Recognising our members
The Pinnacle Foundation provides educational scholarships, mentoring and opportunities for young LGBTQIA+ Australians to realise their full potential.
We rely on the generosity of our individual donors, philanthropic and corporate partners, the passionate contributions of over 200 volunteers, and a fulltime-equivalent staff of less than five, to deliver our program across Australia.
Your support will help to transform the lives of young scholars. The gift of education is one that impacts every aspect of a young person’s life to substantially enhance their future, and the contribution they make to our community.
Thank you to our major donors, whose generous support we recognise at the relevant membership level.
Cornerstone Membership Announcements
November 2024 – Jessica Bastow Perpetual Scholarship
Jessica (Jess) Bastow is a proud member of the LGBTQIA+ community and a successful business woman. She is a Cornerstone member of The Pinnacle Foundation, already generously funding 12 Olrem Pinnacle Foundation Scholarships.
Inspired by Dr Craig White and Rod Anderson’s gift announced in September 2024, Jess and her family have created The Jessica Bastow Scholarship (to be awarded in perpetuity) to honour Jess’ significant and sustained community and business contributions. Every day, Jess shows what is possible, overcoming challenges and inspiring others to strive to realise their full potential.
September 2024 – Dr Craig White and Rod Anderson Perpetual Named Scholarships (x3)
To inspire others to give in accord with their means, Cornerstone members Dr Craig White and Rod Anderson announced an additional $1 million gift to The Pinnacle Foundation to fund three scholarships to be awarded in perpetuity.
Craig received a scholarship as a young man from a country town in Tasmania. It was a scholarship that saved him and gave him the confidence, learning and connections to live a great and fulsome life, always contributing to the community. Craig went on to a 30-year career in senior roles in public hospital and health system leadership, ultimately becoming Tasmania’s chief health officer and chief medical officer.
Tragically, Craig passed away in November 2024. Craig’s tireless commitment to The Pinnacle Foundation’s purpose to educate, support and uplift young LGBTQIA+ Australians to realise their full potential will live on through the perpetual scholarships he and Rod have so generously bestowed. We mourn the loss of a kind, caring and loving man – a gentleman in the truest sense of the word. His passion and generosity will long inspire us all.
June 2024 – The Don Dunstan AC QC Scholarship
In June 2022, Sam Harvey generously created a scholarship to honour Don Dunstan AC QC. The Don Dunstan AC QC Scholarship is open to all Pinnacle scholarship applicants.
June 2024 – The Olrem Scholarships (x3)
Jessica Bastow has generously endowed a further three Olrem Scholarships, taking the total number of scholarships endowed to 12. Nine of the 12 Olrem Scholarships are open to Western Australian scholars and three are open on a national basis.
June 2024 – The Vitaly Osipov Scholarship (No. 2)
Vitaly Osipov has generously named a second scholarship to support eligble students studying in STEM fields.
June 2024 – The Grahame Williams Scholarship
Grahame Williams has generously bestowed a named scholarship to support eligible scholars studying in the fields of science, agriculture or medicine.
March 2024 – The Bill Chambers Scholarship (No. 4)
Bill Chambers has generously bestowed a fourth named scholarship. Bill was born in Ballarat, where he undertook his education and studies to become an engineer. Most of his working life was spent in Western Australia. In retirement, Bill spends his time between Perth and Sydney. This scholarship is open to all Western Australian applicants.
October 2023 – The Michael Gorman Scholarship (No. 2)
Michael Gorman has generously bestowed a second named scholarship. The scholarship is open to all Pinnacle scholarship applicants.
July 2023 – The Olrem Scholarships (x3)
Jessica Bastow has generously endowed a further three Olrem Scholarships, taking the total number of scholarships endowed to nine. The additional Olrem Scholarships are open to all Pinnacle scholarship applicants.
