Beulah Alexander\u2019s Brock University employment story is unconventional.<\/p>\n
The graduate administrative assistant for the Faculty of Mathematics and Science started her 31-year career at the University through a government-funded program for unemployed female secretaries, many of whom had removed themselves from the workforce to care for their children.<\/p>\n
\u201cBy this time, I had two children, Haven and Leolah, and thought it would be a great opportunity to improve my skills,\u201d said Alexander (BA \u201902, MEd \u201906), who is one of eight Brock University employees retiring at the end of this month. \u201cPlus, I wanted to evaluate the electric typewriters being used so that I could purchase one.\u201d<\/p>\n
Born in Monsterrat, West Indies, Alexander and her husband Lionel moved to St. Catharines from Sandy Lake, Ont. in the spring of 1986 to continue their post-secondary education. Lionel was accepted to Brock\u2019s Master of Education program and she to a Bachelor of Arts.<\/p>\n
Lionel began his full-time studies that fall, but it wasn\u2019t until two years later in September 1988 that Alexander began her own part-time course work for the BA.<\/p>\n
In January 1987, while Lionel was working on his MEd, the co-op program Alexander was involved with assigned her to work in Brock\u2019s Teacher Education section of the Admissions Office \u2014\u00a0a role she remained in for 12 years.<\/p>\n
\u201cThose were the days when the Pre-Service Teacher Education program would receive 7,000 to 8,000 applications per year when there were only 300 placements available,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
In addition to scoring the experience profiles for the pre-service program, Alexander was responsible for the admission and registration processes for the Adult Education program as well as the additional qualification (AQ) courses for teachers updating their certification. This often meant travelling across Niagara and Southern Ontario to settle registration problems.<\/p>\n
She was once subpoenaed to court to testify about an error in a student\u2019s record.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen a teacher completes an AQ course, the University sends the Ministry of Education a recommendation to update their qualification record,\u201d she said. \u201cI was subpoenaed because a student\u2019s record was updated at the Ministry when it should not have been. They thought Brock recommended it, but we did not.\u201d<\/p>\n
In 1999, Alexander moved to the Faculty of Education\u2019s Office of the Dean and then, in 2002, took on a role in the Department of Biological Sciences. In 2010, her role changed to include the entire Faculty of Mathematics and Science.<\/p>\n
\u201cI find joy in solving problems for the individuals I serve,\u201d she said. \u201cPeople often come to my office in need of direction or problem-solving. They ask me to pray with them. I\u2019m going to miss that.\u201d<\/p>\n
She said she\u2019ll also miss singing in the Brock women\u2019s choir, working out at The Zone and participating in \u2018salad Mondays\u2019 with her colleagues.<\/p>\n
Although Alexander officially retires Monday, Dec. 31, she will be back in the new year to help out until her replacement is hired and trained.<\/p>\n
Once her work at Brock is complete, Alexander plans to visit her ailing mother in St. Lucia and begin courses in online marketing.<\/p>\n
Additional employees retiring this month:<\/strong><\/p>\n John Culp,\u00a0Audio-Visual Technician, Client Services<\/strong><\/p>\n Lorraine Dahse,\u00a0Custodian, Facilities Management<\/strong><\/p>\n Joyce Engel,\u00a0Chair and Associate Professor, Nursing<\/strong><\/p>\n Cynthia Leavitt,\u00a0Library Assistant, Collection Services<\/strong><\/p>\n Debbie Jane Shepherd,\u00a0Admissions Officer, Registrar\u2019s Office<\/strong><\/p>\n James Weatherson,\u00a0Custodian, Facilities Management<\/strong><\/p>\n Barbara Whittard,\u00a0Innovative Systems Co-ordinator, Library Systems<\/strong><\/p>\n\n
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