Helping us grow

Thanks to the generous support of our donors the Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning is a step closer to achieving its goal of constructing a new Faculty building.

The new Faculty building will be at the heart of the University campus and at the centre of transformational education and world-class research into sustainable cities and communities.

The new building will greatly enhance the learning experience for our undergraduate and graduate students, enabling them to explore interdisciplinary approaches to issues of sustainability in the built environment.

The building is designed to be a 'living laboratory' in which issues around the design and construction of sustainable cities can be explored through the building's structure and design features. It will be the platform for training and inspiring future leaders of the professions that plan, design and construct sustainable cities and communities here and abroad.

The Faculty of Arts and Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences offer world-class programs and opportunities for networking between students, academic experts, the community and industry leaders.

The generosity of our donors to the Annual Appeal has enabled the faculty to assist students through our programs by providing scholarships and other forms of important financial support.

This support has been transformative for some students and has provided valuable assistance to those who might otherwise have found it difficult to undertake tertiary study.

In particular, Arts wishes to inform our supporters of new developments to support increased access and equity. Last year, the Dean made a strategic decision to allocate funds generated through the Annual Appeal to scholarships for Indigenous students undertaking coursework in the Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences.

By providing an opportunity to focus on study, combined with specialised guidance from Faculty mentors, these scholarships will enable students to develop their full potential. They foster excellence and, as well as providing a supportive educational environment oriented towards genuine career outcomes.

The Faculty of Arts supports equity and access for all students to Arts at Melbourne and acknowledges the invaluable assistance of supporters who share our vision of the value of Arts in society. We hope to continue this engagement with our donors to provide a better education for all who wish to study at Melbourne.

The Faculty of Business and Economics' First in the Family Scholarship program was generously supported through the 2011 Annual Appeal.

As education is recognised as a passport to opportunity, and becomes more accessible, an increasing number of students with no family background of tertiary education will come through our doors. The unique experience of being first in the family to attend university cannot be underestimated. The pressure of high expectation and of doing something not experienced or understood by those closest to you can create many challenges around emotional and practical support. First in the Family Scholarships celebrate the achievement of these individuals while relieving some of the financial pressure of attending university.

The generous support of our donors has enabled us to support five students commencing their Bachelor of Commerce degree in 2012.

In addition to offering immediate financial support and priority consideration for residency at Ormond College, the scholarship program aims to help break the cycle of long-term disadvantage within families and demystify the university experience for future generations.

This year, the Melbourne School of Engineering celebrated 150 years of engineering education at the University of Melbourne. In recognition of this milestone, the School launched the Len Stevens Scholarship Appeal, honouring Emeritus Professor Leonard Stevens AM, patron of the 150th anniversary celebrations.

It has been the School's priority for the 2011 Annual Appeal to raise funds for the Len Stevens Scholarship and we have been met with a very generous response. Through the contributions of our donors and support from the Melbourne University Engineering Foundation, the fund stands at $225,000 in December. We are on track to achieving our goal of raising $500,000, over three years, to establish the scholarship program in perpetuity.

The Len Stevens Scholarship will provide financial assistance to help exceptional engineering students realise their potential as future leaders, by supporting access to a program of extra-curricular learning opportunities in Australia and overseas.

The Melbourne School of Engineering would like to thank the generosity of its donor community in supporting this 150th anniversary appeal.

Melbourne Law School takes its responsibility for education and supporting the next generation of Law students very seriously and strives to ensure that the education they receive is of the highest quality and is open to all.

The generosity of our donors has enabled Melbourne Law School to award numerous scholarships in 2012. These scholarships have been crucial for students, allowing them to focus on their studies and maximise their potential.

Harold Ford Scholarship recipient, Sarah Bugden, said the scholarship funds have made her first year of university much less stressful.

"The study of law is demanding, and it has been a great relief to have been able to focus entirely on my studies without the added financial pressure that I would have been under had it not been for the scholarship I received."

Leith Trust Indigenous Scholarship recipient, Matthew Ferrari said that the scholarship also gave him the chance to personally meet a few of the trustees, which was a great joy and privilege.

"The Scholarship has opened my eyes to the possibility that I may be able to be a leader and encourage people from different backgrounds to study and work hard and feel like they can come to a place like this," Matthew said.

The Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences sincerely thanks our donors for their generosity through the 2011 Annual Appeal.

We would not be able to deliver excellence in teaching and training, or our robust and diverse research programs and special projects without the financial assistance of our extraordinary alumni, philanthropic partners and commercial organisations.

Your generosity ensures young people from all backgrounds are given the opportunity to realise their potential. In this important way you are investing in the growth and development of individual scholarship recipients and the development of a first class health workforce ready to serve our community.

One of the many beneficiaries of your support is Tilini Gunatillake, a PhD student based at The Royal Women's Hospital. Through her scholarship, Tilini has been able to devote herself full-time to her work looking at pregnancy conditions such as Fetal Growth Restriction and Pre-eclampsia. This has been immensely beneficial for Tinilin, given the intensive nature of her research.

