Biography
After selling my optometric practice, where I had the joy of caring for children’s vision for forty years, I began looking to begin the next chapter. I have been an avid reader my entire life, but I always realized I only had a superficial knowledge of classical references. As a science major in college, the humanities played a minor role in my education. While trolling the internet searching for educational opportunities for a lifelong learner, I landed at the Graham School. The Basic Text class offered during the summer of 2021 piqued my interest. Leading to enrolling in the Basic program beginning that fall. The Basic Program provided everything I sought: Plato, Cervantes, Homer, Descartes, and beyond. To me, this became a silver lining of the pandemic. Online classes transitioned to an option previously unavailable. The ability to create friendships in my cohort from Utah to Tennessee, Texas, and Indiana, along with local learners, enriches the classes. Upon completing my certificate in June 2025, I look forward to selecting an Alumni Sequence.
As an optometrist, I practiced as Mary Lou French, O.D., M.Ed., F.A.A.O. During my career, I was a member of the Illinois State Licensing and Disciplinary Board of Optometry, serving as Chair for one term, representing my state at the Association of Regulatory Boards of Optometry national meetings, while serving on various committees.
My favorite class was the first tutorial, reading Meno. I knew I was in the right place. Over the last three years, I have found that I return to Socrates’ method of defining virtue during other classes. After Don Quixote, I hope my next favorite reading will be Pride and Prejudice. Much to my daughter’s dismay, until this point in my life, I avoided reading any Jane Austen.
My reason for being a member of the Basic Program Fund Development Committee is to support the instructors in the Basic Program. The initial impetus was supporting the instructors’ need for financial security, and only after being on the committee did I learn the true depth of the instructors’ commitment to us, the learners. I think it is critical to return that commitment to them by providing financial support to maintain and enhance the growth of the Basic Program.