18 December 2015 Long-time Lincoln staff member retires

It’s the end of an era for three generations of staff members as Lincoln University stalwart Betty Shankie retires after 43 years of service as an exam supervisor and Hilgendorf common room co-ordinator.

Betty’s daughter, Aileen Taylor, is also a long-serving staff member, having worked as a community development co-ordinator with Lincoln Hospitality since 1994.

However, Aileen's history with the University dates back to 1978, when she took on a role with the horticulture department. She travelled overseas for several years during the 1980s and returned to Lincoln the following decade, after a period of maternity leave.

Completing the family trio is Betty’s granddaughter, Emma Taylor, who has been a Lincoln employee for the past six years and works as an information technology service project co-ordinator. Emma also recently began studying social sciences at the University.

Aileen says her mother has lived in Lincoln since the family moved to New Zealand from Scotland in the 1970s.

“She’s worked at Lincoln University all that time, spending 37 years as an exam supervisor and six in the Hilgendorf common room," she says.

Betty’s impact on the University was summed up by a fellow staff member several years ago, who remarked that “Hilgendorf would fall apart when Betty left”.

“With the recent demolition of the Hilgendorf building, the prediction could not have been more accurate,” says Aileen.