19 June 2001

A winner of a Sir James Black scholarship is to be dubbed by Chancellor Sir James Black himself in a happy coincidence at the University of Dundee's summer graduation.

Claire Muir won a Sir James Black scholarship while at Beath High in Cowdenbeath where Sir James was a pupil. The University of Dundee's Chancellor awards a generous grant every year to a pupil from his old school who shows potential in medicine or science. Claire chose to pursue her scientific studies at the University of Dundee with its excellent reputation for scientific research.

Claire (22) from Cowdenbeath will graduate this summer in physiology and pharmacology and hopes to continue her studies in Edinburgh at Queen Margaret University College with a post graduate in nutrition and dietetics. Claire's scholarship has allowed her to apply herself to her degree with a generous financial cushion of £500 a term without taking out student loans. She has regularly submitted reports to the local panel who award the scholarships comprising the Rector of Beath High and the school board.

Claire's family will watch her patron dub her on Thursday 12 July in the Caird Hall. Her father David Muir is Assistant Dean of the School of Nursing and Midwifery at the University of Dundee. His wife Florence and Claire's sisters Alison and Lorna will be there to witness the special occasion.

Claire Muir: "It was a great honour and privilege for me to win the scholarship. It's really nice that he'll be such a big part of my graduation ceremony and I'm really looking forward to the day."

David Muir: "Florence and I were delighted that she won it because it was a competitive scholarship and it really helped us financially. We are very proud that she received a scholarship from Sir James Black because he is the University of Dundee's Chancellor and an ex-pupil of Beath High where myself and my children were pupils."