Photo by Jessica Maloney,
UNH Human Resources

How many of us can say that our current positions are aligned with the occupations that we envisioned for ourselves as children? As a child, Beverly Cray dreamt of being either a truck driver or a nurse. Her current position as Manager of Transportation Services is not as far removed from these childhood fantasies as one would imagine. Surprisingly, it allows her to integrate many of the skills necessary for these two disparate occupations; not only does her position require that she possess a Commercial Driver's License and flawless driving skills, but her work also benefits from the nurturing qualities that she possesses, including patience, compassion and empathy.

As Manager of Transportation Services, Beverly is in charge of the Wildcat Transit system, including the Campus Connector, Access Van, Transit routes, and Charter Service. She began her career with Transportation Services when she was a UNH student; "as a child I wanted to be a truck driver. Driving buses as a student was the closest I could get…I continued on after I graduated because I enjoyed my job."

Beverly's position also entails serving as a Defensive Driving Instructor. With an audience that is comprised of individuals of all ages and circumstances, many of whom would prefer to be elsewhere, the Defensive Driving classroom is understandably a challenging venue for teaching. Beverly's patience and understanding allow her to handle this challenge with grace, and are evident in the techniques she adopts to make the somewhat dry material engaging for the class members.

Her ability to empathize with the experiences of the student drivers with whom she works is also apparent, and she states that "an understanding about what it is like to be a student" is a necessary skill for her position. "I really enjoy working with the students. I get to meet many different people, watch them learn and grow through their career here as a UNH student and driver for me. I even get to see the occasional people meet here and end up getting married!" Beverly echoes a sentiment that has been iterated by many when she expresses an appreciation for the fact that working with students "helps to keep you young."

When asked who or what at UNH has had a positive impact on her, Beverly replied, "I'd have to say my Director, Dirk Timmons, has had the largest impact. He is the one who gave me the chance to grow from being a student driver up through to being a manager. He had the confidence in me which, in turn, has given me confidence that I did not have."

Beverly's love of the open road extends beyond her truck driving aspirations. She also has a motorcycle license. "My husband and I used to go for rides together until we had children. He is actually the one who gave me the extra push to go and get my license instead of just talking and dreaming about it. Unfortunately I decided to sell my motorcycle a few years ago because you just cannot put two child safety seats on a motorcycle!" And as a Certified Child Safety Seat Technician, Beverly would know. As a result of a week long course, she is able to inspect car seats and ensure that they are properly installed. Considering the fact that 90-95% of car seats are improperly installed, her trained eye can offer parents an invaluable preventative measure. As a parent of two, Kaylin and Alex, ages six and four, respectively, Beverly has a personal understanding of how important it is to protect your greatest interests with such measures. Concern for the well-being of others and a love for driving and riding; it's hard to imagine a position other than Manager of Transportation Services that would so well suit Beverly Cray.