Read Liz Marr's goodbye message to our students as she retires.
Liz Marr, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Students) at The Open University, retired at the end of May. Liz first joined the OU in 2009, and took up her position as Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Students) in 2019. We have thoroughly enjoyed working with Liz at the Association, and we will miss her enormously.
Association staff members and student leaders (past and present) said farewell to Liz at her leaving do on 24 May. The photo above shows Liz (second from right) flanked by our last three Presidents – (from left) Cath Brown (2018–2020), Margaret Greenaway (presently in post) and Sarah Jones (2020–2022).
Liz wanted to share the following message with our students:
Dear OU students
As I step down from the OU and embark on the next stage of my journey, I wanted to say what a great pleasure and privilege it has been to hold the role of PVC Students. I hope that I have been able to make a difference for all of you, even if only in small ways. I know my successor, Professor Ian Pickup, will continue what we started in the office of the PVC Students.
I often say in my address at graduation ceremonies that our graduates are the most amazing group of people in the world, and that goes for all of you who are currently studying as well. You juggle work and study, caring and volunteering, you battle all kinds of challenges and life events – and still succeed. I have always been really proud to be a part of the OU family, and even though I am now moving into what I hope will be a reasonably (but not too) busy retirement, I will always be thinking about the University and you.
Thank you for the very great honour of Life Membership of the Association and for being such great people to work with.
I wish you all every success.
Very best wishes
Liz
We will miss you, Liz! Thank you for everything.