Kim McManus Biography
Kimberly O. McManus, originally from South Carolina, graduated as valedictorian from high
school in 1990, received her undergraduate degree in Special Education from Clemson University in 1994
and her Masters in Counseling from Clemson University, with an emphasis on Student Affairs in 1995. In
January 1996 Kimberly began her full-time professional career in education as the coordinator of
disability support services and minority retention counselor at a two-year community college, Piedmont
Technical College (PTC), in Greenwood, South Carolina. During that time she worked in many
capacities, including a club organizer, ADA coordinator, admissions representative, etc. It was during this
time that Kimberly was offered her first college teaching position and thus began to teach writing to
developmental English students at an off-campus site in 1997. After leaving PTC, Kimberly returned to
her alma mater, Clemson University, and worked as the coordinator of educational career services and
placement. In this capacity Kimberly successfully single-handedly coordinated one of the largest
teachers’ fairs on the east coast, CUTIP, as well as helped coordinate career fairs/workshops for alumni in
their respective areas.
She then left Clemson and took a position as the Making Our Mothers Successful (MOMS)
coordinator for the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ). After the inauguration of a new
governor, all sex-equity programs were cut across the state; however, Kimberly remained at DJJ and
worked as a counselor, program coordinator, and taught many subject areas. Kimberly had much success
with the juveniles but longed to promote her chance of being creative; thus, she left South Carolina in
April 2000 and moved to Maryland. Since living in Maryland, Kimberly has taught for Prince George’s
County Public Schools (Adult Education: ESL, special education, English teacher, summer school
teacher, etc). In June 2001, Kimberly began teaching part-time at Bowie State University and took a fulltime position there in 2002. Her tenure at Bowie State included being faculty in the Department of
English and Modern Languages and the director of the Writing Center.
Kimberly left Bowie State University in 2006 to take a position at Montgomery College (MC) in
Rockville, Maryland. Since being at MC, Kimberly has been the coordinator of disability services,
adjunct faculty for Workforce Development and Counseling, adjunct faculty in Counseling and the
Department of Humanities, both Rockville and Takoma Park/Silver Spring campuses, and now the
assistant director of the Writing, Reading and Language Center. At MC, Kimberly participates in several
activities, including Black History Committee, Dr. Harry Hardin ceremony, College Transfer Scholarship
Coordinating Committee, Pres. Johnson’s Inauguration, etc. In 2007 Kimberly became a member of
Cohort 10 of Morgan State University’s Community College Leadership Doctoral program and looks
forward to graduating soon. In her spare time, Kimberly enjoys writing poetry, stories, and songs, and
drawing, painting and singing, and visiting her family.