Meet Bev Zupancic
Financial Services Officer at Western University

When you first meet Bev you can feel her electricity, her passion.  She is the type of down-to-earth person that emulates warmth and excitement.

If you ask Bev why she does her job, she simply replies, “I do my job to help students.” “Isn’t that why we are all working here?” she asks rhetorically.

Bev was born in a little town called Pembroke, Ontario, but for 13 years of her life she lived in Germany, Alberta, Quebec and then moved to London.  Ilderton is now home.  Bev loves the community aspect, and it is where she and her husband raise their four children.

In her current role, Bev is the Projects and Student Financials Officer at Western, and works within the Registrar.  She joined the Professional Managerial Association (PMA) as soon as she could.  She loves working with likeminded individuals, and likes to be involved in something bigger than herself.

“Knowing you have a group of individuals who are committed to implementing, developing and improving policies for professionals at Western is incredible, “Bev said.

Bev has a bubbly personality, and her passion is contagious. Just by sitting and talking to her, in no time, you are all in, and want to jump onboard with some of the community projects she is working on.  Her motto is to give students the best experience here at Western, and she feels lucky enough to be a part of that.

Bev has worked in the Student Financial Services office, in the Office of the Register for a number of years.  She mostly works in the background collecting tuition fees. As such, she is constantly challenged. As you can imagine, any job that requires fee payment can have its tough days.  But Bev doesn’t see it that way.  She feels that she can make a difference in students’ lives, and helps out in many different ways, not just with tuition.

She fondly recalls one phone call she received from a past student that had a huge impact on her.  He told her, that without her help, he wouldn’t have been able to graduate with his degree, and subsequently get a job to pay off his tuition.  “That is the good-stuff-helping others” Bev insightfully added.

Bev isn’t just all about her job here at Western.  Although she does love her job, it is her other passion projects that really have an impact on her.  In the last 15 years, Bev has been able to be part of community initiatives, and those initiatives have Western University ties.  Now volunteering is just part of who she is as a person.  She credits the university and her department for allowing her to grow.  Without the many different opportunities she has been given here at Western, she says that she wouldn’t be the same person.

Bev has been part of Alternative Spring Break, an incredible experience that she wishes more staff would take advantage of.  She has also stepped outside of her comfort zone to be Westerns United Way Sponsored Employee in 2012.

“Before I joined the United Way, I had no idea of the scope of good it does for the London and Middlesex community.”  She decided that her lack of public speaking ability wasn’t going to dissuade her from going for it.  “I figured that my passion for community betterment would allow me to speak the truth.”

For Bev, it is the growth experiences like being a United Way spokesperson that have shaped the leader she is today.  “Where else can you work that allows you to have this much impact on your community?”  She feels blessed to be part of our large community.

Bev also feels she is winning at the work/life balance, and owes a lot of gratitude to the people at Western.  She gets to see a different side of students, which she loves.  “They are so caring, dedicated and intelligent!”  Working alongside students has brought much joy and fulfillment to her life.

Also, she figures, by passing the torch with some of her work duties, while she is away, helped her unit grow too.  “It’s great for cross-training, and allows others to step in to a new role, which is great for their professional development too.”

Bev is all about “being better for someone else” and you have to wonder how she gets time for it all.  As you can tell she is one active lady.   Bev is a family-women first, she has a busy household.  She is married and has four children, Josh 28, Jake 23, Jill 21 and Jenny18 and often brings the kids with her to community events.  In addition to the United Way, and Alternative Spring Break, Bev gives her time to the Ark aid mission, Boys and Girls Club, Relay for Life, United Way, Ilderton Community Events and works out at the Good Life on a regular basis.

With this amount of passion and community spirit, Bev can light up a room.  We hope you one day cross paths with her, as you will enjoy her as much as we have.

Bev, thanks for everything you do.