Life-changing opportunities celebrated at St Mark’s
Winners of College scholarships for 2024 were recognised at the annual Scholarships Presentation Ceremonies held recently. These occasions gave Scholars the opportunity personally to thank the donors of the scholarships which help them live and learn at St Mark’s.
On Thursday 30 May, many donors enjoyed presenting certificates to the students awarded their scholarships this year. In some cases, the presentations were made by family members or descendants of donors: for example, the Kitty Hayward Scholarship, endowed in 1938, was presented by the donor’s great grandson, in the presence of other descendants of Kitty Hayward!
Mrs Mary Lou Simpson OAM (on behalf of herself and Mr Antony Simpson, who was overseas), Dr John Boully, Mr Guy Watson, and Dr Pamela Wall OAM spoke for all donors in saying what a pleasure and privilege it is to help talented students from diverse backgrounds to be at St Mark’s.
St Mark’s Director of Centenary Engagement, Ms Karin Dunsford, spoke warmly of the late Dr Helen Reid, who left a bequest to endow a scholarship which bears her name. Karin was twice offered jobs at Walford School by Dr Reid, who recognised and encouraged potential in Karin which she did not see herself. Like our scholarships, these were life-changing opportunities.
Speaking for all scholarship recipients, students Luke MacKay, Manon Finch, and Cameron Akehurst shared how formative their St Mark’s experiences have been. They expressed profound gratitude for the selfless generosity of scholarship donors who have made this possible.
Quoting the adage that “talent is everywhere, opportunity is not”, the Head of College, Professor Don Markwell AM, said:
“Scholarships are utterly essential to creating opportunity for young people of talent and potential.
“Our scholarships exist to promote and recognise excellence, including service and leadership as well as academic and other achievement; to help students who are in financial need; and to enable people from diverse backgrounds to be at St Mark’s who might not otherwise be able to be here.”
Some of the scholarships presented were endowed in the early years of St Mark’s and are still awarded today. Others have been created in more recent years through the generosity and vision of donors.
Professor Markwell said that, despite the great generosity of St Mark’s scholarships and of our wonderful donors, students’ need for financial support remains much greater than our capacity to meet it, and a further significant expansion of scholarships remains a crucial priority for the College.
The Scholarships Presentation Ceremony was followed by an informal dinner. Here, donors and their Scholars were able to talk further, an opportunity clearly enjoyed by all.
Earlier that week, the Chair of the College Board, Ms Linda Matthews, spoke in Formal Hall and recognised and congratulated the 2024 winners of a number of other scholarships. These included the St Mark’s College Scholarships (which are funded from all-important Annual Giving), Alumni Scholarships, the Foundation Scholarship, and Margaret and Harry Scott Trust Scholarships.
Ms Matthews said how greatly she appreciated the letters she received from scholarship winners which reflected the importance in their lives of the opportunity to be at St Mark’s.
You can read extracts from letters of thanks written by 2024 scholarship recipients here.
Photos from the Scholarships Presentation Ceremony on 30 May are below.
Find details of the scholarships that help students live and learn at St Mark’s here.
To help provide scholarships that support students to be at St Mark’s, visit our Giving page.
