Keele Management School Magazine Issue 7 | Page 10

09
Keele Management School News
Keele Management School News
From Postie to PhD
Mick Pender was awarded his PhD at the
Postgraduate Graduation Ceremony in January.
“When Dr Steve French first asked me if I’d be
interested in applying to study for a PhD, I had recently
lost my job with the Royal Mail where I had worked for
22 years.
I began my PhD on modernisation in the Royal Mail in
October 2011. Returning to full-time study represented a
huge change for a middle-aged, ex-postal worker, trade
unionist and father of one. That said, I had some years
earlier studied for an MA and was therefore aware of the
supportive and friendly environment that so typifies Keele
Management School and its staff.
From the vantage point of someone who has now
successfully completed their studies, I can say that
I thoroughly enjoyed what was a once in a lifetime
opportunity that I was privileged enough to be able
to undertake.
There were, of course, times when the going was tough and,
as anyone who has been through the process will confirm,
times when I thought that I would never get to the end.
However, for every afternoon spent agonising over what
to write next (and often what to delete next!) there were
a dozen which were hugely fulfilling, rewarding and
enjoyable in the company of my fellow PhD students.
There were times when I could not actually believe that I
was being paid to do what I was doing.
To say that the support throughout from all at Keele has
been fantastic would be an understatement. To say that
the process itself has been life-changing would be also
very true as I (the ex-postie) have recently started work
here as a teaching fellow. I’m not sure if ‘Dr Pender’ has a
certain ring about it but whatever its merits, my family are
very proud of my achievement.”
10
Satisfied students in KMS,
its official!
All KMS subjects are in the
top 20 in this year’s National
Student Satisfaction Survey!
Professor Kurt Allman, Director of Keele Management
School said “Our outstanding teaching and learning
has been recognised with the School’s performance
in this year’s National Student Survey results (NSS).
All of our subjects are in the Top 20 with Business
Studies, Finance and Marketing in the Top 10 for
overall student satisfaction. This, coupled with the
recent announcement that Keele is first for graduate
employment, demonstrates that our business partners
are pleased with the type of graduates we produce.”
Some final thoughts
At our School graduation in July, we asked our graduating students to ‘Keep in Touch’
with us and to share their thoughts about their three years in the School:
Dr Mick Pender receiving his PhD from Keele’s
Vice-Chancellor, Professor Trevor Macmillan