Chemistry
M.S., Illinois State University
Office: Building 2, Room 260
Phone: 309-796-5247
E-mail: griswoldl@bhc.edu
I grew up in Aledo, Illinois (a small town about 35 miles south of the Quad-Cities) and graduated from high school in 1974. I went to Illinois State University and graduated with a B.S. (in more ways than one) in Chemistry. While I was there as an undergraduate, I had the opportunity to work as a teaching assistant in General Chemistry labs. I was also on the individual events speech team. I didn’t realize it then, but I was starting to be infected with the teaching bug.
After I graduated, I spent a year working for DuPont at a research lab near Detroit. I soon learned I wasn’t cut out to be a researcher or to live in a big city/suburban area. I decided to change careers and become a teacher. I returned to Illinois State and completed the requirements for a teaching certificate. I taught for 5 years at Olympia High School, and for a year at Yorkwood Junior-Senior High School. During my stay at Olympia, I went to graduate school at, you guessed it, Illinois State. I received my Master’s in Chemistry in 1984.
I always knew that some day I would like to teach at the college level. I wanted to teach, but not do the “baby sitting” required in a high school. After the Yorkwood job, I spent a year as a part-time chemistry instructor at Monmouth College. I started at Black Hawk in 1987.
I still enjoy teaching, especially at this level. I get to meet and work with a wide variety of people. I see all ages and backgrounds in my classes. It is still a challenge to take the content of chemistry and find ways to explain it so others can learn it. I also enjoy showing students this is not some dry subject on the pages of a book, but something they use and experience every day, no matter what they do for a living.
I am currently a member of the Illinois Association of Chemistry Teachers and the 2YC3 (Two-Year College Chemistry Conference). I like to read in my spare time (what is spare time, by the way), and watch sports on TV. This allows me to root for my favorite lost causes, the Cubs, the Illini, and the Bears. I live in Aledo with my wife Cathy and our 2 sources of inspiration and illustrations, Heather and Matthew.
Courses Currently Taught at Black Hawk College
Chemistry 101 – General Chemistry
Chemistry 102 – General Chemistry
Chemistry 110 – Introduction to Chemistry
Chemistry 111 – Organo-Bio-Chemistry
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