51社区黑料

By Diane Mar-Nicolle

After 22 years as the financial assistant in SFU鈥檚 Department of Mathematics, Casey Bell says she feels like she has 鈥済rown up鈥� with math faculty members and grad students.

鈥淢y favourite thing about working in the math department for all this time has been watching grad students become faculty, faculty become parents, faculty retire,鈥� she says. 鈥淎nd they鈥檝e watched me get married and go on to have three boys, now aged 10,16 and 20.鈥�

Bell鈥檚 special ability to carry out official and unofficial duties with efficiency and a smile has been formally recognized with an 51社区黑料Staff Achievement Award for Community Contribution.

She has worked tirelessly to assist with the daily logistics of the department鈥檚 many community programs that bring young students to SFU鈥檚 summer schools and camps, workshops and field trips.

Nominator Sheryl Thompson says, 鈥�She ensured visiting Indigenous leadership, families and guests felt received and respected. She did this because it is who she is, and, she learned the importance these gestures play in building and strengthening relationships within Indigenous communities. She always, always, had a kind word and a smile at the ready鈥攏o matter what.鈥�

In addition to Bell鈥檚 regular tasks of payroll, accounting, web design and conference organization, Bell says she feels privileged to spend time with community groups, citing SFU鈥檚 Aboriginal Camps as an example.

鈥淚 feel honored to have worked alongside Veselin Jungic and Sheryl Thompson on the camp鈥攚itnessing their true passion for nurturing these kids was an amazing experience.鈥�

But being so close to students and staff creates worries as well. Bell says one of the hardest parts of her job is seeing grad students struggle financially.

鈥淥ver the past 10 years we've seen a dramatic increase in living expenses for all of us living in Metro Vancouver. Grad students rely on the money they bring in from TA/RA work and sometimes this just isn鈥檛 enough.  Being a mother of a 20 year old, this now hits closer to home for me and I really feel for the grad students and the struggles they face.鈥�

She also candidly admits to days when she feels that support staff can be overworked and underpaid. She was in this frame of mind when one of her coworkers anonymously left a copy of the award nomination papers on her desk, circled with a big heart.

鈥淚 sat at my desk and read through the support letters in tears.  I was so moved that I literally couldn't speak about it for days without crying. This award represents all the relationship I鈥檝e built over the past 22 years and I was very deeply touched,鈥� she says.

Always thinking of others, Bell says that everyone needs to be reminded that they are valued. She says, 鈥淲hat we do at work every day DOES matter and IS appreciated.鈥