Jenna Anderson-

This week’s Gustie of the Week is Lisa Dembouski, Associate Professor in Education and Latin American, Latinx, and Caribbean Studies (LALACS). Dembouski goes by LD, which is her name in American Sign Language. LD is the leader of the GAC Global Educators, a program that allows education students to complete their student teaching outside of Minnesota. She is also a proud first-generation college student and a huge supporter of first-generation Gusties!

After graduating from the College of St. Benedict, LD was a K-12 teacher for fifteen years in the St. Paul public schools, working with deaf and hard-of-hearing students. “I loved it… I was interested in the teaching side, being a better educator,” LD said. While working, she got her Masters degree in Special Education/Deaf-Hard of Hearing Education and her doctorate in Education, Curriculum, & Instruction/Culture and Teaching from the University of Minnesota. “This time, in addition to learning more about being an effective teacher, I also realized how interested I was in training people to be effective teachers.” This path led LD to teacher education. Because her family lives in southern Minnesota, Gustavus was a perfect fit.

LD is Deaf and hard of hearing. “With my devices (a cochlear implant and a hearing aid) I’m hard of hearing,” LD said, “if I take those off, I consider myself Deaf.” People often don’t know that LD is Deaf unless she tells them, because she was post-linguistically deafened, meaning she lost her hearing in her twenties. “My hearing loss is actually what led me to the career I have now, so it ended up being a very good thing,” LD said.

Senior Grace Kearney has taken several classes with LD, including her “Inclusive Classrooms” course. “The fact that [LD] teaches Inclusive Classrooms means more, because we now all know someone who is Deaf,” they said. Kearney was able to work with LD on a project where they focused on teaching D/deaf and hard-of-hearing students. Working on this project with LD helped Kearney understand how to be a better educator of DHH kids in the future.

“Every single person who goes through the Education program gets to work with LD…She’s awesome, we love her…she’s just so funny too,” Kearney said. LD knows that Kearney is trying to learn some sign language, so she often teaches them new signs. Kearney and all of the Gustavus Education students have learned a lot from working with LD. 

LD is a huge advocate for the Study Away programs at Gustavus. She leads her own study away program to Sint Maarten, and although she loves all of her classes, she says that this one has to be her favorite. This course is labeled as an education course, but “anybody is welcome,” LD said. “More than wanting to teach, you just have to love kids and be willing to work with kids, because the bulk of the course involves working in schools as a classroom aid,” she said. In the evenings and on weekends, students are free to explore the island and participate in group excursions.

“We’re going to propose to go again in May 2026. I want Gusties to take advantage,” LD said. She emphasized the importance of experiencing the world beyond the United States, making memories, and learning about your passions. “I think Study Away is one of the best gifts you can give yourself. It’s a bunch of experiences that nobody can ever take away from you,” LD said.

Aside from teaching, LD loves camping and the outdoors, and she recently completed a huge Minnesota milestone. “I made myself a goal that I wanted to either hike, kayak, or camp in every Minnesota state park and state recreation area,” LD said, “There are 76 of them total, and this past summer I just finished.” This incredible accomplishment took her nine years; “it took me longer to do that than it took me to get my PhD,” LD said.

LD has so many stories about her adventures and encourages students to find their own ways to make memories outside of the classroom. “She is just an incredible person, period,” Kearney said. LD is teaching Gusties to be effective and inclusive educators while inspiring them to experience the world beyond Gustavus.