Chief Executive of Mary Rose Trust awarded honorary degree
Wednesday 23 November 2011
Chief Executive of the Mary Rose Trust, Rear Admiral John Lippiett CB MBE, received an honorary degree from Southampton Solent University in recognition of his distinguished career with the Royal Navy, his charitable work and his current role with the Mary Rose Trust.
Rear Admiral John Lippiett received his honorary degree of Doctor of Maritime during a ceremony at Southampton’s Guildhall on Thursday 24 November.
Educated at Brighton Hove and Sussex Grammar School, Rear Admiral Lippiett joined Dartmouth in1967. During a distinguished 36 year career in the Royal Navy, he served on a number of large vessels from aircraft carriers to minesweepers and received an MBE as a Lieutenant for hurricane relief operations in the Dominica.
John Lippiett has held three jobs as a Rear Admiral. His first was as Flag Officer Sea Training in 1997. Two years later, in 1999, he became Chief of Staff to NATO Forces in the Southern Region - based in Naples until 2002 when he was Commandant of the Joint Services Command and Staff College, a position which he held until 2003. He was awarded CB for his services to the Royal Navy and NATO.
After retiring in 2003, he became Chief Executive of the Mary Rose Trust. He is also Vice President of the Combined Cadet Force, Patron of the Nautical Training Corps and President of the Ton Class Association.
Outside of the naval sphere Rear Admiral Lippiett is a trustee of the National Mint Museum and a governor of Bedales School.
He said to the assembled graduates: "You are now well equipped to go forward into promising careers. You have been given the skills and taught how to think, qualities that should give you the confidence to succeed."
"Don’t be dismayed if you have to start at the bottom of the ladder. Crack on with it, do the very best you can and it will lead onto other opportunities.”
More than 2,500 students graduated with degrees and professional qualifications during 10 ceremonies at Southampton guildhall from 21 – 25 November.
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Southampton Solent University offers more than 19,000 students over 200 qualifications ranging from HND to PhD, in subjects such as maritime education and training, fashion and design, media and television, music, sport and leisure, business, IT and technology.
Solent has set its fees for 2012 at £7,800, rather than at the maximum level, because it is determined to achieve a fair balance between the commitment to offering places based on student potential - irrespective of family income - and the need to continue to improve the experience of the students attending the University.