{"id":196854,"date":"2026-03-19T13:54:38","date_gmt":"2026-03-19T12:54:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=196854"},"modified":"2026-03-23T09:04:10","modified_gmt":"2026-03-23T08:04:10","slug":"pedel-marleen-van-kester-gaat-na-bijna-twintig-jaar-met-pensioen-dit-is-het-mooiste-beroep-van-de-wereld","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2026\/03\/19\/pedel-marleen-van-kester-gaat-na-bijna-twintig-jaar-met-pensioen-dit-is-het-mooiste-beroep-van-de-wereld\/","title":{"rendered":"Beadle Marleen van Kester is retiring after almost twenty years: &#8216;This is the nicest job in the world&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-intro-font-size\">Marleen van Kester is retiring after almost twenty years as beadle at Erasmus University. For years she was the face of university traditions. The beadle&#8217;s office ensures that all the academic ceremonies run smoothly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n\n<div data-component=\"oembed\" class=\"relative max-w-5xl\" data-module=\"oembed\" data-source=\"consent_embed_youtube\" data-type=\"video\" data-cookiebot=\"\" data-disable-notice=\"\">\n\t\t<a\n\t\thref=\"#embed-skip-69fd179d5561e\"\n\t\tdata-component=\"skip-link\"\n\t\tclass=\"text-lg underline sr-only focus:not-sr-only focus:absolute focus:p-4 focus:z-50 bg-white hover:no-underline border-neutral-800 text-neutral-800\"\n\t>\n\t\tIngesloten inhoud van YouTube overslaan\n\t<\/a>\n\t<div data-oembed=\"content\">\n\t\t<div data-oembed=\"placeholder\" class=\"p-8 text-center bg-sand-300 theme-violet:bg-white theme-sand:bg-white theme-mocha:bg-white\">\n\t\t\t<p class=\"max-w-lg mx-auto mb-7\" id=\"embed-cookie-69fd179d5561c\">U kunt deze ingesloten inhoud bekijken nadat u akkoord bent gegaan met cookies van YouTube.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"flex flex-wrap justify-center gap-2 text-brown-600 theme-violet:text-purple\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\n\n\n<button\n\tdata-variant=\"outline\"\n\tdata-size=\"default\"\n\tclass=\"group inline-flex justify-center items-center gap-2 cursor-pointer text-md font-soehne underline-offset-2 decoration-2 px-4 min-h-[3.75rem] border-2 border-current bg-transparent text-current font-bold hocus:underline js-consent-button\"\n\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\taria-describedby=\"embed-cookie-69fd179d5561c\"\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t>\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<span data-button-text class=\"\">\n\t\t\tI agree\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\n\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\n\n\n\n<a\n\tdata-variant=\"primary\"\n\tdata-size=\"default\"\n\tclass=\"group inline-flex justify-center items-center gap-2 cursor-pointer text-md font-soehne underline-offset-2 decoration-2 px-4 min-h-[3.75rem] border-2 border-current bg-current text-current font-bold hocus:underline decoration-white\"\n\n\t\n\t\t\thref=\"https&#x3A;&#x2F;&#x2F;youtu.be&#x2F;0isfxpt7HSc\"\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t>\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<span data-button-text class=\"text-white\">\n\t\t\tSee on YouTube\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\" flex items-center justify-center w-[1em] h-[1em] icon text-white \" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t<svg aria-hidden=\"true\" width=\"20\" height=\"17\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 17\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n<path d=\"M18.25 7.5C18.8023 7.5 19.25 7.94772 19.25 8.5C19.25 9.05228 18.8023 9.5 18.25 9.5H1.75C1.19772 9.5 0.75 9.05228 0.75 8.5C0.75 7.94772 1.19772 7.5 1.75 7.5H18.25Z\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/>\n<path d=\"M10.793 1.04295C11.1835 0.65243 11.8165 0.65243 12.207 1.04295L18.957 7.79295C19.3476 8.18348 19.3476 8.81649 18.957 9.20702L12.207 15.957C11.8165 16.3475 11.1835 16.3475 10.793 15.957C10.4024 15.5665 10.4024 14.9335 10.793 14.543L16.8359 8.49999L10.793 2.45702C10.4024 2.06649 10.4024 1.43348 10.793 1.04295Z\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/>\n<\/svg>\n\n\t\t<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t<template>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n<div data-component=\"oembed-video\" data-oembed=\"video\" class=\"cursor-pointer aspect-video\">\n\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" data-oembed=\"thumbnail\" class=\"absolute object-cover w-auto h-full\" src=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/0isfxpt7HSc\/maxresdefault.jpg\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\">\n\t\t<div class=\"w-full h-full iframe:absolute iframe:inset-0 iframe:w-full iframe:h-full\">\n\t\t<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"\u2018It\u2019s the nicest job in