Faculty Stories: Elizabeth Arnott-Hill

Elizabeth Arnott-Hill


Program: Psychology

 

Elizabeth Arnott-Hill began her undergraduate studies intending to become a medical doctor.

Because her university did not have a pre-med major, she thought being a psychology major sounded more interesting than being a chemistry major.

“After a semester, I really liked my psychology classes and realized that I had no interest in becoming a physician,” she said. “I starting seeking opportunities to volunteer in psychology research labs while I figured out a new career path. Once I started in a lab, I was fascinated with the research process. The idea that we could use science to understand how the human mind worked was enthralling to me.”

After earning her bachelor’s degree from Indiana University and both master’s and doctorate degrees from DePaul University, Arnott-Hill taught at Chicago State University for 10 years before coming to College of DuPage. She never imagined that she would like teaching and initially thought her career would focus on research.

“Fortunately, my graduate school placed a heavy emphasis on training Ph.D. students to teach. From my first week in the classroom, I was hooked!” she said. “Introducing students to a field that I am passionate about and teaching them valuable skills in the process, I can’t imagine a better job.

“Psychology research is directly applicable to everyday life, and I hope that my students are able to see how research findings can help to inform and improve their lives. I also hope that my students can improve their ability to consume information that is in the public domain. There is a lot of misinformation out there, and being able to separate quality information from junk can make them better citizens of the world.”

In return, Arnott-Hill is inspired by her students.

“When I hear some of their stories, I am in awe of their strength and perseverance,” she said.  “Some students make it look so easy that you would never know what they have overcome in order to continue their education.”

More about the Psychology program