IWD: Meet Maureen Poile
This International Women’s Day, we’re highlighting USC alumni and long-serving staff whose experiences reflect the depth and evolution of our organization. From former student leaders who carried their USC experience into their careers and communities, to staff members who have supported students behind the scenes, their stories demonstrate the important role women have played, and continue to play, in shaping student leadership, advocacy, and campus life. Student-led spaces are often where confidence is built, voices are strengthened, and future leaders emerge. By spotlighting these experiences, we aim to celebrate contributions that have not always been equally visible and to acknowledge the impact women have had on the USC’s growth and direction over time.
Maureen Poile served at the VP Communication from 1986-1987. We caught up with her to ask about her time with the USC:
Looking back, what are you most proud of from your time with the USC?
I am most proud of the fact that I ran for a position at the USC in my 2nd year at Western. Coming from Winnipeg, I did not have a network from high school or camp to help me get elected. 😊 If I had not put myself out there and ran as a Councillor for Social Science in 1984, I would never have had the opportunity to run for President in 1986 and become VP Communications in 1986-87. This incredible learning experience made my time at the USC so fun and rewarding. It taught me the importance of taking risks!
Did your involvement with the USC open doors or lead you in a direction you didn’t expect?
Being part of the USC changed the trajectory of my life. I came to Western for their business program. When I did not get into the HBA program, it was my experience on the USC that helped me stand out when I applied to Procter & Gamble in my final year at Western. This opportunity would not have been available to me without this experience. I spent 23 years at P&G and 14 more years at Unilever and Coca-Cola in sales and marketing. I had a fulfilling and challenging career working across Canada and the US because I was the VP Communications at the USC.
Were there other women through the USC, mentors, peers, leaders, who had a lasting impact on you?
Betty Lewis was THE most inspiring woman at the USC. Every year for numerous years, she ran the USC office. Every year, she welcomed, encouraged, and taught everyone of us how to do our jobs – she held us accountable to be the best we could be in our new leadership roles. And she did this all in a caring, compassionate, and educational way. She taught me what a woman can contribute to a culture. She was a servant leader before anyone talked about servant leadership. She positively influenced generations of student leaders at Western. She was the best part of the USC.
What gives you hope when you think about the next generation of women leaders?
I am most hopeful for this generation of women because there are more opportunities now than Canadian women have ever had in history. Most young women today had working mothers. They understand the benefits and challenges of ‘doing it all’. With this information, women are better prepared to navigate a life and career that is simply more difficult than it is for men. As mothers and leaders at work, our dual roles make it more challenging but there is more awareness, open discussion, and support to face these challenges. Women need to set their own boundaries, ask for what they need to be successful and thrive. It is our time to lead. The world needs more women in leadership roles.
