Scotch College

30 Years on - an international perspective

The Scotch College Foundation is already well into its 30th year, and as reported in previous editions of Great Scot, there are several initiatives which will be launched during the year. While most of these will have a focus within Australia, the Foundation readily embraces the strong support which has always been evident from our overseas Old Boys and parents. This year it seems most appropriate to reignite some of that enthusiasm and strengthen those international ties.

In January, I was fortunate to travel to the United States to attend the joint conference of the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) and the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) in New Orleans. This four day conference impressed upon me the importance of the existing work of the Foundation in supporting the huge array of educational activities undertaken within the School; and the need to expand our horizons both in geographical and also in philanthropic terms. What we do at Scotch College is successful, and recognised as such. The potential for what we could do at Scotch is almost unlimited; as we can see in the development of the extraordinary James Forbes Academy. This visionary undertaking, which will place our facilities on the world stage in a very palpable way, still needs support from the Foundation. Opportunities exist for gifts and donations to support named spaces, or seats, or programs and events within the Academy. Providing such support for the School is a major focus for the Foundation this year.

While in the States, I met with several Old Boys and was struck once again by the high regard in which they hold Scotch. Of particular interest was the concept of establishing a Scotch-Americas Endowment to be built up over a period of several years.

The purpose would be to provide, initially, financial support for students at Scotch; but in the long term, to create a means-tested Scholarship to allow suitable students to attend Scotch who would otherwise not be able to attend the school. This would be a wonderful way for one group of overseas Collegians to remember the School and guarantee the educational future of individual students. With more than 140 Old Boys currently resident within the USA and Canada, it is a vision which can be realised within a few years.

In a similar way, I shall be taking the message of helping to build a strong legacy for the future to Asia during April. I shall be hosting a special dinner in each of Hong Kong, Singapore, Brunei and Kuala Lumpur. While we will be celebrating the achievements of 30 years of hard work from the Foundation, I will be presenting to the guests a view of Scotch as it now finds itself, and a vision for the next 20 years. All Old Boys, former parents and current parents are being invited to these dinners, and I hope for a strong turnout to celebrate the great wonders we have achieved and to contribute to the continuing development of Scotch College.

Scotch prides itself on being a strong family, and there is no better testament to this fact than the way in which all members of that family, from all around the world, maintain their links with Scotch. We do indeed 'look the whole world over', and we know that the world continues to look at us. Quite rightfully we take our place in the world as a school of great international standing, and the Foundation, with the membership and support of parents, Old Boys and friends, will continue to do all in its power to help Scotch maintain that position.

Alan Watkinson
Director of Development