Vicki Munro - a tribute
We were very sad to hear of the passing of Vicki Munro, Professional Cookery Programme Leader at Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) based at the Elmwood campus in Fife - Vicki died on 9 July. She did so much for the industry and was passionate about helping her students, she will be sorely missed. Here is a tribute from her colleagues at SRUC.
Vicki Munro – a tribute from her colleagues at SRUC
The one thing that anyone who met Vicki will remember is her exuberant, loud, joyful laughter. The laughter was a symbol of Vicki’s positive, enthusiastic, motivating and cheerful personality.
Vicki Munro began her time at Elmwood in 2005 delivering night classes, prior to which she had worked as a pastry chef at both The Peat Inn and Balbirnie House Hotel.
In 2006 Vicki became a part-time lecturer at Elmwood, something that she had always wanted to achieve. Over the next few years, she gained her teaching qualifications and her hours increased and she became a full-time lecturer in 2009. Vicki continued studying and gained her BA in Professional Development in 2012.
In October 2013 Vicki became Programme Leader for the hospitality department, a role that she had worked hard for and embraced. After her family, Vicki’s biggest love was her work and even through the years since being diagnosed with breast cancer, she worked as much as she possibly could and never complained. Many an email and message were sent from her bed while receiving chemotherapy.
Our small hospitality team was referred to as her second family, and her role was definitely mum! Her organisational skills were impeccable. The team offers diverse knowledge and skills and Vicki knew how to get the best from everyone. Indeed, two of the team are her ex-students. There are great memories both in and out of work from singing round a campfire with students in Aviemore after quad biking and gorge walking to catering for many large events including dinner at the Scottish Parliament and the Macmillan Charity Ball.
During her time at Elmwood, Vicki won various awards: In 2013 Vicki received a scholarship from HIT Scotland and travelled to Grand Rapids Community College in Michigan along with a student to experience and learn from hospitality education in America; in 2014 the department achieved the CIS Best Hospitality Education Department and Vicki also received the SRUCSA Excellence in Teaching Award. In 2016, Vicki received a Highly Commended award from CIS for Hospitality Educator of the Year.
The thing Vicki cared most about, however, was her students. She ensured that each student was treated as an individual; teaching, guiding and caring for each one in a way that would allow them to reach their full potential. Vicki was available at any time, day or night, to both present and past students.
Vicki’s links with, and friends in, industry greatly enhanced the student experience. Vicki was a member of Scottish Chefs, chaired the Scottish Hospitality and Tourism Association from 2016-2018, sat on the committee for the SQA hospitality developing team and worked very closely with Savour St Andrews and Food From Fife. Her friends in industry span the whole of Scotland.
Vicki’s passion and zest for her work went above and beyond that which would normally be expected, always finding ways to integrate other departments to drive food and drink at SRUC forward.
More than just a colleague, Vicki was a friend. A cheerful and caring friend whose positivity was contagious. We will miss her very much.
To celebrate her life, we'll be having a picnic and fizz on the lawn at Elmwood.
Her family has also set up a website page where you can donate to Maggie's Centre Kirkcaldy, which supported Vicki during her illness, and share photos and memories.
Roz Graham, Wullie Balfour, Careen Brand, Mark Barker
Student tributes:
“Vicki meant a lot to everyone, she was loved by us all. She was always smiling and could always make others smile, no matter the situation. She would always offer to help you if you needed it. I can’t imagine what Elmwood would be like without her there, and without her laugh to bring light to each room. She will be greatly missed and forever loved.” Owen Lambe, HNC Professional Cookery 2019-20.
“I'll never forget what Vicki told me at the start of my HNC: ‘I'm really glad you came back Lee, you have so much potential and there are so many things you could do with the skills you have under your belt.’ With her passing, those words will stick with me for the rest of my life and have true meaning to keep me going forward. Out of everything, I think the thing I will miss most is her laugh, no matter if you were at the opposite side of the corridor or down on the first floor, if she laughed, you would have heard it. It will never be the same at Elmwood without her. I hope she is in a much better place now looking out for us all, especially her family. You will be missed by many Vicki and I am glad I got to learn from you.” Lee Colbert, HNC Professional Cookery 2019-20.
“Who will ever forget Vicki’s laughter cascading down the hall? It always made me want to stop work and find out what the joke was! Her calm air of authority and just one look from her eyes would command attention and respect – knowing that I’d probably done something wrong, but instead she would quietly just nod and give a Mona Lisa smile full of encouragement.” Caroline Stuart, HNC Professional Cookery 2019-20