Meet Lydia Hearn, A Distinguished Educator

English instructor. Academic Senate president. Incoming dean of Language Arts. Rock and roll singer.

Rock and roll singer?

Yes, Lydia Hearn used to sing in rock and blues bands (Janis Joplin's "Piece of My Heart" was her signature song). She also tried out for women's professional basketball. But for the last seven years, her talents have been used at De Anza College in the classroom and beyond, as she's participated in no fewer than 18 committees, councils, associations, teams and task forces.

Hearn believes that every student should have the opportunity to pursue his or her goals and to have the resources to achieve those goals. "Teaching doesn't just occur in the classroom; it's about cultivating relationships with students so that they feel they have access to education, and I'm part of that access," she wrote of her teaching philosophy.

According to Hearn—whose first foray into teaching was at the age of 10, instructing pre-schoolers in Sunday school—her favorite part of teaching at De Anza is the daily contact with students. "I enjoy sitting in my office with students and talking to them about class, about life, about music, about sports, about everything," she said.

"I am so honored to have been selected as a Distinguished Educator because I find it almost overwhelming to be recognized for something that I feel it is a privilege to do," she continued. "I often advise my students to find what makes them happy and then make a career out of it. That's what I did, and I feel so blessed."

"Lydia is a terrific teacher who includes current events and sports in her classes, piquing the interest of students and drawing them to her," said Howard Irvin, dean of Counseling and Matriculation. "She is determined to ensure that her students succeed, and has been an excellent collaborator with Counseling. Our work together, including on the Individualized Attention to Student Retention and Success Institutional Initiative team, demonstrates how effective it is when academics meets student services."

Hearn holds B.A., M.A. and ABD degrees in English from UC Santa Barbara.

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