Most people know her as the “Lily Grant Lady,” and others knowher as Jan Everhart. Jan has been on Simpson’s campus for a littleover a year working with students and faculty to further educatethem about the Lily Initiative. Though Jan is the

“Lily Grant Lady,” she is also much more than that.

Just to look at her not many students would hazard to guess thatin her spare time she enjoys trout fishing and spending time at hercabin in the Spanish Peaks of Colorado. Nor would many people knowthat she can read and write four biblical languages.

Jan grew up as the daughter of a professor, spent 14 months ofher childhood in Germany, and lived the rest in Berkley,California. As one can imagine Berkely during the 60’s would openone’s eyes to many new and unexpected things. Jan has lived on bothcoasts and even some places in between, attending seminary innorthern New Jersey, graduate school in Colorado and spending 17years in parish ministry in California.

As a result of Jan’s experiences she has and always will love totravel and experience new things. Jan has started to teach coursesat Simpson, and will continue to teach a total of four courses ayear for now. Jan has taught before, but this is the first time shehas taught undergraduate students. She has always loved to teach,and firmly believes that teachers learn as much as students. If youare signed up for one of Jan’s classes be prepared to learn fromexperiences as well as texts and lectures. In her “Old Testament”class Jan gives students the option of completing a practicum ofcommunity service that is to be reflected on within a journal. Janbelieves that students can not only learn from these experiences,but also then relate them to Biblical studies. The Lily Initiativeis a five-year grant and has brought her to Iowa, and after herfive years here Jan really has no worries about where her futuremay lead. “The older I get the less fearful I get,” said Everhart.After a brush with breast cancer hit a little too close to home andworking within a large trauma center Jan knows just how fragilelife can be. “Life is fragile-embrace the moment and don’t put offopportunities that present themselves.

Fun Fact: Jan traveled Europe on a student rail pass for fiveand a half months as a teenager.