Dundee University has celebrated the 90th birthday of one of its longest-serving staff members, receptionist Muriel Duncan.
Muriel first joined the university in 1971 as a clerical assistant at the faculty of science and went on to work in several roles before retiring, unsuccessfully, in 2000.
Her retirement lasted just 10 weeks before she took up a job as a receptionist in the Tower Building.
She holds the same post to this day.
The university held a drop-in birthday celebration for Muriel in the Tower Cafe on Friday ahead of her 90th birthday on Saturday, April 6.
Dundee University celebrates as receptionist Muriel Duncan turns 90
She said: “I honestly can’t believe that I’m as old as that! I look in the mirror and think, ‘you’re really doing quite well, Muriel!’
“It has been lovely being celebrated by colleagues.
“I feel I have been very lucky to be here [at the university] all this time.
“I keep thinking the university will maybe kick me out one day. However, I’m still here!
“It’s so important to be around others, I enjoy working and meeting people.
“It keeps you young and it keeps you going.
“As long as I can continue, and I can’t see any reason why I wouldn’t, I will.”
Muriel previously told The Courier how, prior to her aborted retirement, she had told a colleague about her ambition to work on reception.
She later received a call telling her a vacancy had opened up.
Muriel said: “I replied, ‘When can I start?’.
“He said to me, ‘I think you need to discuss that with your husband’ and I said, ‘Oh, there’ll be no discussion’.”
She added that she had decided to retire as she “just needed a break” but soon realised it was not for her.
Muriel watched her granddaughter, Cara, graduate twice from Dundee University, first with an undergraduate maths degree and then as a secondary school teacher in 2022.
Her other granddaughter, Kirsti James, is also a Dundee graduate and later studied at London Veterinary College.
She now works as a vet in Glasgow.
Speaking before her graduation, Cara recalled visiting Muriel at work when she was younger and as a student.
She said: “I used to come here to visit my grandma at her work and I’d get shown around so I knew she was an institution at the University.
“I think I was the only student never to get lost on campus.
“If I didn’t know where I was going, I would go to see her at her desk and ask where a particular building or room was.
“It was really nice to be able to pop in and see grandma at any time.”
Conversation