Celebrating outstanding service

After graduating from Teesside University in 1997, Jackie joined the School of Computing as a lecturer and taught mainstream modules and co-ordinated our UCPD community-based teaching. Jackie has taught on a range of programmes and undertaken a variety of roles in her 25 years at Teesside. She has led the development of a number of courses, including BSc (Hons) Cyber Security and Networks. Jackie is currently a Principal Lecturer (Marketing and Recruitment), and she enjoys working at Teesside University and believes that she has been fortunate to work with some amazing colleagues and students over the years.

Mellissa has been part of our University community for most of her life. As a baby, she attended the University nursery and she returned to campus as an adult in 1997 as a youth trainee in the Student Records team. Since then, Mel has served as a personal assistant to various members of the University Executive Team, and she became Executive PA to both Professor Paul Croney, OBE, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive and Malcom Page, Chief Operating Officer in 2018. She is also the office manager for the wider Vice-Chancellor's Office, leading a team of executive PAs. Mel sets the tone for the operation of the Vice-Chancellor's Office and is a supportive and caring colleague and leader.

Since joining Teesside University as an assistant receptionist in 1997, Fiona has held numerous administrative roles in the Business School and the School of Social Sciences, Humanities & Law. Fiona is a trained and experienced counsellor and she has supported many colleagues over the years. She is genuinely interested in how others feel and always goes out of her way to welcome new team members. Fiona is also popular amongst our international students, and they appreciate her help, advice, and support, while they are away from home.

Lee is the University lead for SafeZone, our free app that quickly connects users to the Safety and Security team if they need help or first aid. He joined the University in 1997, and received a community award for bravely apprehending someone holding a weapon in 2011. He has also received a letter of thanks from Cleveland Police after attending a sudden death and supporting the person's family. Lee has gained a range of supervisor qualifications and is currently in studying a Chartered Manager Degree Apprenticeship. Lee is a conscientious, enthusiastic Team Leader, and he has been described by colleagues as a real asset to the team and University.

Sue joined the University as a personal assistant in the Virtual Reality Centre in 1997, supporting the team's ground-breaking work developing our region's digital cluster. She joined the new business development team and played a critical role administering enterprise support programmes to enable graduates to set up pioneering new businesses. In her current role, Sue continues to go above and beyond to support the University's enterprise programmes, and she played an important role in the refurbishment and reopening of the Victoria Building in 2020. She is held in great respect by colleagues, students, and alumni alike, and her warmth and passion for the University is unsurpassed.

Ann is a popular facilities officer who is dedicated to her role, and she always goes the extra mile to help students or other members of staff. Ann joined the University Services departments as a cleaner in July 1997. She worked in the Students' Union as a cleaner before progressing to Saltersgill Pavilion as the caretaker. She has subsequently returned to the main campus as the Students' Union caretaker.

Emma originally started her career at Teesside Polytechnic in 1988 but left shortly after it achieved University status in 1992 to move away from the area. She re-joined the University in 1997 as part of the administrative team within the School of Arts & Media before progressing her career as a senior member of the quality assurance team. Emma embraced the team enhancement agenda and has contributed many innovative ideas and changes to quality processes. Emma is a popular team player and a caring colleague who supports her teammates and others across the University.

Neal first joined Library & Information Services in 1997 to help provide IT support to students. He was subsequently appointed as a Principal Technician and progressed to become an IT Manager with a specific focus on technology enablement and how it could more effectively support the delivery of services to our University community. Neal's career changed direction when he became the Student Life Development Manager in 2019, and he and his team worked hard to support students through the COVID-19 pandemic. His role has subsequently developed into a wider customer-facing position as the Head of Experience and Engagement across all Student and Library Services buildings.

Dr Heckels joined Teesside in 1998 and has supervised more than 200 undergraduate and postgraduate dissertation students. Victoria has held several leadership roles including Director of Programmes for Psychology, and Principal Lecturer in Forensic Psychology. She holds a Doctorate in Psychology, and her research expertise includes the personality characteristics of offenders, stalking and harassment and domestic violence. A highly-regarded practitioner, Dr Heckels is an Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. She is a registered Forensic Psychologist and is a Chartered Psychologist with the British Psychological Society.

