Inside DELTA: 5 Questions with Beth Monroe

Passionate about supporting others working in the field of online and distance education, Beth Monroe bridges the gap between program coordinators and different units of DELTA.

Monroe was born and raised in Asheboro, North Carolina. After high school she left home to go to UNC-Chapel Hill. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in sociology, and in 2006, began working for the Department of Registration and Records at NC State.

She joined DELTA in 2011 and serves as the Online and Distance Education liaison officer.

Monroe calls herself an introvert, but her favorite part of the job is communicating and forming relationships with others. She is customer service-oriented and enjoys working closely with her team.

How would you describe your position to someone unfamiliar with DELTA?

“I provide administrative support to the Associate Vice Provost for Online and Distance Education, but also to the rest of the Online and Distance Education Administrative staff team, which supports faculty and students participating in our Online and Distance Education programs,” said Monroe.

Recently, Monroe worked alongside the AVP for Academic Technology Innovation Donna Petherbridge, chair of the search committee, to find the new AVP for Online and Distance Education Tim Petty. Monroe set up interviews via Google Hangouts and scheduled campus visits with finalists.

Monroe manages calendars for AVPs Rebecca Swanson and Petty, operating as the first point of contact for distance education program coordinators. She also monitors budgets, assists with projects, provides meeting support, enrollment projections and mailing communications.

What makes your job special?

“The ability to give support to such an innovative program in distance education and all that it is doing for students across North Carolina and the world,” said Monroe. “Being able to be a part of that is really cool because we’re one of the leaders in it. It’s kind of a proud moment when I talk to people about where I work.”

She loves being part of a team that takes their work seriously. “This group has been able to develop programs that are such high quality,” she said. Monroe feels that she has learned a lot from her coworkers about digital technology. “It’s cool to watch it behind the scenes, and I want to be an end user of it at some point in my life,” she said.

What also makes Monroe feel welcome at DELTA is having coworkers who understand the need to balance family and work life. “Being at DELTA I’ve found a really good support system for other moms of young children,” she said. “It’s been really nice to have that.”

How is online and distance education technology important to you?

“It’s important to me because I see the opportunities that it provides to people who maybe otherwise wouldn’t have had educational opportunities, like non-traditional students, even for myself because I am getting to a place where I’m thinking about the future,” said Monroe.

She is interested in going to school again but currently has no free time to devote to classes. “When life calms down enough for me to go back to school, I am convinced that online and distance education is going to be the way I make it happen,” said Monroe.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

Whenever she needs a break from parenting, Monroe likes to go for a jog. “I enjoy running if I can ever find time to do it,” said Monroe. “I am running the Rock ‘n’ Roll 5k in April and I’m really excited about that. I’ve never actually run in a formal race before.” She has run that distance by herself but hopes that a competitive race setting will give her the push she needs to improve her pace and endurance. “I do so much better when there are others holding me accountable,” said Monroe. Her goal is to run a half marathon in the near future.

Aside from running, Monroe spends as much time as she can with her 2-year-old son and 5-year-old daughter. “They’re basically my world,” she said. “Doing fun things with them are pretty much the things I look forward to the most.”

Monroe also likes traveling with her family when she can. “My husband is Canadian so we like to get to Canada as much as possible,” she added.

What is something about yourself that people may not readily know?

Monroe believes she could have been a detective in another life. “I’m really into true crime,” said Monroe. “I can’t get my hands on enough of that stuff.” She is fascinated by documentary series like “Making a Murderer” and highly recommends it to those interested in real criminal cases.

Another thing people might not be aware of is that Monroe has celiac disease, which can make it hard to find places to eat with gluten-free options. “I’m always on the hunt for restaurants that are celiac friendly,” she said.