the world\u2019\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/0isfxpt7HSc?feature=oembed&#038;enablejsapi=1&#038;origin=https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n\n\t\t<div class=\"absolute transform -translate-x-1\/2 -translate-y-1\/2 top-1\/2 left-1\/2 text-purple\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\n\n\n<button\n\tdata-variant=\"primary\"\n\tdata-size=\"default\"\n\tclass=\"group inline-flex justify-center items-center gap-2 cursor-pointer text-md font-soehne underline-offset-2 decoration-2 px-4 min-h-[3.75rem] border-2 border-current bg-current text-current font-bold hocus:underline decoration-white btn--js-video-play aspect-square\"\n\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\taria-label=\"Play&#x20;video&#x20;&#x2018;It&#x2019;s&#x20;the&#x20;nicest&#x20;job&#x20;in&#x20;the&#x20;world&#x2019;\"\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\" flex items-center justify-center w-[1em] h-[1em] icon text-white \" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t<svg width=\"18\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 18 20\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n<path d=\"M17.25 9.99998C17.2506 10.2546 17.1853 10.5051 17.0605 10.727C16.9356 10.949 16.7555 11.1348 16.5375 11.2665L3.03 19.5297C2.80227 19.6691 2.54144 19.7452 2.27445 19.7502C2.00746 19.7551 1.74399 19.6887 1.51125 19.5578C1.28073 19.4289 1.0887 19.2409 0.954904 19.0132C0.821111 18.7855 0.750385 18.5263 0.75 18.2622V1.73779C0.750385 1.47368 0.821111 1.21445 0.954904 0.986734C1.0887 0.759022 1.28073 0.571057 1.51125 0.442167C1.74399 0.311244 2.00746 0.244825 2.27445 0.249769C2.54144 0.254713 2.80227 0.330842 3.03 0.470292L16.5375 8.73342C16.7555 8.86511 16.9356 9.05097 17.0605 9.27291C17.1853 9.49485 17.2506 9.74533 17.25 9.99998Z\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/>\n<\/svg>\n\n\t\t<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t<\/button>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/template>\n\t<div id=\"embed-skip-69fd179d5561e\" tabindex=\"-1\" class=\"sr-only\">Ingesloten inhoud van YouTube overgeslagen.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;As soon as I put on my gown, I&#8217;m no longer myself&#8221;, Van Kester says in the so-called sweat room on the first floor of the Erasmus Building, where doctoral candidates traditionally wait during the tense minutes before their defence. Every square centimetre of the walls and much of the ceiling is covered with signatures from the thousands of doctoral candidates who have used the small space as a waiting room for their doctoral ceremony. &#8220;I then play a role. The role of the beadle.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A beadle oversees the university&#8217;s academic ceremonies. These include, for example, inaugural lectures (the first official lecture of a professor), farewell lectures (the final lecture of a professor), the opening of the academic year, the dies natalis (the university&#8217;s birthday) and doctoral defences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\t<div data-name=\"acf\/posts-list\" >\n\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"space-y-6 md:space-y-8\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"text-lg md:text-xl\">Read more<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<ul class=\"grid items-strecth grid-cols-1 gap-2 md:gap-4 lg:gap-8\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"@container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n<div data-component=\"teaser-post-small\" class=\"block-theme-sand  relative flex h-full bg-sand-300\n\tblock-theme-violet:bg-white block-theme-violet:text-purple block-theme-mocha:bg-sand-500 block-theme-mocha:text-brown\n\tblock-theme-sand:bg-sand-300 block-theme-sand:text-neutral-900\n\tblock-theme-violet:outline-purple-100 block-theme-violet:outline-1 block-theme-violet:outline-t-0\n\ttheme-mocha:bg-white! theme-violet:bg-white! theme-sand:bg-white!\n\tflex-row gap-4 @md:gap-8 p-4 @md:p-6\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"image:w-full image:aspect-square image:object-cover shrink-0 size-17.5 @sm:size-21.25 @md:size-30 @lg:size-40\">\n\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"460\" height=\"307\" src=\"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2025\/03\/25152823\/toga-schoenen-closeup-promotie_geisje-van-der-linden.jpg?image-crop-positioner-ts=1766139417\" class=\"attachment-square_lg size-square_lg\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2025\/03\/25152823\/toga-schoenen-closeup-promotie_geisje-van-der-linden.jpg?image-crop-positioner-ts=1766139417 2000w, https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2025\/03\/25152823\/toga-schoenen-closeup-promotie_geisje-van-der-linden-875x583.jpg?image-crop-positioner-ts=1766139417 