Where Are They Now? Kimberly Beck
5/14/2020 2:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball, My GW: Celebrating our Stories
GW Athletic Hall of Famer has devoted career to education in D.C.
Five hundred students from KIPP DC Promise Academy filed into Charles E. Smith Center in January for an all-grades field trip.
The youngest members of the group excitedly asked Vice Principal Kimberly Beck if she'd be suiting up for GW women's basketball that morning vs. Duquesne, while the older kids proudly pointed to her giant photo covering a column near the entrance and bragged about once having her in class.
Everyone from the public charter school went wild with delight when the GW Athletic Hall of Fame point guard was featured on the arena's jumbotron.
"It's just really fun listening to the different age groups trying to process my time at GW," said Beck, who has spent more than a decade in a variety of roles at the K-4 school in Southeast D.C. "Most of them are very incorrect, but it's super cute."
Clearly, it was a meaningful Field Trip Day for Beck -- and it was made even better when her Colonials took advantage of the youthful energy in the building to rally past the Dukes for an Atlantic 10 victory.
"To have 500 kids at your alma mater is a really special, special thing," Beck said. "It's combining my two homes."
A two-time Honorable Mention All-American, Beck didn't have this career path on her mind as she was leading GW to four straight NCAA Tournament appearances from 2005-2008, including back-to-back Sweet 16s to close out a decorated run in Buff and Blue.
These days, Beck couldn't imagine doing anything else. After playing professionally in the WNBA and Turkey, GW's all-time leader in assists has found a passion for education and a family at a school seven miles from Foggy Bottom.
"Anyone in education will tell you that teaching is hard – it's hard work," said Beck, who majored in history at GW. "The kids are the reason why you come back. Any time I ever thought about 'What do I want to do next?' I would come back another year and be like 'Aw, I can't leave until so-and-so gets to the next grade.' It's just the families and the kids at my school in my community who've always kept me coming back."
In early 2010, Beck was back in her native Georgia figuring out life after hoops when a family friend called wondering if she'd be interested in teaching physical education at a recently-opened charter school in D.C.
Beck had always enjoyed working with children at basketball camps and clinics. This sounded like a fun opportunity.
"She called me on a Friday and said 'Hey, I need a PE teacher. What are you doing?'" Beck remembered. "I was like 'Nothing. Chilling. I'm on my way,' basically. I drove up to D.C. and started on that Monday."
Beck has been at KIPP DC Promise Academy ever since, building a career at a primary school that has been recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education and a Tier 1 school by the DC Public Charter School Board.
She spent time teaching first grade and also served as a dean before moving into her vice principal role two years ago. The position offers a chance to hone her leadership skills and share all she's learned through the years, a perfect fit for a former point guard.
"Just like on the basketball court, I like to expand my impact when I can," Beck said. "Being a vice principal allows me to not only work with a bunch of different kids across grade levels but also a bunch of different teachers across grade levels.
"It's working with teachers to better their craft and helping them out any way I can. I just felt like as a VP that I would be reaching more people and more kids and that's what I've always looked to do."
Beck's schedule can get hectic, but she enjoys making the short trip to Smith Center from her home in the Shaw area of D.C. when she can.
In 2018, Beck entered the GW Athletic Hall of Fame in recognition of 1,395 points, 717 assists and 295 steals that helped the Colonials to 101 wins and the four NCAA berths under head coach Joe McKeown. Her group of supporters that weekend included her mother, sister, former teammates and coworkers from KIPP DC Promise Academy.
"It was just amazing to be back in Foggy Bottom with people I love, people that supported me during my time there," said Beck, who was the A-10 Player of the Year as a senior before being selected in the WNBA Draft by the Seattle Storm. "It was nice to relive it. It's been a while now since I played, but it's like I relived my glory days in that moment."
This past season, Beck took part in a career panel with the women's basketball program last fall as part of Home Opener Weekend.
"I do love going back and talking to the kids, even though they really make me feel old," she joked.
And Beck always looks forward to the Colonials' annual Field Trip Day.
It's taken a massive logistical undertaking to bring her whole school to the last two editions, but she's glad she's been able to do it to unite her past and present in a special way.
"GW is where I kind of grew up," Beck said. "Joe's guidance really helped me, and my teammates, I still talk to them all the time. I was prepared for anything after being at GW.
"There's a lot of crossover between my time at GW and my time professionally now. I think one of the biggest things is always having that support system within my teammates, within my coaches. That's something that I don't think I could've gotten anywhere else and something that still helps me to this day."
