Nikole Babb
nbabb@cherryroad.com
A science scholarship to remember a beloved family member, science fanatic and Butler Community College professor has been started to live on the legacy that Lindsey (Carter) Fields left behind.
“This scholarship will empower future scientists to pursue their dreams, just as Lindsey inspired us all to chase ours,” read the GoFundMe webpage.
The Lindsey (Carter) Fields Memorial Science Scholarship was created by her family who feel the tragic loss of Fields every day. Fields’ cousin, Dr. Amy Costner-Lark, says she remembers her as a person with a dynamic personality who had an energy that filled any room she entered.
“She really had a heart of gold and poured herself into family, friends and students,” said Dr. Costner-Lark.
The two cousins spent almost every day growing up together in the panhandle of Oklahoma in a small town on a large plot of family acreage. All that time they spent outdoors as children is what Dr. Costner-Lark thinks sparked the love for science for Fields, in addition to her family’s love for science as well. She fondly shares her love for teaching with her late cousin as Dr. Costner-Lark is the Assistant Dean of the Nurse Practitioner of Academic Affairs Graduate Programs and Presidential Professor at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences.
Fields’ father, Dr. Todd Carter, was also a science professor, and so was his father and her other grandfather. She shared the love of being an educator with 15-20 other family members as well. In fact, Fields had just recently been given the title of the National Association of Biology Teachers, (NABT), Board of Director’s President-Elect, the same position her own father held in his time as an educator. She was traveling to Washington D.C. to represent the NABT community and advocate for excellence in life science education when her plane, AA 5342, was hit by an Army helicopter where she passed away.
In her short 40 years of life, Fields was not only beloved by her family, but also by students and colleagues. Her first pride and joy were her husband and family, then her love for science and teaching.
“Teaching was something she knew and loved, and she coupled that with science,” said Dr. Costner-Lark. “She knew about her student’s struggles; she knew the things they were going through.”
She was a graduate of Seward County Community College with a Pre-Veterinary Medicine degree, Oklahoma State University with a Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in Zoology, interned at Oklahoma City Zoo, had done PhD work at the University of Mississippi for molecular genetics and has previously taught Biology at Ole Miss and Introductory Biology, Physical Science, and Anatomy & Physiology at Northwest Mississippi Community College before teaching at Butler Community College. There she was a professor in the biology department as Department Chair teaching courses of General Biology, Majors Biology 1 and 2, and Anatomy and Physiology.
Her students fondly remember Fields as a lifelong mentor and friend; someone they could go to when they needed advice or a cheerleader through challenging times. It doesn’t seem to matter the amount of time a student knew her; the lasting impact she left on them remained significant.
“She was more than a teacher of biology, she was a mentor in life and stayed with students throughout their careers and had a lasting impact,” said Dr. Costner-Lark. “That’s what defines a teacher is teaching them beyond the content.”
Fields’ husband and family wish to continue her legacy through the scholarship they’re working to develop. It will be an endowed scholarship, so it continues to touch the lives of students for years to come and live the same legacy Fields did. The scholarship will particularly target biology or science students. As of 10am on Friday, the scholarship has raised $47,563 with a goal of $100,000.
To donate visit the GoFundMe webpage https://www.gofundme.com/f/empower-future-scientists-in-memory-of-lindsey-fields
