Kathryn St. Clair: Adjunct Instructor of Geology

MaKayla Grapperhaus, staff writer

Nearly everyone can remember picking up a special rock as a child and marveling at the spectacular color, size and shape. These memories of wonder, exploration and discoveries are a staple of childhood. While as adults we often lose interest in exploring the earth beneath our feet, for Kathryn St. Clair this childhood passion became lifelong.

St. Clair, an adjunct instructor of geology at Piedmont Virginia Community, is perhaps best described as a rock enthusiast. St Clair says she has been interested in geology since she first starting picking up rocks as a young child. Her interest in Geology has continued to grow throughout the years. She says that she really began to fall in love with the subject when attending science classes at Virginia Western Community College (VWCC) in 1996.

In 1997, St. Clair earned her associate degree in education from VWCC. She then transferred to Radford, where she earned a Bachelors in Science in both Geology and physics. Although she later attended Virginia Tech to earn her Doctor of Philosophy, she did not finish it. Most recently, in 2015, St. Clair completed her Masters in Education at Concordia University.

Since earning her Masters in Education, St. Clair has been teaching at various schools. However, she says that teaching is something that she has been doing for most of her life. One of her first teaching jobs was teaching outreach when she was a paramedic in Roanoke County. She then taught Earth Science in Montgomery County high schools for 10 years. St. Clair also taught physics for five years at New River Community College.

Currently, St. Clair teaches geology at PVCC. She said, “This is my first semester and [PVCC] is my favorite community college in the system!” It is clear that St. Clair is nearly as passionate about teaching as she is about geology. She says that her favorite things about teaching at PVCC are the feeling of family, the community and the school support.

When she’s not teaching, St. Clair enjoys reading, hiking, and, of course, collecting rocks. St. Clair said enthusiastically, “Geology tells you about where we live, how it came to be and how it supports us. What’s not to love? There are secrets about the universe being told if we know how to listen.”

She shared that some highlights of working in the field of geology has been working in California at the San Andreas Fault. St. Clair offered the following advice to students who are interested in studying geology: “Not to worry as much about grades as about comprehension. Learning to understand a subject is key to becoming a master in it. And have fun while you’re at it. Every day you live through is a day of your life – enjoy it. Take care of yourself, self-care is something that needs to be learned so that the stresses of getting through the demands of a difficult major can be met.

St. Clair concluded, “I was a high-school dropout who never thought I could amount to much academically until I found the Virginia Community College System. I hope I can give back a fraction of the faith I received.”