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Honours for esteemed trio at º£½ÇÖ±²¥

º£½ÇÖ±²¥ is honouring three luminaries from the worlds of football and education who have each made incredible contributions to their field and have close links to our region.

Football icon Beth Mead MBE, home-grown entrepreneur and Middlesbrough FC chairman Steve Gibson OBE, and further education stalwart Mark White CBE DL, are all to receive º£½ÇÖ±²¥ honorary doctorates. They will each join hundreds of º£½ÇÖ±²¥ students celebrating academic success during graduation ceremonies in the impressive surroundings of our award-winning Digital Life building.

A total of 13 ceremonies will be held in Digital Life across five days, taking place between July 7 and 14.

Honorary graduates

Mark White CBE DL - Honorary Doctor of Civil Law. Wednesday 8 July

Mark is a respected education and community leader whose lifelong commitment has helped transform opportunities for generations of learners.

Originally from Stoke-on-Trent, Mark arrived on º£½ÇÖ±²¥ 50 years ago in 1976 to study at º£½ÇÖ±²¥ Polytechnic, the forerunner of º£½ÇÖ±²¥, where he served two terms as president of the Students’ Union, studying BSc (Hons) Social Sciences and later a Diploma in Personnel Management.

He went on to build a distinguished career at º£½ÇÖ±²¥, working for many years as Head of the Vice-Chancellor’s Office and Secretary to the Board of Governors until his retirement in 2016.

Alongside his professional career, Mark has played a pivotal role in further education governance nationally and regionally. National roles include chairing the English Association of Colleges Governors’ Council, the membership body for college sport in England and the charitable arm of English colleges. Closer to home he served as Chair of the Education Training Collective, supporting the development of colleges across the Tees Valley.

His wider public service includes roles in schools, health organisations, regeneration bodies and regional boards. Mark’s commitment to education saw him recognised with an OBE in 2016 and later a CBE in 2023. He serves as a Deputy Lieutenant of County Durham.

Beth Mead MBE - Honorary Doctor of Science. Monday 13 July

International football superstar Beth Mead is shaping the future of women’s sport and inspiring a new generation. Her influence stretches far beyond her exceptional performances on the pitch.

Born in Whitby and raised in North Yorkshire, she began playing football at a young age. Beth quickly established herself as an emerging talent, starring for Sunderland, before joining Arsenal in 2017, and then moving to Manchester City this year.

At the European Championships 2022, she helped lead England’s Lionesses to a landmark victory. Beth won Player of the Tournament and the Golden Boot. Soon after, she was named BBC Sports Personality of the Year, becoming the first female footballer to receive the award. Her performance cemented her place in football history and contributed to her being awarded an MBE for services to sport.

Beth graduated from º£½ÇÖ±²¥ with a BA (Hons) Sports Development, later partnering with the institution to launch the Beth Mead Scholarship supporting aspiring female footballers in higher education. Her commitment to championing women’s sport has made her a true role model.

Steve Gibson OBE - Honorary Doctor of Business Administration. Tuesday 14 July

Businessman and lifelong Boro fan Steve Gibson is chairman and owner of Middlesbrough Football Club, having joined the board in 1984 aged 26, as the club’s youngest ever director.

Steve, who founded global transportation company Bulkhaul Ltd in 1981, went on to lead a consortium that rescued the football club from liquidation in 1986, ensuring its survival and laying the foundations for future growth.

Since becoming chairman in 1994, he has gone on to oversee one of the most significant eras in the club’s history. Under his ownership, notable achievements include Middlesbrough spending time in the Premier League, winning the League Cup in 2004, and a memorable run to the UEFA Cup Final in 2006.

A prominent figure within the game, he was awarded an OBE in 2016 for services to the economy, sport and the community on º£½ÇÖ±²¥, and awarded Freedom of Middlesbrough following Boro’s League Cup triumph in 2004.

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