The youngest members of the group excitedly asked Vice Principal Kimberly Beck if she'd be suiting up for GW women's basketball that morning vs. Duquesne, while the older kids proudly pointed to her giant photo covering a column near the entrance and bragged about once having her in class.
Everyone from the public charter school went wild with delight when the GW Athletic Hall of Fame point guard was featured on the arena's jumbotron.
"It's just really fun listening to the different age groups trying to process my time at GW," said Beck, who has spent more than a decade in a variety of roles at the K-4 school in Southeast D.C. "Most of them are very incorrect, but it's super cute."
Clearly, it was a meaningful Field Trip Day for Beck -- and it was made even better when her Colonials took advantage of the youthful energy in the building to rally past the Dukes for an Atlantic 10 victory.
"To have 500 kids at your alma mater is a really special, special thing," Beck said. "It's combining my two homes."
A two-time Honorable Mention All-American, Beck didn't have this career path on her mind as she was leading GW to four straight NCAA Tournament appearances from 2005-2008, including back-to-back Sweet 16s to close out a decorated run in Buff and Blue.
These days, Beck couldn't imagine doing anything else. After playing professionally in the WNBA and Turkey, GW's all-time leader in assists has found a passion for education and a family at a school seven miles from Foggy Bottom.
"Anyone in education will tell you that teaching is hard – it's hard work," said Beck, who majored in history at GW. "The kids are the reason why you come back. Any time I ever thought about 'What do I want to do next?' I would come back another year and be like 'Aw, I can't leave until so-and-so gets to the next grade.' It's just the families and the kids at my school in my community who've always kept me coming back."
In early 2010, Beck was back in her native Georgia figuring out life after hoops when a family friend called wondering if she'd be interested in teaching physical education at a recently-opened charter school in D.C.
Beck had always enjoyed working with children at basketball camps and clinics. This sounded like a fun opportunity.
"She called me on a Friday and said 'Hey, I need a PE teacher. What are you doing?'" Beck remembered. "I was like 'Nothing. Chilling. I'm on my way,' basically. I drove up to D.C. and started on that Monday."
Beck has been at KIPP DC Promise Academy ever since, building a career at a primary school that has been recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education and a Tier 1 school by the DC Public Charter School Board.
She spent time teaching first grade and also served as a dean before moving into her vice principal role two years ago. The position offers a chance to hone her leadership skills and share all she's learned through the years, a perfect fit for a former point guard.
"Just like on the basketball court, I like to expand my impact when I can," Beck said. "Being a vice principal allows me to not only work with a bunch of different kids across grade levels but also a bunch of different teachers across grade levels.
"It's working with teachers to better their craft and helping them out any way I can. I just felt like as a VP that I would be reaching more people and more kids and that's what I've always looked to do."
Beck's schedule can get hectic, but she enjoys making the short trip to Smith Center from her home in the Shaw area of D.C. when she can.
In 2018, Beck entered the GW Athletic Hall of Fame in recognition of 1,395 points, 717 assists and 295 steals that helped the Colonials to 101 wins and the four NCAA berths under head coach Joe McKeown. Her group of supporters that weekend included her mother, sister, former teammates and coworkers from KIPP DC Promise Academy.
"It was just amazing to be back in Foggy Bottom with people I love, people that supported me during my time there," said Beck, who was the A-10 Player of the Year as a senior before being selected in the WNBA Draft by the Seattle Storm. "It was nice to relive it. It's been a while now since I played, but it's like I relived my glory days in that moment."
This past season, Beck took part in a career panel with the women's basketball program last fall as part of Home Opener Weekend.
"I do love going back and talking to the kids, even though they really make me feel old," she joked.
And Beck always looks forward to the Colonials' annual Field Trip Day.
It's taken a massive logistical undertaking to bring her whole school to the last two editions, but she's glad she's been able to do it to unite her past and present in a special way.
"GW is where I kind of grew up," Beck said. "Joe's guidance really helped me, and my teammates, I still talk to them all the time. I was prepared for anything after being at GW.
"There's a lot of crossover between my time at GW and my time professionally now. I think one of the biggest things is always having that support system within my teammates, within my coaches. That's something that I don't think I could've gotten anywhere else and something that still helps me to this day."
GW Athletics: Coach Ganiyat Adeduntan Intro Event
Monday, April 07
GW v UMASS (2/26/25) Post Game Presser
Wednesday, February 26
GW v DAV (2/23/25) WBB Post Game Presser
Sunday, February 23
GW WBB vs. Fordham (02/04/25) Post Game Presser
Wednesday, February 05