June 2023 – The Peter Brennan AM & Michael Lynch Scholarship (No. 3)
Peter Brennan AM and Michael Lynch have generously bestowed a third named scholarship to support young scholars ideally studying at The University of Western Sydney. Peter and Michael have previously created The Peter Brennan AM & Michael Lynch Scholarship and The Sydney Community Foundation, Peter Brennan AM & Michael Lynch Scholarship.
April 2023 – The Bill Chambers Scholarship (No. 3)
Bill Chambers has generously bestowed a third named scholarship. Bill was born in Ballarat, where he undertook his education and studies to become an engineer. Most of his working life was spent in Western Australia. In retirement, Bill spends his time between Perth and Sydney. This scholarship is open to all Western Australian applicants.
August 2022 – The Anthony-Whitney Scholarship
The Anthony-Whitney Scholarship is open to applicants who are undertaking degree studies in either music or history.
July 2022 – The Olrem Scholarships (x3)
Jessica Bastow has generously endowed a further three Olrem Scholarships. All six Olrem Scholarships are open to Pinnacle scholarship applicants from Western Australia, with one to be specifically awarded to a student from an Aboriginal or Torress Strait Islander background.
April 2022 – The Bill Chambers Scholarship (No. 2)
Bill Chambers has generously bestowed a second named scholarship. Bill was born in Ballarat, where he undertook his education and studies to become an engineer. Most of his working life was spent in Western Australia. In retirement, Bill spends his time between Perth and Sydney. This scholarship is open to all applicants.
October 2021 – The Vitaly Osipov Scholarship
The Vitaly Osipov Scholarship is open to scholarship applicants who are studying in a STEM field (preferably mathematics or computer science).
July 2021 – The Olrem Scholarships (x3)
The Olrem Scholarships are open to all Pinnacle scholarship applicants from Western Australia.
June 2021 – The Yarranabbe Foundation Scholarship
The Yarranabbe Foundation Scholarship is open to eligible applicants studying in the fields of business, law or engineering.
June 2021 – The Geoffrey Smith & Gary Singer Scholarship
The Geoffrey Smith & Gary Singer Scholarship is open to all Pinnacle scholarship applicants.
May 2021 – The Mike Gordon Scholarships
Mike grew up in rural Scotland. He was bullied at school for being different, smart and not so good at games. Mike’s father disinherited him because he went to university. His mother thought Mike would bring shame upon his family by shooting too high. Education opened Mike’s eyes and he pursued a life of constructive opportunism, seizing opportunities that fit, travelling the world, and deeply appreciating abundance as “one of the luckiest people I know”. Mike’s message, “Standing on the shoulders of giants, imagine further than you can see.”
The Mike Gordon Scholarships (2) are awarded to rural, regional and remote scholars studying: in artistic fields (to be a voice); science, technology, engineering, arts or maths fields (to sustain the land they come from); and humanities fields (enhancing the quality of life in the community).
November 2020 – The Justin D’Agostino MH & KC Yeo Scholarship
The Justin D’Agostino MH and KC Yeo Scholarship is open to all Pinnacle scholarship applicants.
June 2020 – The Michael Gorman Scholarship
The Michael Gorman Scholarship is open to all Pinnacle scholarship applicants.
June 2020 – The Sydney Community Foundation, Peter Brennan AM & Michael Lynch Fund Scholarship
Peter Brennan AM and Michael Lynch have generously funded a second named scholarship, ideally to be awarded to students who have grown up in Western Sydney.
January 2020 – The Dr Vinay Kumar Scholarship
The Dr Vinay Kumar Scholarship is awarded to students studying either medicine or a performing arts discipline.
December 2019 – The Allan Howard Scholarship
The Allan Howard Scholarship was created by John Allan and Darren Howard and is open to eligible applicants from rural or regional Australia. John grew up in Western Victoria and Darren in Western NSW. They both understand how hard it can be to identify as LGBTIQ+ in these types of settings, and from families that often don’t have the financial means to support a good education.
