Dr. Monika Gross

Associate Professor of English
School of Arts & Sciences

“Working with students motivates me to wake up and come to work every morning, they keep me young,” says Monika Gross, associate professor of English and director of the Honors Program.

She began teaching at Bowie State University in August 1983, and she will have 25 years of service this August 2008. Dr. Gross holds a doctorate in higher education, bachelor’s in English, and master’s in English/English education. She has had many proud accomplishments and memorable moments in her career at the University. Her proudest accomplishment was when she persuaded a student not to drop out of school. She had a very serious talk with the student after overhearing his disturbing conversation with another student. About three years later the same student thanked her for the talk she had with him. He said that because she had told him he had what it took to complete his education, she made him believe he could. No other professor had ever shown that kind of concern for him. He announced he would graduate that May with his master’s degree. Gross’ most memorable moment in her career was when she received a plaque for “Outstanding Teaching” in the School of Arts and Sciences. “When my name was called, I was still for a moment because I was in such shock and disbelief.” Her colleagues gave her a standing ovation the entire time while she walked to the front of the room to receive the plaque and back to her seat. “I had to fight back the tears because the respect of my colleagues meant more to me than receiving the plaque.”

“I didn’t choose education; it chose me,” says Gross, who sort of fell into teaching. She was introduced to teaching when a friend that taught at a community college asked her to teach two classes. Gross enjoyed working with the college students but had no intentions of teaching. “Now my enjoyment comes from working with students. Young adults, particularly, are so smart in many ways and are intuitive and perceptive, and they teach me so much.” She believes, “It’s very difficult for young adults to get started in life today even with a college education and skills; they need so much support all the time. They have to know we support them and we want them to succeed.”

She says her work with the Honors Program has provided her a wonderful opportunity. “I’ve been exposed to all other facets of the University’s administration to complement my teaching and advising.” Most of Gross’ responsibilities with the Honors Program are teaching and advising. Specifically, she sends students to conferences, helps them obtain internships, and provides them an opportunity to volunteer during the summer with a program of which she is a founding board member called Our Black Authors Foundation. The organization sponsors a two-week summer camp for school-age students to enhance their writing skills. Her plans for the Honors Program are to implement a new core curriculum that will start with the incoming fall 2008 students. She also hopes to expand the Honors Program staff.

Bowie State University public relations students Kandice Brown provided photography and Megan Turner contributed as a writer.