Alumni News
Dr. Elizabeth (Betty) Smith
Dr. Elizabeth (Betty) Smith, Professor of French and Spanish at Southwest Virginia Community College since 1989, holds a B.S.Ed. degree in French from Western Carolina University, a M.A. degree in French from the University of Tennessee - Knoxville, a Graduate Diploma in Community College Education from George Mason University, and a Doctor of Arts degree in Community College Education/Modern Languages from George Mason University.
Elizabeth is a distance education pioneer, having taught video-based courses since 1993 and via two- way television from 1995-2004. In spring 1996, she taught the first foreign language course from SwVCC to another Virginia community college using compressed video delivery. She currently teaches by video, web, and in the traditional classroom. She is a Peer Reviewer for MERLOT, the Multimedia Educational Resource for Learning and Online Teaching. She is president of the Faculty Senate at SwVCC and the College's representative on the Chancellor's Faculty Advisory Committee.
Elizabeth has been active in the Virginia Community Colleges Association. She has served locally as a delegate and commissioner. From 1993 until 1998, she served at the state level as member-at-large, president-elect, president, and past president.
Elizabeth has presented at various state conferences including the VCCA Annual Convention and the New Horizons Conference. She has also co-written three articles for the VCCA Journal and Inquiry.
Her awards include "Who's Who Among America's Teachers" in 1996, 2000, 2002, 2004, and 2005; Bluefield College's Educators' Hall of Influence in spring 1996; and the Phi Theta Kappa Leadership Award in 1998.
In 1999 and 2005 she was selected as a recipient of a National Institute of Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD) Excellence Award.