Successful Sydney accountant Stan Droder knew a thing or two about money. How small sums, invested wisely, could compound and deliver dividends over time.
He also knew a thing or two about hardship, as an orphan who grew up in western Sydney in the 1940s and 1950s and left school at 16. Instead of gaining a tertiary education, he went through the chartered accounting program – and rose to the top of his profession through sheer hard work.
What Stan didn’t truly understand was what it was like to live and learn in regional Australia – that is until he took up a two-year post as CEO of CSR’s Oberon timber mill, an experience that would shape him profoundly.
This exposure to country families, coupled with his own upbringing, led Stan to calculate how he might best assist others long after he was gone. “Stan wanted to support the students and families doing it tough,” says Richard Evans, a trustee of the Droder estate. “He believed that everyone should have the same educational opportunities, regardless of their financial situation.”
INVESTING IN PEOPLE
- Each year, six $20,000 Carole and Stan Droder Scholarships are awarded at UNE.
- 85 undergraduate students received scholarships from 2018-2025.
- These scholarships are valued at $1.79 million.
"Stan was someone with a big heart who identified a real need and was determined to make a difference" ~ Richard Evans - Trustee of the Droder Estate.
