Author: puentedg

Beth Keith

Beth Keith is Miami Recreational Center’s new Assistant Director of Customer and Facility Services. She is the person one must see on a Monday morning; her positiveness and enthusiasm brightens everyone’s day and that’s why the marketing team decided to get to know her a little bit better.

When and how did you become a part of the REC staff?

August 21st was my first day, I’ve only been here a few weeks now. I interviewed over the summer and was hired as the Assistant Director of Customer and Facility Services.

What was it about this job that made you chose it?

So many things, the university is amazing. I attended some classes as a student way back in high school and I knew I loved the university, loved the area. I grew up in Ross Ohio, so coming back to this area and to Oxford was definitely appealing for me. And customer service is what I’m good at, is what I thrive in so I love this type of position where I get to use my strengths, especially for recreation, that thrives me too, I love to be active and I love helping to be active and to be involved. So I think there were so many things that made me want to come back.

In this position what do you do?

I’m learning that right now, but currently processing all of the membership; activation, cancellation, enrollment, those type of things. As well as customer service, working with the pro-shop, I think I will be working along with marketing initiatives, SilverSneakers®, I am still wrapping my head around all of those things.

What’s the thing you like the most about the REC?

I think right now because it’s what I’ve had the most exposure and interactions with is the staff, I think we have some awesome staff members, some full-time employees and students. I think everyone is so wonderful and just add so much to it, it’s not just a gym, by any means it’s so much more than that and within a month or two I already feel super connected and home here.

What’s your best memory at the REC?

Actually, this goes way back. I did an internship here in 2009 and my supervisor at that time took me to the equestrian center and we got to ride horses and I still vividly remember and I absolutely loved it. I think that’s just what we try to encompass here, we’re not just a gym where you lift weights,  we have so many opportunities outside of here, the Outdoor Pursuit Center, the Equestrian Center, Intramurals.

What’s your favorite recreational activity?

I love flag football, I like all the other normal running and walking, love to be outside in general, but I have played flag football as a professional staff for years and I absolutely love flag football.

What are you most passionate about?

I would say… I think trying to make people feel good about themselves in any way, I think I try to embody positivity myself, and I think I try to always bring that out on other people too and to help them  feel good. Help with customer service that just goes into making sure everybody is happy, that’s one of my top 5 things with Strengthsquest, is harmony and I want to be an includer.

What’s your life’s biggest dream?

I’ve had so many dreams come true I have two beautiful babies and I moved back home. I think it’s just, personally I want to be a great mom and I want to have my family be happy and successful. Within the professional one I want to see the facility be successful.

When are you happiest?

Is that a question for me? I’m always happy…when am I happiest? When I’ve just eaten chocolate? It’s a hard question for me. When I’m doing a good job and when I feel needed and successful, when I’m working hard.

Do you have a personal philosophy that you live by?

One thing that my husband and I always say is that we’ll make it through, we always do, no matter what challenge comes our way in general, we’ll get through it. It’s always that thing that we try to live by, where we are bigger than any challenge, that’s  something I always try to remember when things get hard.

By Dania Puente