MAJOR GIFTS

Major gifts provide a permanent endowment, or direct funds, for a major project or specific area. 

Endowment Gift

Funds are invested to preserve the principal gift, while the interest is spent on a specific project. This allows the gift to have a much greater impact over a longer period of time. Endowment gifts are a long-term investment.

Disbursement Gift

Funds are fully expended on a nominated project or specific area of need. Disbursement gifts are spent immediately and will cease at the end of a specified period.

MAJOR GIFTS TO UOW

Major gift kicks off construction of first house in regional NSW for 12-month clinical placements

All UOW medical students complete a 12-month clinical placement in a regional area as part of their academic studies. Students are not paid during their rural placement and are based away from home for extended periods – creating family, financial and social challenges. To ease this pressure UOW is building long-term housing for medical students on placement.

Recently four organisations from mid-western NSW, located in Mudgee, contributed major gifts as partners with UOW in this new venture. Mid-Western Regional Council provided a major gift of land for the first house. In addition, Club Mudgee, Peabody Energy, and Moolarben Coal Mines contributed major gifts to fund the construction of the first house. Having dedicated accommodation will facilitate 12-month clinical placements for UOW medical students for many years to come in Mudgee.

The knowledge student’s gain during their placement will be integrated into their formal academic studies and positive experiences in Mudgee may help address the shortage of doctors in the region in the long-term. This would not be possible without major gifts from our partners.

Major gift from private donor advances dementia research

A generous major gift for dementia research was received in 2010, greatly assisting with current dementia projects at the University. Dementia is one of the fastest growing sources of major disease burden in Australia and will overtake coronary heart disease in its total wellbeing cost by 2023.* 

There is a body of dementia research underway at UOW and progress is being made in several areas including ‘REACH out in Dementia’ which is investigating late stage dementia and new approaches to end-of-life care. 

*Dr Nancy Humpel.

Major gift from Dr Jan Skillen creates new award

Thanks to a major gift from Dr Jan Skillen in 2010, the University has been able to establish a new award to encourage collaboration and research into curriculum initiatives.  Called the Dr Jan Skillen Award for Best Practice in Curriculum Integration and Enrichment, the gift will fund an annual award for a five-year period. The gift will raise the level of staff development and create new teaching materials and teaching strategies. In the longer term curriculum improvements will lead to greater overall student success rates—a positive outcome from a single gift.
 

CONTACT

To discuss how you can make a positive impact with your major gift please contact:

Monique Harper-Richardson
Director of Advancement
Lower Level, Building 36
University of Wollongong
Phone: +61 2 4221 5759
Email: moniqueh@uow.edu.au