Because of your support, 2025 was a year of extraordinary impact at UOW. Together, 279 donors made 923 gifts, contributing more than $7.7 million in donations to expand opportunity for students, advance research and innovation, and strengthen the communities we serve. Whether through a major gift, a regular contribution or a single act of generosity, your support continues to create ongoing impact across the University.
Every gift is part of the same story
Donor impact
Thank you from Vice-Chancellor Professor G.Q. Max Lu AO
In 2025, we celebrated our 50th anniversary as an independent institution. It was a moment to reflect on our shared achievements, to thank those who have supported the University along the way, and to celebrate the spirit of giving that continues to define UOW – whether through a single act of generosity or ongoing support over many years. Thank you!
Hi. I'm Max Lu, Vice Chancellor and President of the University of Wollongong. As I reflect on my first year at UOW, one thing has stood out above all else, the extraordinary generosity of this community. Wherever I go, whether I'm meeting alumni, students or supporters, I see people who genuinely believe that education can change lives and strengthen communities.
That belief is part of a UOW story. From the very beginning, this University was founded on the vision and generosity of local people who wanted a better future for our region. Today, the University of Wollongong is ranked among the world's top universities. But our purpose remains the same. Last year was our 50th anniversary as an independent institution. It was a moment to reflect not only on how far we have come, but on the people who made that journey possible.
Progress at the UOW has always been powered by partnership. Your generosity opens doors and supports life changing research that helps students from regional and equity backgrounds access and complete their education so that talent can thrive regardless of circumstance.
Sometimes the impact of generosity can be seen in a single act of giving. That changes lives for generations. A good example is the Woodberry Endowment Fund, established through a $5 million gift received last year. This extraordinary contribution, honouring the vision and legacy of Lorna and William Woodberry will provide scholarship support in perpetuity for indigenous students across any field of study at UOW.
It is a powerful example of what philanthropy can do. Creating opportunity not only for today, but also for generations to come. To every donor, alumnus, and friend of the University, Thank you. Your support has strengthened our community and helps us advance education and research for the public good. I look forward to what we will continue to achieve together, and I encourage you to read these stories your generosity has made possible. Thank you for being part of the UOW story.
2025 highlights
Landmark gift to support Indigenous students
The Lorna Earl and William Woodberry Endowment Fund, was established through a $5 million gift received last year. This extraordinary contribution, honouring the vision and legacy of Lorna and William Woodberry, will provide scholarship support in perpetuity for Indigenous students across any field of study at UOW.
Read about the impact
The impact of your support
When Christopher and Barbara Abbott made a landmark donation to UOW, they changed the future of childhood research and built a legacy that would resonate for generations.
Emeritus Professor Ken McKinnon’s legacy as UOW’s second Vice-Chancellor remains profound and far-reaching. Ken and Sue McKinnon remain deeply connected to the University. Their philanthropic support has been substantial and strategic, focusing on areas they believe will have the greatest impact.
Scholarship recipient Amity Lees is embracing every opportunity at the University of Wollongong, combining big-picture thinking with a passion for education and change.
The Ray McGill Scholarship for Indigenous Students
When Ray McGill moved from Perth to the NSW south coast at 17, he wasn’t sure what the future had in store for him. Luckily, just an hour north of his new home of Nowra was one of Australia’s best modern universities which fostered his love for science and number crunching. Nearly 20 years later, Ray is now a data analyst, running his own company in Melbourne. Four years ago, Ray decided to give back to his alma mater by establishing the Ray McGill Scholarship for Indigenous Students.
Read more about Ray[Speaker 2]
We're meeting UOW alumni Ray. He's a data analyst, an entrepreneur, a musician, and one of UOW's youngest scholarship donors. Hello, how are you?
[Speaker 1]
Good, how are you doing?
[Speaker 2]
Good. Tell me who you are.
[Speaker 1]
My name is Ray. I'm a former student, alumni of the University of Wollongong and current donor.
[Speaker 2]
How does it feel to be back on campus today? Because you haven't been here for a while, I imagine.
[Speaker 1]
Yeah, it's been a little while. Yeah, it's really nice.
[Speaker 2]
Yeah, so what brought you to UOW?
[Speaker 1]
Yes, I finished high school in Nowra. Didn't know what kind of job I might get or anything like that, so I thought I'd better go to uni and do some study.
[Speaker 2]
And you came here to study geoscience? Did 17 or 18 year old Ray know what he wanted to do when he finished uni?
[Speaker 1]
No, not at all.
[Speaker 2]
So can you tell me about the Ray McGill scholarship?
[Speaker 1]
Something I set up a couple of years ago to assist Indigenous students to get the opportunity to come to university, essentially.
[Speaker 2]
What was the catalyst for you to start that scholarship?
[Speaker 1]
It seems like education is a great way to help reduce poverty cycles. And I was in the housing commission when I was a teenager and ended up in this position of being quite fortunate. And how that came about was essentially I had a degree, which got me a bunch of jobs.
[Speaker 2]
So why did you choose to create this scholarship with Wollongong Uni?
[Speaker 1]
Well, because this is where it started for me and my journey. Wollongong is an important place for a university. It just made sense.
[Speaker 2]
We are pulling up to one of the old buildings that you would have been in, which is where the rock collection is. So shall we go check it out?
[Speaker 1]
Let's go have a look. It's grown. It's bigger than I remember it.
[Speaker 2]
So it would have been about 20 years ago that you would have started here. What was happening at the time in the world?
[Speaker 1]
The Iraq war was happening. There was a lot of debates in the uni bar. And being at the university was good to get exposed to different points of view of it.
And, you know, that it's important to be aware of things happening in the world. Yeah, it was an interesting time. I was a bit more interested in the beer at the uni bar than much else.
Yeah.
[Speaker 2]
What kind of things would you like to do on campus?
[Speaker 1]
We started the Wollongong Uni Metal Music Society. But yeah, I also played at the University Cricket Club for a number of years.
[Speaker 2]
You're doing the heavy metal stuff and then you're also playing cricket at the same time. Kind of a bit of a juxtaposition there.
[Speaker 1]
You black clothes and you white clothes.
[Speaker 2]
So we're actually across the road from the cricket pitch right now. So maybe we'll go over and have a look out there and see if it sparks any memories.
[Speaker 1]
Yeah, some of my triumphs.
[Speaker 2]
So how does it feel being back here now?
[Speaker 1]
A lot of good memories of, not victories, but just of nice Saturday afternoons, you know? What was your team? So UOW Blues.
[Speaker 2]
The pride runs strong, man.
[Speaker 1]
Yeah.
[Speaker 2]
The students that you provide scholarships for, what do you want to see them achieve?
[Speaker 1]
Even just getting the chance to start is great. Yeah, hopefully they can go on to inspire other people in their families or communities and to go to university as well. And be the circuit breaker in all these cycles that exist around the place.
[Speaker 2]
Someone who maybe doesn't have the role models of people before them that have gone to uni, what would you tell someone that's in that position?
[Speaker 1]
Well, you can always be the first. If you apply yourself, you can get through and it opens up a lot of doors. Don't die wondering, give it a shot.
[Speaker 2]
Well, thank you so much for joining us. How did it feel being back on campus?
[Speaker 1]
Yeah, really nice, really nice.
[Speaker 2]
All right, well, we've got to get you back to Melbourne, so let's head off.
(Transcribed by TurboScribe.ai. Go Unlimited to remove this message.)
Ways to give
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Generously provide a permanent endowment, or direct funds for a major project or initiative.