Students finds comfort in a familiar face

Nan Turner

Contributing Writer

She can be seen in her element swiping cards at Shafer Dining Court, and echoing greetings of “Hey baby!” and “I want you to have a great day!”

Beverly Sawyer, or Ms. Beverly to students, is a self-described people person, but those who encounter her every day say that is an understatement.

“Ms. Beverly is a breath of fresh air. She is an amazing woman,” said sophomore Stephany Guachamin. “Even when you’re having the worse day of your life, just hearing her voice and seeing her smile … brightens up your day. She’s just an amazing woman. When I think of Shafer, I think of Ms. Beverly.”

Freshman Michael Spring said she brings an excitement every day to the dining court and always has a positive energy.

“I’ve never seen her frown, (she) always has a smile,” Spring said. “So it’s always nice to see that.”

Senior Anthony Spain said he thinks Sawyer’s friendly and caring demeanor makes her one of the best employees working at VCU.

“Ms. Beverly brings enthusiasm; she always has a smiling face for the students and things like that,” Spain said. “And she’s really approachable.”

James Butler, the location manager at Shafer, said it is her relationship with the students that stands out.

“Oh they love her,” Butler said. “She pretty much knows everybody who comes through the door and if she doesn’t, she will. Pretty much she lets it be known that Ms. Beverly is the first person they need to see before they can go anywhere else in Shafer.”

Sawyer has worked at the dining hall since 2003. She was previously employed for more than 20 years by the city of Richmond in the Department of Social Services. The river city has been her home since she was 5 years old. Sawyer is a graduate of Armstrong High School and briefly attended nearby Virginia Union.

When she is not behind the front desk at Shafer, Sawyer said she can be found in Carytown at the dessert boutique For the Love of Chocolate or shopping at Short Pump Town Center, where she said she enjoys seeing people walk their dogs. At home she cooks, crochets and listens to music.

“I love to play a little music,” Sawyer said. “I love to do the Tennessee Waltz. I play a little music, but it would be music like back in the day. Every once in a while I hear the students come in here and sing a little rap music.”

Sawyer said one student made her a CD of him playing guitar.

“I listen to it every other day or every weekend. I love it,” Sawyer said.

Sawyer usually does not work during the summer and said she uses the time to catch up with family and go on vacation. Her relatives sprawl across the country from Greensboro, S.C. to Minneapolis. She said her favorite vacation spot is Myrtle Beach, but she would jump at the chance to go to Los Angeles or overseas.

“When (students) come in here a lot of them are yelling, ‘I love you Ms. Beverly,’ ‘Have a nice day,’ ” Sawyer said. “I’m not really that surprised, no. I love the responses because I have given them the same in return.”

Currently Sawyer has a group of students who bring her a glass of water between 12:30-1 p.m., but this semester her popularity took on a new level. There is a Facebook page dedicated to the Shafer fixture and her charismatic greetings. Sawyer said she has seen the page and is grateful to the students who made it.

“A lot of times they confide in me, just little things, and we share a little insight on things,” Sawyer said. “Maybe mostly it’s me because I’ve been where they’ve got to go, and they’ve got to come where I am. But all of them are very intelligent kids and I love them dearly.”

Sawyer said she believes students should carry kindness and respect with them throughout their entire lives, not just as they walk up the stairs to dinner in the dining hall.

“I hope in years to come the mementos of me will be there and the next person to take this position will get the same kindness and respect that I do,” Sawyer said.