MCC’s Student Life Director Earns National Honor
February 18, 2020
Elizabeth “Betty” Stewart, director of the Office of Student Life and Leadership Development at Monroe Community College, is one of only 26 community college leaders nationwide selected for the 2020 Distinguished College Administrator Award by Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) honor society.
The award is presented to college vice presidents, deans, and directors serving at postsecondary institutions who have shown strong support of student success on their campus by recognizing academic achievement, leadership, and service among high-achieving students.
“Throughout the years, I’ve been really blessed to have worked together with so many wonderful students — they’re the heart and soul of what I do. I’m just incredibly humbled by this,” said Stewart (shown at right at a PTK induction ceremony).
Stewart was nominated for the award by PTK’s Alpha Theta Iota Chapter at MCC for her commitment and service to students during her more than 30-year career at MCC. Among her contributions is the Leadership Education and Development (LEAD) program she developed and initiated in 1989. The LEAD program promotes and guides PTK officers to become effective leaders.
“Because of her ability to connect with people, Betty has formed bonds with students in a manner where she is regularly willing and able to write letters of recommendation for students,” the nomination read. “Betty is an upstanding role model in leadership because she maintains not only a smile each day, but gives a warm welcome accompanied by a steady and positive attitude which makes students and her staff comfortable in approaching her for any reason.”
Stewart will be formally recognized at PTK’s annual convention in April in Texas.
PTK is an international honor society that recognizes the academic achievement of students at associate degree-granting colleges and helps them to grow as scholars and leaders. The organization is made up of more than 3.5 million members and nearly 1,300 chapters in 11 nations, with approximately 240,000 active members in the nation’s college.