FOUNDATION
ASSOC . PROF . DOUG LORDING AM (' 64 ) PRESIDENT OF THE SCOTCH COLLEGE FOUNDATION
THE WISDOM AND INSPIRATION OF THOSE WHO ESTABLISHED THE FOUNDATION
SCOTCH ’ S STRENGTH AND RESILIENCE IS NOT A MATTER OF LUCK
SIR LAURENCE ( LAURIE ) MUIR (' 41 )
By the time this edition of Great Scot is published the school year will be over . No one would have predicted the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic . In this country we ’ ve been blessed with a minimal mortality , but to achieve that we ’ ve sacrificed much of our face-to-face contact , and all that ensues from that .
School has been a very different experience , and all have dug deeply to deal with the twists and turns of the year . The efforts of the boys , and all of the staff and parents , are to be applauded . While 2021 might not be entirely free of COVID-19 issues , it ’ s likely to be close to normal .
Many organisations , including some schools , have suffered greatly and have needed to make some drastic changes to their operations . Scotch has not been put in that position , but this hasn ’ t happened just by accident or pure luck .
For example , when I reflect on the Scotch College Foundation , I am immediately drawn to recognise the wisdom and inspiration that led the then Principal , Colin Healey , and the Vice Chairman of the School Council , Sir Laurence ( Laurie ) Muir (' 41 ), to establish the Foundation in 1973 , which was one of the first of its type in an Australian school .
Laurie Muir had already led several fundraising appeals , and with Colin Healey keen to push on with the development of the campus , it was decided to set up an ongoing means of support . The Foundation is now in its 47th year , and continues to fill that aspirational role outlined by Healey and Muir .
This year we can truly appreciate the importance of this and other initiatives the School has taken over decades , all of which have helped place Scotch in a safe and secure position , able to withstand disruptions with great strength .
Although our capital growth and income will be less in 2020 than in recent years , the Foundation will continue our support of the School , not only by direct contributions from its endowed funds , but also by assisting Scotch as it develops ongoing fundraising initiatives .
One important area is in respect of scholarships , which not only bring to the School boys of exceptional ability , but also play a significant role in promoting diversity within our School community . This particularly applies to the Indigenous Scholarship Program , and our means-tested academic and boarding scholarships .
The prestigious General Sir John Monash Scholarship will be awarded for the first time in 2021 , and the aim is to be able to award a scholarship in Monash ’ s name each year . To do this we will need to have in place funds that will cover six full-time students . We will be looking to build on the success of the 2019 campaign to promote further contributions to this important fund . Similarly , we would like to build the fund supporting boarding scholarships set up in the name of much-loved Old Boy , Michael Robinson (' 55 ), so that it too can be awarded annually .
The Foundation has a committee led by Sam Hunt (' 92 ) which has been working towards endowing up to 10 scholarships for our Indigenous students . This is a big undertaking , and with over $ 4.5 million already raised towards a target of $ 6 million , it ’ s pleasing to see how far we have come in reaching that goal . Our expectation is that this will be an important focus over the next year .
I sincerely hope that all in our Scotch community can gain strength from the experience of 2020 , and that we can all enjoy time with our families and loved ones over the Christmas and New Year break , ready to tackle 2021 with great enthusiasm .
www . scotch . vic . edu . au Great Scot 57