L-R: Executive Dean of School of Engineering, Professor Daryoush Habibi; Director of Development and Alumni Relations, Susan Schofield; Trustee, Ian Warner; Chairperson, Richard Basham; ECU Vice-Chancellor, Professor Steve Chapman; Trustee, Elizabeth Court; Development Executive, Paul Schreuders.
Edith Cowan University (ECU) is honoured to have received a cheque for $1 million dollars from the Sir Frank Ledger Charitable Trust.
The generous donation will go towards the establishment of an endowed fund called the Sir Frank Ledger Engineering Scholarship, providing the opportunity for exceptional students from underprivileged backgrounds to be able to reach their full potential through the financial support the scholarship provides.
ECU Vice-Chancellor Professor Steve Chapman said that ECU was honoured to receive the substantial donation from the Trust.
"The support offered by the Sir Frank Ledger Scholarship is life-changing for scholarship recipients with impacts extending far beyond financial benefit,"
“The scholarship will have a lasting impact on both the local and broader community, creating further growth opportunities for future engineering leaders.” Professor Chapman said.
Engineering at ECU
Executive Dean of ECU’s School of Engineering, Professor Daryoush Habibi said the School is incredibly humbled to have been chosen as the recipient of this extremely generous donation.
"This donation reflects the trust they have placed in the School to continue to deliver high quality educational outcomes for our students through our innovative programs and world class facilities, and we believe that it is a testament to the very strong commitment of the School and the University to providing exceptional student support and transformative student experiences."
Professor Habibi also stresses that Australia is in critical need of more professional engineers to address growing skill gaps in a range of industries, and to provide the kind of innovative thinking that is needed to solve global challenges relating to sustainability, food security, and climate change, among many others.
"Engineers are essential to maintain and upgrade Australia’s infrastructure, to support and accelerate the transition to a net zero future, and to ensure that Australia can capitalise on its huge potential to become a green energy superpower." Professor Habibi said.
Sir Frank Ledger's legacy
Sir Joseph Francis (Frank) Ledger (1899 – 1993) was an engineer, industrialist and philanthropist. He was born in East Perth, Western Australia, the third of nine children of English-born parents.
In 1971, Sir Ledger established a Trust to help people achieve their potential through education.
Throughout his life, Sir Ledger demonstrated a sense of a larger purpose, of using his talents and resources to build a stronger and more resilient community. Central to his worldview was the importance of ideas, technology, education, and training opportunities.
The Sir Frank Ledger Charitable Trust continues to reflect the values of Sir Frank Ledger to benefit the community well beyond his lifetime.
Find out more about Sir Frank Ledger and ECU's School of Engineering.
