As was the case 40 years ago, philanthropy continues to play a crucial role at the University of Wollongong.
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And on Thursday an event was held to celebrate the many donors, past and present, who have made valuable contributions to UOW through their philanthropy.
The afternoon tea celebration included the commemorative unveiling of the sculpture “Genesis” by Wombarra artist Gaby Porter.
The event marked the 40th anniversary of the unveiling of the Founding Donors Memorial Bench in 1978 – which pays tribute to the people and organisations whose donations led to the establishment in 1961 of Wollongong University College, which in 1975 became the University of Wollongong.
Large companies like BHP, Lysaghts, Australian Iron & Steel, the Electrolytic Refining and Smelting Co and Metal Manufactures raised a collective £138,000 (the equivalent of almost $4 million in today’s terms) to establish the College.
But it wasn’t just the big end of town who recognised the value of Wollongong having its own university campus.
A Mayoral Appeal Fund drew donations from many including individuals, school parents and citizens associations, service clubs, the Country Women’s Association, trade unions, a mothers’ group and a hairdressing salon in raising £50,000 (equivalent to $1.4 million now).
UOW vice-chancellor Paul Wellings said philanthropy is and always has been the backbone of the university.
“The University of Wollongong was founded by a philanthropic vision. It was a vision that inspired hundreds of residents and businesses to become founding donors,” Professor Wellings said.
“Every student who has studied at UOW, every staff member who has worked here, every researcher who has sought solutions to important issues has benefitted from philanthropy.
“If the founding donors were here today, they may not recognise some aspects of the university.
“We have grown from a provincial feeder college of 300 students to an international university of more than 34,000 students with two campuses in Wollongong, three in Sydney, four in the South Coast and Southern Highlands and four overseas locations.”
Leading Illawarra law firm Russell McLelland Brown Lawyers (now RMB Lawyers) was one of those founding donors which has maintained its philanthropic relationship with UOW.
RMB Lawyers managing partner Craig Osborne spoke at the event on behalf of all founding donors.
“The founding donors saw what a university might mean to our city and what it might become. UOW is now a world-renowned international university. It has exceeded the expectations and visions of its founding donors,” Mr Osborne said.
“Like so many other donors we choose to continue to donate to the university. We do so because it is able to drive our philanthropic dollar much further than we could alone.”