FOUNDATION
As reported in the April edition of Great Scot , the Scotch College Foundation had hoped to deliver a 24-hour giving day in 2021 , where funds to support two perpetual Indigenous scholarships in the Rioli family name were secured .
Strike one was in May , and strike two was in August , as our attempts were thwarted by the coronavirus pandemic . While frustrated and inconvenienced , we will not be deterred ! To give the event some surety , it has been decided to postpone it to be held during Reconciliation Week in 2022 .
On Thursday 26 May 2022 the Scotch Family is encouraged to rally together to raise $ 2M to endow the Rioli Family Indigenous Scholarship , which will endow in perpetuity three full Indigenous scholarships at Scotch . The 24-hour campaign will be launched at a dinner at Leonda on Wednesday 25 May , at which Indigenous advocate Dean Parkin will be guest speaker , and we hope Cyril (’ 07 ) and other members of the Rioli family will attend as guests of honour .
For more than 15 years Scotch has awarded scholarships to Indigenous students from all around the country . Over that time , 26 Indigenous students have
TIM SHEARER (’ 85 ,
CENTRE ) WITH SHANNON RIOLI (’ 09 ) AND AMY TENNENT
SOMETHING SPECIAL IS AGAIN HAPPENING AT SCOTCH – WELL , WE HOPE SO , ANYWAY …
CREATING THE RIOLI FAMILY INDIGENOUS SCHOLARSHIP IN A 24-HOUR CAMPAIGN
graduated with everything Scotch has to offer , including their VCE . During their time at the School they have touched the lives of students and staff alike . They have left Scotch to pursue a range of professions , pursuits and passions .
The Rioli family ’ s contribution to Scotch is rich . In fact , the Scotch College Indigenous Scholarship Program started in 2004 , when a young lad named Cyril packed his bags on Melville Island and made McMeckan House his new home on the Hill . Early days were challenging – as they are for many new boys – but he ‘ rode the bumps with a grin ’ – an infectious grin – and made his new House , his home . Cyril , or Junior as he was affectionately known , would soon be joined at Scotch by three more Riolis – Stewart (’ 07 ), Shannon (‘ 09 ) and Maurice (’ 20 ). While their journeys were different , they each made their mark and they look back at their time at Scotch with affection and gratitude .
Today , 26 Indigenous students have graduated from Scotch with their VCE , thanks to the generosity of the School and the Scotch community .
To honour the Riolis , and to create opportunities for future Indigenous students , Scotch College and the Scotch College Foundation are establishing the Rioli Family Indigenous Scholarship . The Foundation is aiming to raise $ 2M in a single 24-hour period to endow three Indigenous scholarships in the Rioli name in perpetuity .
On Thursday 26 May we have just 24 hours to open the doors to Scotch for Indigenous students in perpetuity . All donations made on the day will be tax deductible , and will be quadrupled , thanks to the extraordinary generosity of our matched givers who have made so much possible :
• Will (’ 85 ) and Kristine Lempriere
• Jackie and Mike Haintz
• John and Katie Hudson
• John (’ 94 ) and Amy Tennent
• Cecilia Zhao and Fung Lam
• Ross (’ 66 ) and Geraldine McOmish
• David (' 89 ) and Ann Knights
• Steven Ji and Carin Li
• Sam (’ 92 ) and Georgie Hunt
• Matthew Davison (’ 94 ) and Rachel Nickless
• Alex Sloan (’ 71 ) and Karen Wood
• Ian Wright
• The Shearer Family
• The Gillespie Family Foundation
• The Lording Family Foundation
• The estate of Bob Bulley (’ 42 )
• The estate of Keith Pralle (’ 28 )
• The Violet Norma Sanders Trust
• Cox Architects
• The Scotch College Foundation
• The Old Scotch Football Club
• The Senior School Swap Shop
• The Scotch College 2021 Community Giving Program
If you would like to support this important initiative by joining our pool of matched 5 . givers and making a five-year tax deductible pledge at any of the Scotch College Foundation giving levels , Director of Development Tim Shearer would love to hear from you .
If you are interested in attending the fundraising dinner at Leonda on Wednesday 25 May 2022 , please contact Rebecca Mortimer via email at rebecca . mortimer @ scotch . vic . edu . au . Otherwise , we look forward to your support next year on Thursday 26 May .
60 Great Scot Issue 163 – September 2021