Skip to main content

The Keeper of Contracts and Birthday Cakes

Contracts administrator Faye Murrell greets colleagues with smiles and baked goods

Contracts administrator Faye Murrell recently celebrated her birthday with the Duke Office of Corporate Research Collaborations staff. Murrell is usually the one baking cakes for coworkers' birthdays. Photo by April Dudash
Contracts administrator Faye Murrell recently celebrated her birthday with the Duke Office of Corporate Research Collaborations staff. Murrell is usually the one baking cakes for coworkers' birthdays. Photo by April Dudash

Name: Faye MurrellPosition: Contracts administrator, Duke Office of Corporate Research Collaborations (OCRC)Years at Duke: 8What I do at Duke: The Duke Office of Corporate Research Collaborations drafts, negotiates and processes industry-funded research contracts for the Duke School of Medicine. These agreements provide support for Duke’s work in advancing medicine and science, reflecting the wonderfully broad array of interests and expertise of Duke faculty. The supported projects range from basic research to clinical trials leading to regulatory approval of new drugs to more effectively treat diseases in all areas. I facilitate administration of these contracts, including processing and tracking, within OCRC and other offices to help ensure a smooth contracting process.My first ever job: At Carter’s Pharmacy in Wilmington, N.C., as a ‘soda jerk,’ a person who prepares and serves soft drinks and ice cream at a soda fountain.  I made fresh lemonade and orangeade drinks, vanilla and cherry Cokes; Coca-Cola floats, banana splits, ice cream sundaes and cones.  My dream job: Working at Duke in OCRC is the perfect job for me.  In the OCRC office, we all work together as a team to get the job done and strive for excellence in each of our areas of expertise. It is a pleasure and joy to come to work every day and work with such a great group of professionals.  If I had $5 million, I would: Buy a big, roomy beach house at Wrightsville Beach, N.C., where family and friends will always be welcome and there would always be lots of food and laughter. Sitting on the beach, listening to the waves breaking, the seagulls’ noisy chatter, smelling the salt air, and feeling the sunshine and the cool sea breeze is the next thing to heaven for me. If someone wanted to start a conversation with me, they should ask me about: My grandchildren. I had children so I could have grandchildren.  My fondest memories of my childhood are spending time with my grandparents – having sleepovers, going on trips, cooking and playing. I was fortunate growing up with my grandparents, maternal and paternal, and they lived within two miles of my house.  I always wanted to have grandchildren so they could have the same experience I had with my grandparents – love, hugs, kisses and they get to do anything they want, within reason, of course.  I have been blessed with four grandchildren, ages 17 to 5, and I love each one of them to the moon and back.The best advice I ever received: Growing up in the South, we went to church every Sunday and were taught God is love, to love our family and friends, and to always follow the Golden Rule – do unto others as you would have them do unto you.What I love about Duke: You feel like you’re making a difference in somebody’s life in the long run, somehow or another, by just enabling clinical research through processing contracts. I can’t think of a better place to work than Duke. An interesting/memorable day at work for me: Everybody who has a birthday, I usually make a cake, and everybody brings something. This office is like family. For every birthday, I try to make a different cake. I like to try new recipes. Last time, I made a chocolate mayonnaise cake that’s delicious, and the recipe was from Southern Living. I’ve made a red velvet cake, Jewish apple cake, a candy bar cake made with 12 Hershey’s almond candy bars, and a Coca-Cola cake.A book I like: I love Nicholas Sparks. His stories, when you read them, they’re so real. I have cried several times reading a Nicholas Sparks book. A pet peeve: Negative people or negative situations. I always try and look for the good and positive in everything and everyone.