When Elynda Bedney arrived at Andrews University in July 1987, she expected to support students through their financial journeys. What she did not anticipate was the profound impact those students—and the Andrews community—would have on her own life.
Elynda began her Andrews career as an account supervisor in Student Finance after moving to Michigan with her husband, Donald, who had enrolled at the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary.
Just over two years later, Elynda was promoted to associate director of Student Finance, a position she held from 1989 to 2005. During that time, she earned a Master of Science in Administration from the Andrews School of Business. Taking one class per quarter over five years, she completed her degree in 1998.
That same year, Elynda helped lead the merger of Student Finance and Financial Aid into Student Financial Services (SFS). She later played an important role in guiding the department through the University’s move from the quarter system to the semester system and the shift from paper registration to electronic financial clearance.
In 2005, Elynda was named director of SFS, serving for 12 years. In 2017, she was appointed assistant vice president of SFS, a position she held until her retirement.
Looking back, Elynda says one of the most rewarding aspects of her career was the Christian environment at Andrews. “Andrews was what you made it to be,” she reflects. “Whatever you were looking for here, you could find it—God, education, multicultural experiences, friends, lots of churches to choose from, and more.”
Over the decades, her focus remained constant: helping students. “What I appreciated the most was working with students and being able to help find solutions for their problems regarding finances, life issues and spiritual challenges,” she says. Elynda particularly valued learning about students’ diverse cultures and made it a point to correctly learn their names—a gesture reflecting her belief that every student deserves to be seen, known and respected.
Relationships were equally important among colleagues. “I was able to develop a relationship with each faculty and staff member in my circle of influence and discuss diplomatically many issues that impacted our work here at Andrews,” she explains. “I am still connected with a lot of these colleagues.”
A commitment to excellence has guided Elynda throughout her life. “My parents always taught me that there was nothing I could not do,” she says. “I took that literally and applied it to my daily work.” This mindset was strengthened by her faith and a favorite Bible verse, Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
Elynda says, “Working at Andrews taught me to pray more and ask God for what I wanted, big or small. I also learned there are more ways to accomplish what needs to be done than the traditional way. There is room for creativity.”
Her contributions earned significant recognition over the years, including the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Michigan Student Financial Aid Association annual conference. She also received a commendation from former Andrews President Andrea Luxton recognizing the accomplishments of SFS under Elynda’s leadership.
Elynda continues to serve Andrews University on a part-time basis in Financial Administration while looking forward to spending winters in Florida and a more flexible schedule.
Reflecting on nearly four decades of service, Elynda says, “It has been a pleasure working here for the majority of my career, and I have no regrets. I would like to thank all the administrators that I worked with over the years, and I have appreciated being able to build lifetime relationships here at Andrews University.”