875w, https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2025\/03\/25152823\/toga-schoenen-closeup-promotie_geisje-van-der-linden-1600x1066.jpg?image-crop-positioner-ts=1766139417 1600w, https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2025\/03\/25152823\/toga-schoenen-closeup-promotie_geisje-van-der-linden-300x200.jpg?image-crop-positioner-ts=1766139417 300w, https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2025\/03\/25152823\/toga-schoenen-closeup-promotie_geisje-van-der-linden-1280x853.jpg?image-crop-positioner-ts=1766139417 1280w, https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2025\/03\/25152823\/toga-schoenen-closeup-promotie_geisje-van-der-linden-1536x1024.jpg?image-crop-positioner-ts=1766139417 1536w, https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2025\/03\/25152823\/toga-schoenen-closeup-promotie_geisje-van-der-linden-150x100.jpg?image-crop-positioner-ts=1766139417 150w, https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2025\/03\/25152823\/toga-schoenen-closeup-promotie_geisje-van-der-linden-225x150.jpg?image-crop-positioner-ts=1766139417 225w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 460px) 100vw, 460px\" \/>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<div class=\"flex flex-col gap-2 md:gap-4 \">\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"text-md @lg:text-lg\">\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2025\/03\/28\/associate-professors-may-now-also-wear-gowns-at-doctoral-thesis-defence-ceremonies\/\" class=\"absolute-link text-current hocus:underline inline-block\">\n\t\t\t\tAssociate professors may now also wear gowns at doctoral thesis defence ceremonies\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/h3>\n\n\t\t<div class=\"flex flex-wrap gap-4 items-center\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"sr-only\">Gepubliceerd op:<\/span>\n\t\t\t<time class=\"text-sm font-soehne text-neutral-900\" datetime=\"2025-03-28\">28 March 2025<\/time>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t<ul data-component=\"list-badges\" class=\"flex items-center gap-2 flex-wrap\" aria-label=\"Geplaatst in categorie\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<li>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div data-component=\"badge\" class=\"block-theme-violet:bg-purple font-soehne font-bold text-sm bg-brown-600 block-theme-violet:bg-purple text-white py-[2px] px-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\tScience\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Marleen van Kester is retiring after almost twenty years as beadle at Erasmus University. For years she was the face of university traditions. The beadle&#8217;s office ensures that all the academic ceremonies run smoothly. &#8220;As soon as I put on my gown, I&#8217;m no longer myself&#8221;, Van Kester says in the so-called sweat room on [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":298,"featured_media":196855,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_trash_the_other_posts":false,"editor_notices":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[21622],"em_content_type":[24782],"class_list":["post-196854","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-em-tv","em_content_type-video"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Beadle Marleen van Kester is retiring after almost twenty years: &#039;This is the nicest job in the world&#039;<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2026\/03\/19\/pedel-marleen-van-kester-gaat-na-bijna-twintig-jaar-met-pensioen-dit-is-het-mooiste-beroep-van-de-wereld\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Beadle Marleen van Kester is retiring after almost twenty years: &#039;This is the nicest job in the world&#039;\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Marleen van Kester is retiring after almost twenty years as beadle at Erasmus University. For years she was the face of university traditions. The beadle&#8217;s office ensures that all the academic ceremonies run smoothly. &#8220;As soon as I put on my gown, I&#8217;m no longer myself&#8221;, Van Kester says in the so-called sweat room on [&hellip;]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2026\/03\/19\/pedel-marleen-van-kester-gaat-na-bijna-twintig-jaar-met-pensioen-dit-is-het-mooiste-beroep-van-de-wereld\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Erasmus Magazine\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ErasmusMagazineInternational\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-03-19T12:54:38+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-03-23T08:04:10+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/20260306_PedelMarleenvanKester_thumb_NoravanderSchoor-scaled.jpg?image-crop-positioner-ts=1773920677\" \/>\n\t<meta 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