Danny joined Teesside as an Assistant Administrator in 1997, and he has successfully progressed in his career over the years to become a Digital and Design Manager in Student Recruitment and Marketing (SRM). Danny is an invaluable member of the SRM leadership team, with a wealth of technical and web development experience. He has overseen significant developments to the University's website and he ensures it remains current, engaging, and accessible for prospective students and stakeholders alike. He has made huge contribution to the success of the department, and he has won many creative and web awards. Danny is a well-respected and committed member of Team Teesside, and he always displays a positive attitude and gives 100% to everything he does.

Nigel was one of the very first security officers employed at Teesside University in 1997. He helped set up the NICE Investigate system with Cleveland Police, a collaboration that allows partner organisations to share CCTV footage quickly for safety and security purposes. Nigel is professional and dedicated to his role of Security Officer, and he received a Good Citizen Award in 2014 from Cleveland Police after assisting with a knife point robbery. He has been instrumental in ensuring all security officers have appropriate equipment and training to support emergency situations, and he is always willing to share his experience and expertise to assist the team.

Catherine joined the University in 1997, initially working in Library Services before becoming an Administrator in the School of Health & Social Care in 2004 and working as part of the newly-formed Tees Valley Alliance (TVA). In 2014, she was appointed as the Service User and Carer Involvement Co-ordinator and she has since built up a large database of service user carer contacts who share their lived experiences with students and help develop relevant courses. This invaluable input helps students understand the patient experience and enables them to develop a person-centred and individualised approach.

Jackie joined the University as a Cleaner in 1997 and has worked tirelessly making sure our campus is always clean and presentable to ensure we deliver the best experience for colleagues, students and visitors alike. During the last 25 years she has worked across most buildings around the campus and has seen many changes since she joined. Jackie is a helpful, reliable, and dedicated member of the housekeeping team who always makes sure the job gets done. Jackie's contribution is greatly appreciated by her colleagues and our wider University community.

Habby joined the University in 1997 as an Information Officer in Student and Library Services. He applied his training and technical knowledge to support both students and colleagues while working on the service desk. Habby was promoted to Deputy Team Manager in 2002, supervising a small team of technicians to supporting the vast PC estate in the Library. He delivered training in his teacher demonstration role, provided support, and shared his knowledge with students and colleagues to enhance their understanding of our systems and software products. Since then, Habby has become a Technician Principal Analyst and has been instrumental in the delivery of a variety projects to drive efficiencies, process automation, and systems support.

Hayley has been a valued member of the Housekeeping team since she joined the University as a Cleaner in 1997. She has helped maintain cleaning and hygiene standards in all of our buildings across our ever-expanding campus, and her experience, hard work, and dedication are very much appreciated by the whole team. Hayley always gives her best and takes pride in what she does to make sure the job gets done, and she makes an important and positive contribution to the student experience on campus.

Rachel joined Library & Information Services on a Youth Training Scheme (YTS) initially, before progressing into full time employment with the University from 1997. Rachel is currently an SLS Assistant and throughout her career she has continued to contribute to the work of her team through her efforts to acquire and catalogue a wide range of library materials. Rachel always demonstrates a positive outlook, especially when supporting our customers face-to-face, and signposting students to our services, information, and materials.

Caroline's introduction to Teesside University was as an undergraduate student. Her BSc (Hons) International Business and IT course took her to Cannes in France to enjoy a placement year soaking up the culture and learning the language. Caroline started work at the University in 1997, and she has worked in various schools and departments, excelling in a variety of roles. She joined the Systems team in Academic Registry in 2004, and one of her most notable projects was the implementation of a new interface for the UCAS system, which saved time, money and reduced the risk of data errors. Caroline currently works as a Systems Project Officer in Finance where she liaises with colleagues across the University.

Beverley joined Library and Information Services in the User Support Services team in 1997, in a role supporting students with disabilities. She progressed from Senior Information Assistant into a management position as a Library Services Co-ordinator in 2012, before becoming an Access and Further Support Librarian. Latterly, Beverley worked as an Experience and Engagement Manager and her knowledge and experience was critical to the success of our Student Life proposition. She worked incredibly hard with her team to shape, refine and deliver the range of services and support available through Student Life. Beverley has now left the University to enjoy a well-deserved retirement.

