The George Alexander Foundation

Mr George Alexander (1910 – 2008) was a man of vision and generosity. His life story is a tale of achievement in the face of great odds and it exemplifies the ethos that has helped build modern Australia.

A teenage English immigrant, a farm worker, a mechanic, a lecturer and a businessman, George was, in many ways, a lifelong student and teacher. In the words of his biographer Dr Peter Yule, George Alexander was “a self made man whose life experiences inspired a wish to help others.” His story provides inspiration for anyone who believes that determination and perseverance can overcome adversity.

While his business success brought him considerable wealth, when it came to money and possessions, George Alexander’s attitude was that you do not really own them, ‘you’re just minding them’ He felt that this belief ‘frees up your thinking about how you deal with money’, and it was central to the development of his philanthropy.

Staff

Chief Executive Officer

Mrs Janet Hirst

Finance

Therese Reidy

Program Management

Caitriona Fay

Communications

Avalee Weir

Administration

Gail Lewry

Miranda Hartcher-O’Brien

Assistant to the CEO

Sarah MacNeill

George established Alexander Foundation in way of sharing his wealth, or as he put it ‘planting seeds and hoping they grow into pretty big trees with George’s great interests, the Foundation’s main focus is supporting access to education for all young people, especially those from rural and regional areas, as well as investment in environment

These interests continue to guide the Foundation’s giving to this day.

The George ABN 58 45

Level 3, 111 Collins Street Melbourne VIC 3000 Tel. 03 9650

Email admin@gafoundation.org.au www.gafoundation.org.au

Chairman’s Report

For this year’s Annual Report, we asked students on scholarships funded by The George Alexander Foundation (GAF), ‘what their scholarship has made possible’ for them. In their responses each student reveals something of the personal challenges they have faced and what it has meant to them to be able to do something that might not otherwise have been possible. I am sure that these stories would have been most gratifying for George.

With the list of GAF Alumni now standing at over 140, the impact of what George Alexander’s legacy has made possible for a growing number of young Australians is becoming increasingly significant. This is also why, in the face of continued economic uncertainty over the last couple of years, we have committed resources to consistently maintain our funding to support these programs. Perhaps not surprisingly, the scholarship students consistently report less stress, better marks, increased enjoyment and in many cases, a sense of camaraderie amongst the GAF Scholars.

Whether they are studying chocolatemaking, aviation, nursing or science, there are consistent themes in the reports we receive from students. There is the gratitude that each of the scholars and fellows expresses for the opportunities brought by the support they have received, but alongside that, there’s a clear determination that they will work even harder in order to uphold the faith that has been put in them. This is precisely the type of personal characteristic we look for when awarding the scholarships.

George would have celebrated his 100th birthday later this year so it is particularly poignant that William Owen-Jones, a trusted friend of George’s and now manager of his estate, successfully applied to have the street outside George’s former home in Coomera, on the Queensland Gold Coast, named in his honour. George Alexander Way will now stand as a further lasting tribute to this successful businessman and generous philanthropist.

My thanks to the Chief Executive Officer, Janet Hirst and the Foundation’s staff, whose work managing the program is fundamental to its success.

Charles Goode AC Chairman

CEO’s Report

This year the Foundation has continued to concentrate on developing our Scholarship Program. When GAF Scholars are selected, many factors are taken into account apart from academic ability; including the applicant’s leadership skills, community involvement, financial need and future aspirations.

In accordance with George Alexander’s personal philosophy there is also an expectation that our scholars will continue to make a contribution to their community and society as they progress through life.

Philanthropy plays an important role in making higher education available to as many people as possible and the GAF Scholarship Program, now one of the largest private programs in Australia, is a wonderful example of how philanthropic funds can be used to achieve this goal. This financial year $836,500 has been paid to eight universities across Australia for GAF Scholarships and bursaries. Since the Program commenced in 2002, the Foundation has supported 247 students through GAF Scholarships.

When George was alive, GAF Scholars would write to him about their experiences, their courses, what it meant to receive a scholarship and about their hopes and future aspirations. I now receive those letters and I continue to be inspired by the experiences, the wisdom and the passion of our Scholars for their studies, the future of Australia and the contribution they hope to make. Students often write that the scholarship has removed a financial burden from them and their families, enabling them to be financially independent, have the time to commit to their studies and to achieve their educational goals.

I hope the snapshot of students’ experiences in this Report will give you an insight into the many and varied ways that a GAF Scholarship has enriched their lives and has helped them not just attend university but to make the most of available opportunities and fully participate in university activities.

I would like to thank the Governors of the Foundation for their support and advice, and our staff, in particular, Caitriona Fay who manages the Scholarship Program and our Communications Manager, Avalee Weir.

Janet Hirst Chief Executive Officer