Testimonials from students:
“Dear Marianne,
When I reflected on everything that happened in this year, I realised that they could have been a blessing in disguise. Without the pain, I would not have been able to meet you and have so many wonderful conversations.
Thank you so much for providing me all the support and help! Words truly cannot express my gratitude towards you and I wish you and your family happiness and joy. ☺ And I hope that we will still keep in touch! I guess I will be a lot more free in uni!”
“Hi Marianne,
I just want to drop a quick note to say a huge thank you for being such a rock for me, especially through the tough times. You’ve been amazing and I had been thinking about you a lot during my visit to my mom this Summer. It really hit me how much your support has helped and influenced me.
Wishing you a lovely week ahead.”
“Dear Marianne,
Thanks for all the help you have given me this year and Merry Christmas,”
“Dear Marianne,
Thanks for your work for helping my mental health.
Before I came to this school, I didn’t believe that the mental health treatment is working, but after meeting you I now believe it.
It’s very hard to say goodbye to you because I don’t want to say it. You are the best teacher in this school in my view.
Hope you have a happy life in the future.”
“Dear Marianne,
I don’t think I’ll ever be able to express just how much your presence in this school has meant to me. You became the one adult here I could truly rely on. You made me feel safe and you also helped me to see the world differently.
I sincerely hope that I will always be able to stay in touch with you. If not, I wish you the same kind of luck I had … that you meet people as genuine, kind and empathetic as you are.
”
“Happy Birthday Ms Marianne,
I hope today feels as special as the impact you’ve had on the people lucky enough to know you, including me. You’ve been one of the most genuine and understanding people in my life this year. Whether you realise it or not, the space you created – calm, open and honest – has helped me to find clarity in ways I didn’t expect. You’ve made it easier for me to be real with myself, to work through things, and grow.
Wishing you a day filled with warmth, laughter, and the kind of love you bring into the world – and a year that returns all the goodness you give so effortlessly to others.
With appreciation and warmest wishes”
“Marianne has been one of the most influential mentors in my academic and personal development at school. Having weekly mentoring sessions with her, I was able to strengthen my confidence in my studies whilst balancing my mental health. A particular story where Marianne helped me was when I got a “D” on one of my mock exams. Through effective communication with different parties, she used different methods to calm me down. Ranging from deep breathing to just having regular encouragement conversations, she managed to calm me down, and I was able to get an A* as well as a distinction on my LAMDA exam.
Marianne was quick to be aware of my performance, particularly noting my weaker ability in reading. She helpfully arranged a psychologist to assess my situation, particularly noting I had weaker comprehension skills. Furthermore, she provided me with lessons to strengthen my reading level. The progress I have made since OIC has been more remarkable than I expected. From not reading at all before to where I am now, I am able to discover my current interests in areas such as finance and ESG.
Her continuous support was evident after I left school. I faced a family situation last year, contacting her for support. She was quick to respond and managed to calm me down during these difficult times. Her professionalism was evident in this scenario, listening to my story with empathy whilst giving me feasible methods such as approaching a counselor.
Marianne is an outstanding mentor whose impacts are obvious even after leaving OIC. Marianne instilled confidence in me to become a leader, and I am currently leading a career-oriented society. In addition, I found the belief I had in myself, landing summer internships in different industries. The support she has provided me with during those 2 years has been compounding, and the results have been remarkable. I wholeheartedly recommend her mentorship to others.”
“Hi Marianne, I was reading through Being Best’s profile description, and I realised we share so much of the same values and passions! A lot of what you said genuinely resonated with me. I really hope the business goes well and wish you every success.
I remember feeling very supported by you when I was at school which was one of the most challenging moments in my life. When I think back on it I realise that my circumstances and situation were very extreme. I deeply appreciated your genuine kindness, willingness to give without hesitation, and, most importantly, the thoughtful guidance that helped shape my path. You were my first life mentor at a moment when everything seemed to collapse around me — the sudden loss of a parent, followed by the shock of my home country falling apart overnight in a coup, all of that on top of a series of career rejections...
Looking back, I truly believe that meeting you at such an early stage in life was a true blessing. Even to this day, you continue to influence the way I approach bigger challenges — from finding the courage to build a business to developing a confidence that strengthens with every step. It has been a positive cycle of growth ever since.
So I wish you the best of luck and wanted to recommend you wholeheartedly - I sincerely hope that other young people can benefit from meeting you in the way that I did. I really think it changed the course of my life.”
Testimonials from colleagues:
“We’ve spent years working together. Thank you for your support and comradeship. Let’s stay in touch ”
“Thank you so much for all your support. We couldn’t do this job without you and your guidance.”
“Marianne is Awesome!
Marianne is lovely,
Marianne is great!
All the students love her
And I’m glad that she’s my mate.
She always brings the sunshine,
Even when she’s sad,
She lights up the room,
Making good from bad.
All will be okay,
It isn’t yet the end,
Sorry this is rushed,
I have a lesson now, my friend!”
“Thank you for always being so supportive and listening. ”