Part of the Etc.
Stockton Riverside College’s Chair of Governors paid a special visit to Buckingham Palace this week where he was presented with his OBE from Her Majesty the Queen.
Mark White, who is also Visiting Fellow of Teesside University and Chair of Middlesbrough’s Abingdon Primary School, was named among the Queen’s Birthday Honours for his services to education, particularly on Teesside.
Invited to London to receive the OBE, he said: “It was an amazing experience, I felt incredibly proud of everything I was there for, the college, Teesside University and family and friends past and present.”
Describing the experience as “an incredible feeling of both humility and grandeur”, the 58-year-old was delighted to be presented to the monarch.
“Although I said beforehand that I wasn’t bothered which member of the royal family it was, as it turned out I was quite thrilled that it was her,” he said.
“The Queen was fantastic, she asked about the college and joked saying that I seemed to be having a busy retirement.
“I told her how proud the governors were of the college and the difference it is making in Teesside.
“The whole thing seemed to flash by very quickly but my family said we had quite a long conversation.”
Among a group of 70 people to receive honours on the day, Mark said: “Everyone was amazing, there was people from all different walks of life. The person in front of me was Jamie Murray. It was one of the best days of my life.”
Originally from Stoke-on-Trent, Mark relocated to Teesside in 1976 as an 18-year-old Social Sciences student of the then Teesside Polytechnic.
Expecting to be here for just three years, the area quickly captured his heart and he never left.
He went on to spend a four decade career working at the university, up until his retirement as Head of the Vice Chancellor’s Office and Secretary to the Board of Governors earlier this year.
With a string of voluntary roles to his name, retirement has brought little respite. After years of service on the board of governors first for SRC Bede Sixth Form and then Stockton Riverside College, this August Mark took up the post of Chair of Governors.
“Teesside got into my blood,” he said. As a place to live, work and study, he added: “It has been great to me and, while it might sound like a cliché, I try to give something back.”
Also Chair of Darlington School of Mathematics and Science, he said: “Every one of the organisations that I’m involved in means a great deal to me. I’m enjoying this stage of my career.”
Accompanying Mark to Buckingham Palace was his partner, Lynn Percy, along with his niece and nephew.
Lynn said: “No one in the family has had an award like this before. It was very special. To see him recognised in this way makes us all incredibly proud.”
Stockton Riverside College’s Principal and Chief Executive, Phil Cook, said: “I am so pleased that Mark’s outstanding contribution to education has been so aptly recognised.
“He really is a force of nature. Mark has dedicated all of his professional life and much of his personal life to helping others.
“Over such a long period of time, and often behind the scenes, Mark has sustained a bewilderingly high level of energy and commitment to enable people to change their lives through the power of education.
“I know our governors are very proud of Mark, I am sure his family and friends will be too.”
Mark White, who is also Visiting Fellow of Teesside University and Chair of Middlesbrough’s Abingdon Primary School, was named among the Queen’s Birthday Honours for his services to education, particularly on Teesside.
Invited to London to receive the OBE, he said: “It was an amazing experience, I felt incredibly proud of everything I was there for, the college, Teesside University and family and friends past and present.”
Describing the experience as “an incredible feeling of both humility and grandeur”, the 58-year-old was delighted to be presented to the monarch.
“Although I said beforehand that I wasn’t bothered which member of the royal family it was, as it turned out I was quite thrilled that it was her,” he said.
“The Queen was fantastic, she asked about the college and joked saying that I seemed to be having a busy retirement.
“I told her how proud the governors were of the college and the difference it is making in Teesside.
“The whole thing seemed to flash by very quickly but my family said we had quite a long conversation.”
Among a group of 70 people to receive honours on the day, Mark said: “Everyone was amazing, there was people from all different walks of life. The person in front of me was Jamie Murray. It was one of the best days of my life.”
Originally from Stoke-on-Trent, Mark relocated to Teesside in 1976 as an 18-year-old Social Sciences student of the then Teesside Polytechnic.
Expecting to be here for just three years, the area quickly captured his heart and he never left.
He went on to spend a four decade career working at the university, up until his retirement as Head of the Vice Chancellor’s Office and Secretary to the Board of Governors earlier this year.
With a string of voluntary roles to his name, retirement has brought little respite. After years of service on the board of governors first for SRC Bede Sixth Form and then Stockton Riverside College, this August Mark took up the post of Chair of Governors.
“Teesside got into my blood,” he said. As a place to live, work and study, he added: “It has been great to me and, while it might sound like a cliché, I try to give something back.”
Also Chair of Darlington School of Mathematics and Science, he said: “Every one of the organisations that I’m involved in means a great deal to me. I’m enjoying this stage of my career.”
Accompanying Mark to Buckingham Palace was his partner, Lynn Percy, along with his niece and nephew.
Lynn said: “No one in the family has had an award like this before. It was very special. To see him recognised in this way makes us all incredibly proud.”
Stockton Riverside College’s Principal and Chief Executive, Phil Cook, said: “I am so pleased that Mark’s outstanding contribution to education has been so aptly recognised.
“He really is a force of nature. Mark has dedicated all of his professional life and much of his personal life to helping others.
“Over such a long period of time, and often behind the scenes, Mark has sustained a bewilderingly high level of energy and commitment to enable people to change their lives through the power of education.
“I know our governors are very proud of Mark, I am sure his family and friends will be too.”