September 2019 – The Berg Family Foundation Scholarship
The Berg Family Foundation Scholarship is open to eligible applicants who are Indigenous or first in family to undertake higher education or from rural or remote Australia.
August 2019 – The Tea Uglow Scholarship
The Tea Uglow Scholarship is open to trans students who lack family support.
July 2019 – The Murray J. Collins – The City Gardener Scholarship
The Murray J. Collins – The City Gardener Scholarship is funded by Rob Grant in memory of his late partner, Murray J. Collins. Murray grew up in country Victoria. For many years, Murray and Rob ran a highly successful business, The City Gardener. This scholarship is open to students from country Victoria. Ideally, they will seek to study in the fields of agriculture, horticulture or landscape design.
July 2019 – The Frank Ford AM & Sam Harvey Scholarship
The Frank Ford AM and Sam Harvey Scholarship has been created by Sam Harvey in memory of his late partner, Frank Ford AM. Frank was Head of Drama at Adelaide University, Founding Chair of the Adelaide Festival Fringe organisation, and Founder of the Adelaide Cabaret Festival. Sam managed arts organisations. This scholarship is open to students from South Australia who are studying performing arts, technical theatre or arts management in South Australia.
June 2019 – The Bill Chambers Scholarship
Bill Chambers was born in Ballarat, where he undertook his education and studies to become an engineer. Most of his working life was spent in Western Australia. In retirement, Bill spends his time between Perth and Sydney. This scholarship is open to all applicants.
January 2019 – The Shelley Argent OAM Scholarship
This scholarship is named to honour the tireless work of LGBTIQ+ activist and philanthropist, Shelley Argent OAM. Shelley has committed her life to improve the rights of the LGBTIQ+ community and was a long-term campaigner in the marriage equality movement. This scholarship is open to any student studying at a Brisbane educational facility.
January 2019 – The Maurice Joyce Scholarship
This scholarship is funded by Alan Joyce AC and Shane Lloyd in memory of Alan’s late father, Maurice Joyce. Mr Joyce was a firm believer in the importance of education to up possibilities in a person’s future and enabling them to fully reach their potential. The Maurice Joyce scholarship is open to all Pinnacle scholarship applicants who are studying in the fields of science or mathematics.
July 2018 – The Ros & Diana Coffey Scholarship
The Ros and Diana Coffey Scholarship is open to all Pinnacle scholarship applicants.
June 2018 – The Harvey Milk Scholarship
This scholarship is funded by an anonymous donor to honour gay rights activist and visionary Harvey Milk. The donor, a student of history, wishes to ensure that we remember the history of the LGBTIQ+ movement and honour its heroes. This scholarship is open to all Pinnacle scholarship applicants.
June 2018 – The Dr Craig White & Rod Anderson Tasmanian Scholarship
The Dr Craig White and Rod Anderson Scholarship is for a Tasmanian, first in family to attend university. Craig and Rod explain “We’ve benefited from vast social and legal changes in our own lifetime and see that the pathway to full and lasting equality will come from leadership arising from within the LGBTIQ+ community. Our Cornerstone donation will offer young Tasmanian LGBTIQ+ scholars the Pinnacle benefits so that they can achieve their own educational and leadership potential as well as for us to provide a visible and positive example within the Tasmanian community.”
November 2017 – The Peter Brennan & Michael Lynch Scholarship
The Peter Brennan and Michael Lynch Scholarship is open to students ideally studying at The University of Western Sydney.
August 2017 – The Greg Livingstone Scholarship
The Greg Livingstone Scholarship is open to all Pinnacle scholarship applicants.
June 2017 – The John Goldbaum Scholarship
The John Goldbaum Scholarship is open to all Pinnacle scholarship applicants. John has been a generous benefactor to the LGBTIQ+ community for many years. His reason for bestowing a scholarship is simple: “We need to reward LGBTIQ+ visibility in order to achieve LGBTIQ+ equality.”
June 2017 – The Andrew Staite Scholarship
The Andrew Staite Scholarship is open to all Pinnacle scholarship applicants.