The generosity of our donors has a direct impact on the lives of our students, on our research capacity, and the quality of our teaching.

Donations for Science scholarships received through the 2011 Annual Appeal were directed towards students in financial need. 26 Science students received support.

In 2011, many donors also choose to support research. Gifts towards research supported an endowed postdoctoral fellowship in the Faculty of Science.

The fellowship will offer outstanding young researchers the opportunity to undertake research for a three-year period in one of the faculty's departments. Thanks to your support in 2011, we will soon reach our funding target and award the first fellowship.

The Faculty of the Victorian College of the Arts and Melbourne Conservatorium of Music is committed to providing studio-based education that fully grounds students in their chosen field of artistic practice across performing, musical or visual arts. We strive to provide them with the best opportunities, training and teachers that will foster the development of highly skilled practitioners that are well placed to contribute at the highest levels.

The commitment of students to pursue their artistic practice to this level is significant – both financially and the time required by rigorous and intensive practice-based training, and the support received through the Annual Appeal assists us to provide financial support to our students so they can achieve their ambitions. For some students this is harder than others – juggling hours in practice, rehearsal or the studio, and assignments with part-time work and family responsibilities.

Scholarship recipient Daniel Nistico said that receiving a scholarship "means that I will be able to devote more time to music, and thus develop to a higher level than I would have without the scholarship" and "it is generosity like this which helps artists in Australia flourish."

Anyone who has attended our student performances and exhibitions will have observed the passion and dedication with which our students and teachers alike pursue their discipline and deliver artistic excellence that captivates Melbourne and beyond.

Your donation to the Faculty of Veterinary Science is helping help us move closer to achieving our vision of securing our position at the forefront of veterinary education and research by delivering training and scientific programs comparable to any in the world.

One of the ways in which your support is making an impact on the future of veterinary education at the University of Melbourne is through our scholarships program. The generous support of our donors makes a huge to difference to the lives of our students, such as Sam Morgan, this year's Rural Veterinary Students Scholarship recipient.

Sam, who grew up in a remote region of Tasmania, spent twelve months working as a jackaroo on a cattle station in the Northern Territory before embarking on a science degree. Following his degree, Sam worked at lamb and beef feedlot near Deniliquin in NSW, where he worked closely with veterinarians. It was these experiences that catalysed his motivation to undertake the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Melbourne.

Sam said the scholarship will provide him with the opportunity to gain vital experience in rural practice throughout his degree so he can return to the country.

"I have a strong affinity and commitment to rural Australia and without a scholarship it would be very difficult for me to return to rural areas," Sam said.

International House has had a long tradition of philanthropy and the generosity of our donors continues to transform the lives of future International House residents and the next generation of global leaders.

Support for our scholarships program is just one of the ways your donation is making an impact and ensuring our students can fulfill their potential.

Dung Lam from Ballarat was extremely grateful to be awarded the Commerce at International House Scholarship, which provided her with accommodation at International House during her first year of study.

The scholarship meant Dung didn't have the long commute from home to Melbourne each day and she could fully experience the offerings of University.

The Commerce student is thankful and amazed at the generosity of her donors who made her dream possible.

"Knowing that someone out there wanted to help me achieve my once far-fetched goals, I am determined to study my hardest as well as become an active community member in order to become a better and well rounded person. This is my recent goal," she says.

Your gift to the University Library preserves and enhances the intellectual resources so vital to a great University.

Without the support of our generous donors, we couldn't meet the Library's current priorities, which include digitising, cataloguing and conserving our unique collections.

The depth and variety of our collections have made the University Library one of the most significant cultural custodians in the city of Melbourne. Your support for the Library enriches the entirety of the University community and leaves a lasting legacy for the scholars of tomorrow.

Your contribution to the University of Melbourne could change the world.

Our researchers are engaged in finding solutions to some of the world's greatest challenges. In 2011, almost $1.2 million of research gifts were received university-wide thanks to generous alumni and friends, many of whom gave through the University's Annual Appeal. These gifts are contributing to discoveries in diverse fields from science, medicine, the arts, and law to architecture, engineering, business and economics and many more.

Some specific examples of the research donations at work include:

• Architecture, Building & Planning - the creation of a building designed to be a 'living laboratory' in which issues around the design and construction of sustainable cities can be explore.
• Business & Economics - Support for the 'First in the Family Scholarship'.
• Engineering - Support for the Len Stevens Scholarship, which will help exceptional engineering students realise their potential as future leaders.
• Medicine, Dentistry & Health Sciences - Support for PhD student, Tilini Gunatillake.
• Tilini, who is based at the Royal Women's Hospital, is investigating pregnancy conditions such as Fetal Growth Restriction and Pre-eclampsia.
• Science - Support for 26 science students and an endowed postdoctoral fellowship.

For more information about the exciting research currently underway at the University, visit: www.unimelb.edu.au/research

We thank you for your support.