Piedmont Profiles: Kay Bethea
Professor of Theater and Music Kay Bethea has taught 15-20 different courses since her first year at Piedmont Virginia Community College in 1982. She currently teaches two acting classes, two fundamentals classes and an online music appreciation class.
When asked how she would like to be addressed by her students, she replied, “It really doesn’t matter, but I do not use my title of doctor because I don’t want to be on a plane and be asked to do a tracheotomy.” Due to the wonderful rapport she builds with her students, inevitably, they end up calling her by her first name, which is fine with her.
She grew up in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and earned her bachelor and master degrees from Louisiana State University (LSU). With an immediate sparkle lighting her eyes, she is “very proud to claim LSU as my alma mater.”
Bethea always wanted to do something in music or theater, or both. She is a trained pianist. She got into education by accident. While working on her masters degree at LSU, an instructor there received a call from Kansas State University looking for a piano instructor due to an unexpected influx of music students. Soon she was on her way to Kansas.
Bethea’s route to PVCC has been interesting. She rattled off with infectious excitement, “This is the sixth state, ninth city and fifth teaching institution: Kansas, South Carolina, a short time in Fredericksburg, Virginia, Arkansas, and Florida.” She has enjoyed living in each place. Having always taught at four year colleges or graduate schools, this is her first time teaching in a community college.
We talked about the expansion of PVCC’s campus to four buildings. She feels it has lost some of its sense of community, despite activities aimed at bringing people together. There are still instructors who do not know each other as well as they would like.
However, she is thankful and proud of the V. Earl Dickinson Building which is only a short eight-minute walk from the main building.
When asked what part of her program she feels needs to be expanded, she emphatically responded the instrumental portion of the music program. With such quality music programs in the area high schools, there is a real need to accommodate the local population.
Kay Bethea has been an integral part of PVCC for many years. She is a self-proclaimed incessant coffee drinker who longs for a “Bring your dog to work” day. Her love for her pets, a Siberian husky and three indoor cats is apparent. In her spare time, she eagerly attends plays and concerts, whether it be at home or in New York.
She invites all of the PVCC community to the Music Faculty Recital, 3:00 p.m., Main Stage Theater in Dickinson Building Sunday, February 22.