May 2017 – The James Collins & Tony Nelson Scholarship
The James Collins and Tony Nelson Scholarship is for students keen to pursue studies in science, digital or aviation either in TAFE or at a tertiary institution. This includes science, technology, engineering or maths (STEM) courses, digital and computing, as well as aviation studies, including pilot training.
September 2015 – The Pippa Downes Scholarship
The Pippa Downes Pinnacle Scholarship is awarded either to an athlete competing or training at the national level and aspiring to represent Australia, whilst also pursuing their full-time academic goals in any tertiary faculty or discipline, or to an Indigenous student.
Pippa is a professional non-executive director and was an inaugural non-executive director of The Pinnacle Foundation. Pippa is a keen sportsperson, being a former member of the Australian Swim Team. She represented Hong Kong at the International Rugby Sevens.
June 2015 – The Selig Family Scholarship
Geoff is the Executive Chairman of ASX-listed diversified print and marketing communications business IVE Group Ltd. He has three daughters: Stephanie, Sarah and Amy.
Geoff Selig lauds the tangible support and encouragement that The Pinnacle Foundation provides to young LGBTIQ+ students at what is most often a seminal time in their lives. Geoff said, “I firmly believe that Pinnacle’s support to maximise one’s academic potential and broaden one’s skill base provides a wonderful foundation for the professional journey that lies ahead. At the same time, Pinnacle’s support is a key driver in building positive self-esteem. I am very pleased to be a Pinnacle Foundation Cornerstone Member.”
September 2014 – The Duncan Peerman & Paul Zahra Scholarship
Paul and his husband, Duncan Peerman, hold very dear the values and aims of The Pinnacle Foundation. As a prominent businessman and former CEO of ASX-listed David Jones Ltd, Paul is an outstanding role model for young LGBTIQ+ scholars seeking to forge a career in the commercial world. Paul and Duncan have generously bestowed this scholarship which is open to all Pinnacle scholarship applicants.
November 2011 – The Clark Walton Scholarship
The Clark Walton Pinnacle Scholarship for architecture, design and planning, or visual and creative arts, was the first named scholarship to be announced by The Pinnacle Foundation. Clark was an out and proud gay man from his early twenties until his death aged 61 in March 2011. He was an award-winning architect with many of his designs appearing in leading style magazines. In 2002, Clark was awarded the Energy Efficiency/ESD Architecture Award for the Interactive Learning Centre at Charles Sturt University. Clark was a member of the RAIA and the Master Builders.
Clark started painting when he was at high school, achieving a very high result in Art in his HSC. He continued to paint throughout his working life, something from which he derived great pleasure and recognition from friends, family and colleagues. In later years, Clark devoted more time to painting based on the land and seascape around Coledale, where he spent his retirement. Close friends of Clark’s, Ian Dickson AM and his partner Reg Holloway, said they created an endowment because it was the best way they could celebrate Clark’s life and contribution to urban planning and design.
Ian said: “Clark Walton was an out gay man in the seventies before homosexual acts had been legalised in NSW. He was lucky in that he had supportive and understanding family members who were proud of who he was and what he had achieved. His family understood the importance of education and encouraged his interest in architecture. He was also a great supporter of the LGBTIQ+ community. So, my partner Reg Holloway and I knew that Clark would be happy that his name was being linked to a scholarship to help those in the community who had not had his advantages. We think Clark would have been especially enthusiastic about the concept of each scholarship recipient having a mentor to advise and encourage them in their special field of interest. We are delighted that this scholarship can both assist those who might otherwise not have had the chance to make the most of their abilities and keep the memory of our dear friend alive.”
June 2011
John Douglass and Warren Stanborough were the Foundation’s first Cornerstone Members. John and Warren donated $100,000 over four years, allowing the Foundation to flourish in its formative years. Warren also contributed to the Foundation as a non-executive director and member of the Scholarship Selection Committee.