Dr. Elizabeth Sperry is a professor of philosophy at William Jewell College. Much beloved by her students, Sperry is well known for her excellent teaching and philosophical skills. Sperry is quite involved on campus. She is the department chair for the philosophy major, coordinator for the Oxbridge History of Ideas major, coordinator for Responsible Self and coordinator of women’s studies. Sperry is also the faculty sponsor for the Philosophy Club. Outside of Jewell, Sperry is the president of the North American Society for Social Philosophy. 

Here is a look into her busy, busy life. 

Monday, Wednesday, Friday Schedule

6 a.m. – Wake up, coffee and journaling

7 a.m. – Meditation and exercise

8 a.m. – Scholarly reading

Sperry has authored a number of philosophical papers and is currently working on research having to do with contempt. 

9 a.m. – Administration and committee work, grading papers, class preparation

12 p.m. – Head to campus 

12:30 p.m. – Class time: History of Western Philosophy I 

1:45 p.m. – Office Hours

If no students come by during office hours, Sperry spends time organizing files, grading, and doing administrative work. Some students may recall that Sperry’s office was originally on the third floor of Marston, but due to some environmental concerns, she has moved to Gano Chapel. Unfortunately, now her office is a bit disorganized as a result of the move, hence why she spends time filing and organizing. 

3 p.m. – Class time: Philosophy of Gender, Sex, and Power

4:15 p.m. – Office Hours 

5 p.m. – Head back home

After a long day of work, Sperry cooks a meal at home or goes out to dinner with friends. Afterward she unwinds with a good book before going to bed or otherwise wastes time on the internet. Sperry enjoys reading the Hilltop Monitor during her internet spelunking. 

Sperry says that this schedule is relatively new for her. Previously, she had been experimenting with different schedules in the past year or so. This schedule has been a significant transformation for her. Before she organized her day, she often felt overwhelmed by the amount of work she had to do. Sperry says that whenever she was doing something she would always be thinking about the 16 other things she could also be doing. 

Now, everything has a particular time of the day, and Sperry is significantly calmer and more relaxed. Effective time management is important. During the weekends, Sperry likes to dedicate time to her hobbies, which include things like baking bread and making kombucha.