Fran joined Teesside University in 1997 as an Assistant Academic Librarian in the Learning Resources Centre and supported the development of library collections and information literacy training for students. She progressed to her current Academic Librarian role in 2010 and she has acquired a wealth of knowledge and experience in her field. She maintains a wide-reaching professional network and is always keen to develop our print and digital collections and extend our reach to less-engaged students. Fran leads a library reading group and connects with students and colleagues to explore creative content. She is a University Mental Health Champion and helps plan events promoting better mental health.

Matthew began his Teesside University journey as a student, completing both an undergraduate degree and master's in Sport and Exercise Science. Matt is passionate about human movement and biomechanics, and he has shared his knowledge with sport and exercise students for more than 25 years. His contributions were acknowledged when he was awarded University Teaching Fellow status in 2011 and subsequently when he became a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Matt has led from the front by facilitating curriculum design and supporting our students as a PhD supervisor and critical friend. In addition to his current part-time role at the University, Matt works for the Football Association in a talent identification and development role.

John joined the University in 1998 and became a team leader in Campus Services in 2018, stepping up as Security Manager on several occasions. Over the past 25 years, John always went above and beyond his job description to deliver a high quality service for colleagues, students and visitors to our University. He designed and implemented numerous systems, including our car parking database, an incident reporting information system (IRIS), and SafeZone, our free app for users who need emergency help or first aid. John always provided his colleagues with support and guidance, and he is now enjoying his retirement, having decided to leave the University at the end of August 2023.

Professor Mark Simpson graduated from Teesside University with a degree in politics and a PhD in Criminology. He has written and researched in the fields of youth crime, youth justice and drug use. He was a director of the British Society of Criminology for over nine years. Holding numerous roles within the University, he was previously Dean of Social Sciences, Humanities & Law. He has a national reputation for teaching & learning and is a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and a Fellow of the Royal Society for the Encouragement of the Arts (FRSA). Mark is a Local Ambassador for the Prince's Trust, a Senior Independent Director of Thirteen Group and a Director of TECH EQUAL.

Chris has worked in a variety of Campus Services and ITDS roles since joining the University in 1997. He started his career in the print room before progessing to a position in the ITDS User Support team with responsibility for running the busy central helpdesk. Working in the Learning Environment team, Chris oversaw reprographics, postal services, switchboard, and reception services, as well as supporting graduation and room bookings. He was particularly adept in finding innovative technological solutions to improve working practices. Chris is a popular member of the ITDS United Communications team and his colleagues appreciate his approachability and excellent customer service skills.

Julie joined the University as a cleaner and catering assistant in 1997, before becoming a caretaker at King Edward's Square and Parkside. Julie is now a Facilities Officer and she is a popular and experienced member of the team. Her colleagues appreciate her contributions and the fact she is always willing to go the extra mile to help everyone, especially our students.

Amanda joined the University as a Clerk in 1997, and she progressed through a number of roles and promotions before becoming Deputy Director of Finance (Business Planning Services) in 2016. The launch of the University's Strategic Transformation and Change initiative saw Amanda take on responsibility for a series of complex and challenging projects, and the creation of a new department. Following her appointment as Director of Business Change, Improvement and Projects, Amanda joined the University Senior Management Team. She is one of the best-informed people at the University, having insight across all our strategic projects and developments, and she deserves credit for supporting the transformation of the University in recent years.

Lynn joined the University in 1997 as a Departmental Assistant with University Services and carried out a variety of tasks including delivering post and working on main reception and operating the switchboard. Lynn moved to the Department of Academic Enterprise (DAE) in 2003 as a Business Support Officer, before becoming a Student Enterprise Ambassador helping students gain essential business skills. Lynn worked in DAE for a total of 19 years, and she is now a Marketing Co-ordinator in Student Recruitment and Marketing, focussed on Professional Apprenticeships and strategic projects such as the National Horizons Centre. Lynn's rise through the institution is testament to her positive and hardworking attitude, and her dedication to the University is second to none.

Dr Donglai Xu joined Teesside in 1998 and he is an accomplished researcher with international standing in the field of electronic engineering. At Teesside, he has held the roles of course leader and subject group leader, and he has led programme development and innovative research-informed teaching in electrical, electronic and control engineering. Dr Xu is now a Principal Lecturer (International), and he has been instrumental in establishing, developing, and coordinating six joint degree programmes with overseas partner institutions that have generated significant income for the University. Dr Xu has been a Visiting Professor, Fellow, external examiner, and assessor for several universities at PhD, postgraduate and undergraduate levels.