Courtney Meyet
Written by Monica VanderWeide
Hillsdale’s newest chemistry professor, Courtney Meyet, spent her early undergraduate years avoiding the very subject she now teaches. She even changed her major to avoid having to take organic chemistry. But thanks to enthusiastic professors who gave her unique research opportunities, she learned to love the subject while pursuing a second bachelor’s degree and went on to earn a Ph.D. in organic synthesis. In her first year of teaching at Hillsdale, she is eager to share her knowledge with science majors and non-science majors alike.
“Chemistry was my worst subject in high school,” Meyet recalls. She wanted to be a veterinarian, but struggled through her general chemistry course at California State Polytechnic University–Pomona. She dreaded the thought of taking a required organic chemistry class for her major, so to get around that, she switched to animal science. After graduation, she worked for several years as a stallion handler and broodmare manager at large horse-breeding facilities before returning to school with intentions of getting a nursing degree. Once again, chemistry was a required course, but Meyet had a different experience this time: “I discovered that I was good at chemistry,” she says. “I had talented and enthusiastic organic chemistry professors who allowed me to conduct research as an undergraduate in their laboratories.” She changed plans, earning a second bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from California State University–San Bernardino and completing graduate studies in chemistry at the University of California–Riverside.
A lifelong Westerner, Meyet had no intentions of relocating across the country. But when she learned of an open chemistry position at Hillsdale, her husband, an Imprimis reader, encouraged her to apply. “This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” she says. “I was thrilled to get the job, and I feel very blessed to be here.”
This year, Meyet has taught general chemistry, biochemistry, and Physical Science 101, a core course all students must take. She starts the Physical Science class with a demonstration in which she lights two balloons on fire—one filled with hydrogen, and one filled with hydrogen and oxygen. The explosions capture the interest of her students, some of whom undoubtedly are dreading a chemistry class just as she once did. “Hillsdale’s science program really helps students feel comfortable with science by incorporating demonstrations into the classes,” she says.
Meyet has been especially impressed with Hillsdale’s students. “On my first day of class, many students stayed afterward just to give me a personal welcome to the College,” she recalls. “Many have stopped by my office to welcome me, too. Hillsdale students are a cut above.”
When she’s not in the classroom or the lab, Meyet enjoys the array of activities Hillsdale offers, from CCA lectures to American Chemical Society student meetings. Her home life keeps her busy as well. The family lives on a farm in Jonesville with six Morgan horses they brought along from California. An avid equestrian, Meyet used to breed and show horses nationally and hopes to do so again. Her husband, a professor of education at California State University–San Bernardino, divides his time between California and Michigan. Her two teenage sons participate in music and athletics in the Jonesville Schools. The family enjoys the beauty and serenity of the rural Midwest, from sunrises over a dew-laden field to the dazzling show of summer fireflies in their backyard.
This summer, Meyet will conduct research on the synthesis of small molecules with three students through the LAUREATES program. She looks forward to the opportunity for one-on-one research. “I specifically wanted to be at a small school where I could work closely with students on research projects,” she says. She is grateful for the extensive equipment Hillsdale has in its science labs, further enhancing research possibilities.
In the future, Meyet hopes to develop a medicinal chemistry class, an advanced organic chemistry laboratory, and more undergraduate research projects. In the meantime, she is grateful to share her passion with chemistry with her students, perhaps even inspiring an unsuspecting future chemist.
This article was originally published in the Spring 2014 edition of Hillsdale: The Official Magazine of the Hillsdale College Alumni Association.