Triple Alumna

By Hedy Gerace, associate director of stewardship, KU Foundation

Dr. Katie A. Monahan '07, M.Ed. '12, Ed.D. '25 always had a plan. Since beginning her undergraduate degree at Kutztown University in 2003, she knew: “I wanted to come back to teach at KU.” 

Today, that vision has been fully realized. Monahan serves as an assistant professor of Elementary, Middle Level, and Library & Technologies Education at KU — teaching the very foundational math classes she had her eye on as a student.  

However, this isn’t the only thing that sets Monahan apart. She’s a three-time alumna, and for her, the Golden Bear spirit runs deep. “My lifelong motto is ‘Stay Golden,’” she said.

Monahan graduated from KU the first time in 2007 with degrees in elementary education/mathematics and elementary education sports pedagogy. From there, she entered the world of teaching in Allentown, serving in several schools. While these years were formative, she “still viewed working at KU as an end goal.”

In 2009, Monahan returned to campus for a secondary education master’s degree, which she completed in 2012. She continued to work locally throughout this degree, staying determined along the way. She was always learning how to be a better teacher.

Monahan’s education continued with a STEM endorsement from another university in 2019 before beginning a doctoral degree program in 2020. However, Monahan shared that she was at an institution where she felt like “one of thousands.” It wouldn’t be long until KU called her home.

Officially transferring in 2022 to KU’s Ed.D. in transformational teaching and learning program, Monahan was back where she belonged as a Golden Bear. “My biggest connections were always my professors and teachers,” she said, and she was more than ready to bring everything they taught her to a KU classroom of her own.

Monahan began to apply to open faculty roles on campus. When she secured a temporary position, she didn’t hesitate to make her office space her own. It was a reflection of her deep desire to stay at KU: to contribute more to the place that had given so much to her. However, as Monahan jokingly put it at the time, “The more I decorate, the less likely it is that they will get rid of me.” 

Monahan was able to apply for a tenure-track position not long after, and the rest is history. Now, she enjoys teaching students who will one day become teachers themselves. Her philosophy is heart-forward: “I prioritize social and emotional teaching,” she said. Monahan often asks herself if her students “know I care about them as humans?”

Growth and confidence are also priorities in Monahan’s classroom. As someone who has served in many roles—including past work as a clown—she isn’t afraid to show that teaching can be a kind of performance. Of course, it’s necessary to leave space for rest and recharge, and her office in the Beekey Education Center embodies this.

The decorations begin before the office does. The hallway outside Monahan’s door has pictures and signs that invite students to stop and engage, and a note on a sticker caddy says, “Take what helps you Stay Golden!”

“A student asked me, ‘Are you sure it’s not a club in here?’” she said, showing off a space that includes warm, colorful lighting and a row of fidget toys. Once, Monahan set up a photobooth area with a five-foot inflatable bear. For her, fostering a welcoming and engaging environment is of the utmost importance, and it goes beyond her office hours.

Monahan is not-so-secretly the person behind the Beekey Care Bears, an initiative she created to spread positivity. During the academic year, students can expect to be surprised by small plastic bears hidden throughout the education center. They are sometimes accompanied by snacks or small gifts and always come with a message: “This Beekey Care Bear found YOU. Keep it, smile, or pass it on. You’re doing beary great!”  

For Monahan, it all goes back to the Golden Bear spirit that she champions. “I don’t take anything for granted,” she said. “It’s a privilege to work here.” Her office wall confirms her feelings; all three of her KU degrees are on display, along with a collage of her three graduation days.

“My lifelong motto is ‘Stay Golden,’” Monahan repeated. “I grew up with this motto and forever continue it. That’s me in a nutshell.”