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ONE OF THE GREATEST, AND MOST UNUSUAL, fund-raising efforts ever achieved by the Hunter Region was the “buy a brick” campaign that delivered the University’s Great Hall.
It was the early years and government grants covered the necessities of teaching, administrative spaces and the library.
But the university and its community needed a fitting venue for graduation ceremonies, exams and concerts – and they needed the funds to make it happen.
The region rose to the challenge. The unique campaign, spearheaded by the Newcastle lord mayor Frank Purdue, resulted in 12,000 community members giving generously. Together with the contributions of local industry the campaign raised $600,000, a staggering amount for the time.
Helping the effort were local residents such as Iris Burges, who baked cakes to sell to raise the vital funds needed for the construction. Her husband Bill Burges, Newcastle town clerk from 1950 until 1977, was instrumental in much of the post-war municipal development and played a major role in establishing the university.
The community’s efforts paid off. The foundations for the Great Hall were laid on May 28, 1971, and the building was offi cially opened on November 28, 1973, with seating for 1440 and a stage for a symphony orchestra.
Neither Bill nor Iris had the opportunity to attend university, but they valued education and both their sons studied at the University of Newcastle’s predecessor, the University of NSW College, at Tighes Hill.
Son Bill Burges completed his metallurgy studies and his Diploma of Education in 1967.
Stephen Burges graduated in 1967, the second group to graduate from the University of Newcastle, with degrees in physics/mathematics and civil engineering.
The brothers established the Bill and Iris Burges Trust in memory of their parents. It funds a chair (or professorship) in medical science.
The director of the Hunter Medical Research Institute, Professor Michael Nilsson, was appointed the first
Burges Chair of Medical Science. Professor Nilsson is an internationally acclaimed neuroscientist and moved from Sweden to Newcastle to fulfi l the dual roles.
Bill Burges says the trust honours his parents’ strong wish to really make a difference.
“Medicine wasn’t initially a part of the university,” Mr Burges says. “The community, including mum and dad, all fought hard to get a Faculty of Health. The Bill and Iris
Burges professorship provides an enduring link between their names and the city they served so well.”
SHAPING FUTURES SCHOLARSHIP
Philanthropic support to the university funds student scholarships and prizes, professorships and academic positions, cutting-edge research and important community projects.
Through the university’s Shaping Futures Scholarships, donors help academically dedicated students who are facing hardship, particularly those most in need.
“The biggest challenge for people is not just getting into university, but staying there,” says Rebecca Hazell,
Director of Development. “The living expenses and study costs alone can be really diffi cult, and this is made worse if you have to move away from home or have family members depending on you.”
A 2012 study by Universities Australia found that 66 per cent of undergraduate students live on an income below the poverty line. Since the scholarship was established in 2011 it has supported 36 disadvantaged students to continue at university.
The fund is entirely supported by University of Newcastle staff, the community and alumni.
Dr Keryl Kavanagh, who worked at the university’s Centre for English Language and Foundation Studies, is a Shaping Futures Scholarship Fund donor.
“I’ve seen fi rst-hand the challenges so many of our students face,” says Dr Kavanagh. “Giving to a student scholarship is just a small, very tangible way to help.
“A student who receives a scholarship overcomes their hurdles today and makes an impact on all those around them tomorrow.”
Beyond scholarships, important research is being funded through donations and corporate support. Gifts and philanthropy have supported valuable research into saving the endangered green and golden bell frog, investigating new medications for depression and helping to fight one of Australia’s biggest health issues, obesity.
Ms Hazell says the university offers an important vehicle for the community to make a difference.
“Philanthropic gifts support research that could save a life, contribute to scientific breakthroughs, and help to transform students through the gift of education,” she says.
“We simply provide the pathway for them to enrich their society. Our donors don’t give their gift to the university, they give through the university.”
THE BRAWN BEQUEST
The $5 million Brawn bequest continues in perpetuity. Accrued interest alone has funded more than 40 medical researchers to date.
Leslie Brawn named his bequest to honour his wife Gladys. The Gladys M Brawn Memorial Fellowship plays a pivotal role in attracting and keeping outstanding, internationally competitive medical researchers at the university.
The bequest has supported five Senior Brawn Fellows and 17 Postdoctoral Fellows.
The Senior Brawn Fellows bring with them substantial external research funding and a research group. Brawn Senior Research Fellow, clinical psychologist Professor Amanda Baker, led the fi rst large controlled trials on combined treatments for people suffering depression and alcohol and other drug problems.
Since the start of the scheme, Fellowship researchers have undertaken projects in cancer, clinical pharmacology, nutrition and dietetics, neuroscience, pregnancy and premature birth, asthma, immunity and viruses.
Mr Brawn’s gift allows medical researchers at the university to continue to break new ground.
DONALD McNAIR
Bequests come in all shapes and sizes.
Donald McNair’s fascination for plants was nurtured in his family’s vegetable patch at their Mayfi eld home nearly 90 years ago.
While he did not pursue a university education or his interest in plants as a profession, he was awarded an honorary doctorate in 1996.
He didn’t ever lose his passion for botany and over 60 years collected 12,500 plants. He donated his prized collection to the university to create a herbarium, which he curated from 1997 until 2014.
RETA LIGHT
A Memorial Fund was formed in honour of Reta Light after her generous $1.5 million bequest in 1989.
Ms Light was an accomplished musician and over the years the fund has purchased books, musical scores, periodicals, microfi lms and other works that form part of the university’s Rare Book and Special Collections. Researchers and the community have access to this magnifi cent collection.
NORMAN BUSHMAN
A lifelong passion for the arts combined with fond memories of his Hunter Valley childhood home were the inspirations behind Norman Bushman’s $2.8 million gift to the University Conservatorium.
Mr Bushman’s gift has created two significant scholarships, one in music and the other in voice.
The scholarships are named in honour of Mr Bushman and his close friend, pianist Joy Ingall.