Written by Vivian Wu (RCN ’27) and Bekayim Duishenbieva (RCN ’27)

Today, we are excited to share the inspiring life story of Mark, who has worked in UWC Red Cross Nordic as a university counsellor for almost two decades since September 2006, meeting and helping thousands of students with passion, unique sense of humour, and all-time half-filled snack jars on the office table.

His first interaction with UWC RCN was for a visit to his friend in the latter half of 2005. The moment he landed, he instantly fell in love with this place. 

“When I arrived, the place looked spectacular,” said Mark, recalling the past. “I attended a ‘World Today’ event. Back then, they used to happen on Fridays in the auditorium, and they were much bigger events. We also used to get quite a few people from the local community. There was a human rights lawyer giving a talk about his work, which was interesting. When he opened the floor for questions, the level of thought behind the questions from the sixteen- and seventeen-year-olds blew my mind.”

“And I thought to myself—how can I become part of this?”

In mid-March 2006, Mark came to RCN again and stayed here for another couple of weeks, which then became the serendipitous beginning of the following twenty years of dedication.

“Back then, the bus timetable from Flekke to the boat had separate winter and summer schedules. It changed to the summer timetable on April 1st, and I didn’t know that, so I missed the bus. I ended up staying a few more days. While I was here, my friend suggested I make a list of all the jobs I’d ever done and see if maintenance could use me.”

Before that, Mark had done all kinds of jobs related to maintenance. He had been a postman, driving a heavy goods vehicle for the post office. He had operated heavy plant machinery, including but not limited to diggers, tractors and forklift trucks. He had also installed double glazed windows, built extensions to houses, and sold building supplies. 

“I wrote the list, and my friend gave it to the maintenance manager. At the time, the rektor, John Lawrenson, suggested I talk to his wife, Nicky, who worked in the university office. She asked me to come to the office at three thirty. We started talking and were still talking at five thirty. We got on well, and she seemed to like me. After that, there was a gap. I went home and didn’t hear anything until early August, when Nicky contacted me and asked me to send my CV. I had to write one, and then I didn’t hear anything for another two to three weeks.

“One day I got this weird conference phone call. It was John and Nicky and me on this call. And this is back when internet and video conferencing wasn’t really a thing. So it was still on my mobile, but there were three voices at the same time. And they were talking about when I could start and all this sort of stuff. They never said, ‘you’ve got the job.’ They just started talking about when I was going to come. Oh, it just started.”

At that time, Mark had been working as a bar manager in the UK for almost ten years. By luck, one month before he got the job offer, he decided to quit the position and instead stayed as a kitchen assistant, which made his resignation much easier. Additionally, his share options in the pub chain matured and so he sold them, which made him £1,000 and paid for the flights and accommodation on the way to Norway. 

“It was like everything fell into place,” Mark said, smiling as if still surprised by all these blessed coincidences.

With that reminiscing look in his eyes, he continued: “It was probably the best move I ever made. Some days, I find myself looking forward to coming to work, which not many people can say.”

When being asked about how it feels to be a university counselor, Mark joked that, “ I often feel that I have a parasitic relationship with the students, because working with you students gives me energy to keep connected. The last twenty years here, and ten years in the bars, has kept me, at least mentally, young. Like I said, you can’t avoid growing old, but you don’t need to grow up. I never really did. I think it’s the sort of energy and enthusiasm of the students and staff that you can leech off of. And it keeps me going.

“When I was working in the bar, I served somebody a beer, and they said, ‘thank you.’ But they were only saying thank you because it was kind of like the done thing. But when you guys say thank you, I know you mean it. Because it comes from the heart.”

He then turned his swivel chair towards the nailed shelves on the wall, where he kept all the small items students have left over the years — they were tangible memories that witnessed the past old days and traces of existence for students who once thrived on this campus.

“I never forget a face, though I often forget names,” said Mark, who deals with sixty to eighty application cases every year. He could still immediately recall the story of the first student he had interaction with in 2005, and how he unfortunately retook the IB exams, unaware of the fact that he had already been admitted to a medical school in Denmark.

And sometimes such connection goes even deeper, which feels beyond student and teacher, but more like family and friends. 

“Two years ago, I had a Danish advisee. In Denmark, people have a tradition where, after you leave your last exam, you are presented with a captain’s hat from your parents. Her parents couldn’t make it, so she asked me to present her with the hat, and we did that. One day, she said to me that she sometimes feels closer to me, even more than she does to her parents.”

Another student, who graduated in 2020, still stays in touch and visits regularly. Their picture was pinned on the window frame right behind Mark’s seat, where he pointed while telling the story about how they supported each other after each experiencing the loss of their closest relatives. 

“This place has changed me. Completely. Utterly.” He ended the interview with these two firm, short words. Outside the heavy glass door of the university office, the waiting figures of two students were reflected on the pane, and it was time to move on, the past intersecting with the present.

As ending words, we want to express our genuine gratitude towards Mark’s years of dedication and encouragement. Thank you Mark!