Media Release - Alumni Raise Record Amount for Scholarships (September 2003)
At least $75,000 was raised by alumni from Earle Page College during a 40th anniversary weekend at the University of New England in September 2003. It is the largest amount of money raised by college alumni from UNE. The amount has now risen to $100,000. Up to 400 past students attended the weekend, which included a formal dinner, a combined Alumni and Current students Back to Page Ball, fireworks and garden party brunch. “The Anniversary Weekend was all about rebuilding links with our alumni,” Mr Ward said. “Our former students feel a close affinity with the college and we wanted to mark that and bring them together with current students for a combined celebration.”
Key UNE alumni Geoff Dance and Andrew Joseph, who graduated in agricultural economics in 1972, launched the trust appeal. Mr Joseph, general manager of ABB Trading, said: “As an employer, I can see the adaptability of UNE graduates, they ‘hit the ground running’ and I believe this is in part due to the collegiate system, which is an integral part of UNE. “So I wanted to contribute and invest in the future of the next generation of graduates because I believe education is the only way for this country to grow.” The money will finance scholarships for current students. Alumni who donated or have promised $5000 or more over a three-year period have been named as Anniversary Fellows and publicly honoured on a board in the College’s dining hall. Earle Page College is named after the University’s first Chancellor, Sir Earle Page, who served as Prime Minister of Australia during a caretaker period in 1939. His grandson, Don Page, State Member for Ballina, was a special guest for the weekend. Mr Page is himself an alumnus of Earle Page College.
Celebrations began on Friday night, September 12, with a special Anniversary Dinner. There, guests of honour included former Earle Page College Master Greg Eddy, 24 former College Presidents and Clare Lord, daughter of Albert Bussell, first Master of Earle Page College. Tours of UNE and the colleges were held on Saturday, along with an afternoon tea, then in the evening guests took part in a progressive ball, where dinner and dancing occurred across five sites on campus and included a late night fireworks display. Activities concluded on Sunday with a garden party brunch in the extensive gardens of Earle Page College.
Mr Ward said UNE would be sending out 3000 letters to other alumni who could not attend the anniversary to maintain links and to advertise the creation of the EPC Trust to benefit scholarships. “We also organised alumni reunions across the globe to help celebrate the 40th anniversary,” Mr Ward said. “These included dinners in San Francisco and Cambridge, where alumni flew in from as far as Rome. “Current students, alumni and Spotless Services, the college’s catering company, helped raise money to finance an overseas trip to the reunion dinners for the college’s longest-serving staff members, popular dining hall supervisors Dianne ‘Smiley’ Cundy and Narelle Dowse, who have clocked up 63 years’ service between them.”
For further information contact David Ward (02) 67735300 or epc@une.edu.au.