Landmark gift to student scholarships honours Dr Pierre Gorman’s legacy of inclusion
Pictured (L - R): Mr John Mooney PSM OAM (Director and Trustee, Eugene Marthe & Pierre Gorman Foundation), Professor Mary Ryan (Dean Faculty of Education, Monash University), Mr Ian Urquhart (Director and Trustee, Eugene Marthe & Pierre Gorman Foundation), Alana Hatzissavas (Monash Achieving Potential Scholarship recipient), Asma Mohammed Rahim (Monash Achieving Potential Scholarship recipients) and Mr Jared Heath (Director and Trustee, Eugene Marthe & Pierre Gorman Foundation).
Monash University and the University of Melbourne have welcomed a transformational gift through the Eugene Marthe and Pierre Gorman Foundation to support student scholarships at the two world-leading institutions.
The landmark gifts, totalling more than $6 million honour Dr Pierre Gorman’s legacy of inclusive education by establishing equity scholarships for talented students facing barriers to a university education.
Dr Pierre Gorman was a true pioneer whose work as an international authority on deaf communication and lifelong advocate for inclusion, redefined our understanding of accessibility.
As a former Monash University Research Fellow and Senior Lecturer in Special Education (1972-1982) and University of Melbourne alumnus, Dr Gorman believed fiercely that society has a collective duty to remove barriers to opportunity for those experiencing disadvantage.
The gift from through the Eugene Marthe and Pierre Gorman Foundation provides $3.09 million for Monash University and $3.09 million for the University of Melbourne to establish undergraduate and postgraduate equity scholarships in perpetuity.
The first scholarships will be awarded in 2027 to support talented students experiencing barriers to access tertiary education: 15 undergraduate equity scholarships (each valued at $6,000) will be awarded in 2027 to either commencing or continuing students, and three postgraduate scholarships (valued at $10,000 each) will be awarded in 2027 to either commencing or continuing students enrolled or enrolling in the Master of Inclusive Education course within the Faculty of Education.
Professor Mary Ryan, Dean of the Faculty of Education at Monash, said inclusive and accessible education is a core mission of the University.
“In the Faculty of Education, inclusive education is a commitment to the future of learning,” Professor Ryan said.
“These new undergraduate equity scholarships and Master of Inclusive Education scholarships will be genuinely transformative. They will ensure that talented students can access higher education regardless of circumstances, while training the next generation of educators to build inclusive classrooms. Monash Education is profoundly grateful for the Foundation’s unwavering support over many years.”
Professor Marek Tesar, Dean of the Faculty of Education at the University of Melbourne, thanked the Eugene Marthe and Pierre Gorman Foundation for its generous support.
“Pierre Gorman's life demonstrated what can be achieved when barriers to education are removed. We are deeply grateful to the Foundation for honouring his legacy through a gift that will support remarkable students and future educators at both our institutions,” Professor Tesar said.
“The Pierre Gorman Postgraduate Scholarship within the Faculty of Education will create opportunities for students in our Master of Learning Intervention and Master of Teaching programs. It will empower our students who seek to advance their skills to support the specialist learning needs of children and young people. By investing in these future educators, the Foundation is helping to build a more inclusive learning environment and extending Dr Gorman's legacy with the next generation.”
Mr John Mooney PSM, OAM and Director of the Gorman Foundation said “Dr Pierre Gorman spent his life demonstrating that difference is not a limitation, but a fundamental part of the human experience. He believed profoundly that we share a collective duty to dismantle barriers. Through the launch of the Pierre Gorman Postgraduate Scholarships, we are continuing his vital work, giving exceptional individuals entry into new places of learning, celebrating inclusion, and inspiring a world where everyone has an equal opportunity to thrive.”
This incredibly generous contribution will ensure Dr Gorman’s vision lives on – opening doors for talented students and supporting the next generation of educators to create more inclusive classrooms.
Giving at Monash
Philanthropic support helps make a Monash education possible for talented students who may otherwise face financial or other barriers to accessing a tertiary education.
Find out more about Giving at Monash and the impact scholarships can have on students and their futures [link]
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