Staff Profile Annette Beckford

Giving a Cheerful Welcome to Campus Visitors

People arriving by car at the Kissena Boulevard main campus gate are likely to be in for a pleasant surprise: an unexpectedly warm welcome from Campus Security Assistant Annette Beckford. “Hello, Sunshine,” she may say, greeting visitors with a warm smile or “Follow the yellow brick road,” a humorous sendoff after providing serious directions to parking lots or buildings.

“I love being part of the QC body,” says Beckford, who has worked on campus since 2007, keeping traffic moving smoothly rain or shine, sometimes during double shifts. “I believe a great attitude comes from something you’re passionate about,” she says.

And Beckford is clearly passionate about Queens College, projecting her enthusiasm and cheer to all she meets, including students. “The kids are amazing,” she says. “When they graduate, they come by to embrace me.”

Born on the island of Jamaica, Beckford grew up in a small Creole community. Her father did road work for the local government and her mother was a fish vendor. “I know every fish in the ocean,” Beckford says, and to this day, she enjoys relaxing at home in Queens cooking Caribbean food, especially fish dishes.

During high school, she received some nursing education, but after graduation she developed a business buying and selling women’s clothing. “I traveled to Panama, Venezuela, and Curaçao to buy jeans, fancy dresses, and some household linens and then sold them at home in Jamaica,” she says.

At the age of 27, Beckford immigrated to the U.S. under the sponsorship of her godmother. “Connecticut was so different from what I was used to,” Beckford recalls. When she took the Metro North railroad down to Grand Central, followed by a ride on the E train to visit a friend, her eyes were opened. “This Jamaica felt like paradise to me,” she says. “I told myself that Queens is where I’m going to stay.” And she has, putting down roots in the borough 20 years ago and becoming an American citizen.

As someone who gravitates to helping others, it’s not surprising that Beckford’s first work in the U.S. was in the health care field. But it takes a special kind of person to work with those who are dying—people “moving on” or “traveling” to the next stage, as she puts it. “I wasn’t scared of this,” says Beckford, who notes that both her father and godfather died in her arms. For five years, Beckford served as a home health aide providing live-in hospice patient care. “People tell you their history—things they haven’t said before. You tell them funny things that put a smile on their faces.”

How did she get into the security field? “I noticed that Andrews International, a security company, had an office a few blocks from my home,” she says, “so I stopped in to get information. It’s good to try different things.” After training and testing, Beckford received her state certification as a security officer and was assigned to Queens College.

“Lieutenant Deborah Huggins—who was then a sergeant—was so nice to me!” Beckford remembers. Through her assignment relieving security officers who were taking their 30-minute breaks, Beckford received  a thorough orientation of the sprawling campus. “I walked all over and really got to know the campus and lots of people that way,” she says. Since 2012 Beckford has been employed by CUNY and hopes one day to become a Peace Officer.

A registered CPR responder, Beckford has never had to use this training or apprehend any lawbreakers on the quiet campus. “Peace officers can call us for backup if needed, but that’s never happened,” she says.

Beckford was recognized for her outstanding job performance several years ago at the college’s annual faculty and staff awards event. “I was so happy and excited,” Beckford says, vividly recalling the ceremony, which she calls her most memorable experience at QC.

“I’m truly blessed and hope to stay here until I retire,” she says with characteristic enthusiasm. “But that’s a long way off!”