September 08, 2014

Meet our new faculty: Laura Shier

Get to know Instructor and Co-Director of Academic English Studies Laura Shier, who joins the faculty this fall.

The following Q&A is part of a series created by the college dean’s office to introduce new faculty. Get to know Instructor and Co-Director of Academic English Studies Laura Shier, who joins the faculty this fall, in the interview below.

Education: MA (1986) University of Wisconsin-Madison; Certificate in Training and Development, (1996) Portland State University

Research and teaching interests: Organizational development, learner motivation, reading strategies and vocabulary acquisition for language fluency development

What most excites you about joining the L&C community?

I’ve lived and taught in Portland for twenty years and have always recognized that the Academic English Studies Department has been held in high regard among Intensive English Language Programs throughout the area, so I am very excited to be part of it now.  I look forward to collaborating with others on campus to help the students we serve in AES and provide the opportunity for all Lewis & Clark students to engage with and benefit from having international students here.

What kind of hobbies or special activities do you enjoy outside of work?

Enjoy?  Honestly, napping in my hammock on a warm summer day!  But I also motivate myself to do a variety of physical activities: hiking, running, kickboxing.  And of course, I enjoy reading anywhere!

What were your childhood goals/aspirations?

I think I just planned on surviving it!  I spent a lot of time reading, roaming, and playing preacher or teacher to the neighborhood kids, so perhaps I’ve met my aspiration by traveling all over and finally landing at Lewis & Clark.

What are you listening to in your car right now?

When I’m not carpooling kids, it’s NPR.  Otherwise, lots of 94.7 and other 80’s music stations.  I lucked out that my sons prefer music from my era rather than pop rock! 

What was your favorite childhood story?

I grew up in Wisconsin, and I loved the Little House on the Prairie series.  The other Laura who started out in a little house in the big woods! 

Academic English Studies