Gifts in Wills

An enduring way of acknowledging your values and accomplishments, while generously supporting the University and becoming part of Curtin’s future achievements.

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A gift left in your Will is an expression of your vision for the future. It represents who you are and what you care passionately about.

If you wish to discuss leaving a legacy gift to Curtin University, please contact Emma Matson via emma.matson@curtin.edu.au or call +61 8 9266 5077

The Look Ever Forward Society

“The great University should find its heroes in the present; its hope in the future; it should look ever forward; for the past should be but a preparation for the greater days to be.”

John Curtin, ‘The Views of Labour,’ West Australian. 16 April 1932.

The Look Ever Forward Society was established in 2021 to recognise the generosity and vision of the growing number of staff, alumni and friends who have pledged to support Curtin University through a gift in their Will.

If you pledge a gift in your Will, you will automatically become a member of the Society, which will keep you in close touch with the progress being made at this special university. This includes opportunities to hear first hand from Curtin students, researchers and program coordinators.

Members of the Look Ever Forward Society:

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These drawings by Curtin graduate Andrew Nicholls were especially commissioned for the Gift in Wills Program.
The black cockatoo is an Australian native bird and a familiar sight at Curtin’s Perth campus. In Aboriginal culture, they represent change and enlightenment and herald the coming of rain.

How will your gift make a difference to Curtin?

Bequest stories

Ailsa West

Ailsa West is leaving a gift in her Will to enable high achieving screen arts students in their final year or undertaking postgraduate studies to pursue their dreams.

Nelly Hodges

Curtin graduate Nelly Hodges wants to inspire future generations of medical scientists.

After returning to study as a part time mature aged student at Curtin, Nelly graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Medical Science in 2005. Since then, she has found immense success in her field, working in the laboratories of leading hospitals across the state, most notably as a senior scientist at Perth’s Mount Hospital.

Mary Margaret Durack

Mary Durack generously left two artworks by important Kimberley artists Roy Wiggan and Mervyn Street to the John Curtin Gallery in her Will.

Mary began her working life as a marine biologist, before later completing a degree in Aboriginal Education. She was passionate about diving, snorkelling, bushwalking, indigenous culture and art collecting

How to include Curtin in your Will

If you are thinking of leaving a gift to Curtin, we encourage you to reach out to us to discuss your wishes before you draft or update your Will, especially if you are leaving a gift for a specific purpose or giving an asset, such as an artwork. This will ensure that your wishes can be fulfilled by the University.

To ensure the wording reflects your exact wishes, we recommend you seek legal advice when drafting your Will or amending an existing Will with a codicil. Curtin is unable to provide specific legal advice, however we are happy to refer to a solicitor specialising in wills and estates who offers a discount for Curtin graduates and staff. Please contact our team for further details.

We also encourage you to share your wishes with your loved ones and explain to them why your decision to include Curtin in your Will is important to you. We welcome family members at Look Ever Forward Society events.

Types of bequests

There are four types of Gifts in Wills that you may wish to consider:

Suggested wording for your Will

As mentioned, it is important that you seek appropriate legal advice when making or amending your Will. However, we have provided some suggested wording which you may wish to share with your solicitor.

More bequest stories

A portrait image of the testimonial author

Having benefitted from a free university education in the 1970s, Curtin graduate Helen Potter is committed to helping the next generation of students access the same life-changing opportunities.
Continue reading Helen’s story

Helen Potter

A portrait image of the testimonial author

Jeffery Elliott is giving Carrolup drawings to the John Curtin Gallery in his Will, returning artworks by children of the Stolen Generations to Western Australia after decades in the United States.
Learn more of Jeffery’s story

Jeffery Elliott

In 2001 Paul Andrew Digby Robinson left a generous bequest in his Will to support research into Indigenous education at Curtin. With the help of his friends Walter and Sylvia Hyams, the innovative Noongar Language and Culture course was born.
Learn more about Paul

Paul Andrew Digby Robinson

A portrait image of the testimonial author

Margaret (Margot) Cox, a former librarian at the WA School of Mines, left a donation to Curtin in her Will. Margot forged a close connection with the University while working at the Kalgoorlie campus in the 1970s and was passionate about supporting students.

Margaret Cox

Shelley Pike wants to enable an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person to commence or further their university studies.
Discover more of Shelley’s story

Shelley Pike

How can we help?

Writing or amending your Will and deciding to leave a philanthropic donation is a major decision. It takes time and careful consideration. We hope the information provided here will assist you in the process, however we encourage you to contact us for a confidential conversation about your wishes. When you are ready, our team is here to help.

Jeffery Elliott

Jeffery Elliott is giving Carrolup drawings to the John Curtin Gallery in his Will, returning artworks by children of the Stolen Generations to Western Australia after decades in the United States.

Jeff’s mother, Jean Thompson (pictured), was raised in Katanning near the Carrolup Native Settlement, where Aboriginal children removed from their families were detained. Jean would play the organ at Sunday service in town and would repeat it at Carrolup for the children.

In 1945 Jean met Jeff’s father, a United States sailor stationed in Fremantle, and they were soon engaged and would move to the US. On one of her last Sundays at Carrolup, Jean was offered some of the children’s drawings to remind her of where she grew up. In Iowa, Jean would use the artworks to illustrate her homeland on the other side of the world to service groups and school classes.

Jeff feels the artworks should now be sent home to be reunited with many others by the Carrolup children, held in custodianship by the John Curtin Gallery, to educate the community on truth-telling and reconciliation.

Ailsa West

Ailsa West is leaving a gift in her Will to enable high achieving screen arts students in their final year or undertaking postgraduate studies to pursue their dreams.

When Ailsa applied to study a Bachelor of Arts in English and media at the WA Institute of Technology, little did she know how much it would change her life – she would go on to travel the globe working for leading universities and media organisations. However, her degree was hard fought for, as her family could not support her financially through university, forcing her to find time between studies to wash dishes and wait tables to pay her own way.

Ailsa decided to leave a bequest to future Curtin students similarly committed to their field, enabling highly motivated screen arts students to pursue important projects they might otherwise be precluded from.

“I hope my bequest will encourage and reward future generations. It is for those people who are highly motivated and passionate. I hope it might allow someone to travel overseas and make that important film or documentary.”

Nelly Hodges

Curtin graduate Nelly Hodges wants to inspire future generations of medical scientists.

After returning to study as a part time mature aged student at Curtin, Nelly graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Medical Science in 2005. Since then, she has found immense success in her field, working in the laboratories of leading hospitals across the state, most notably as a senior scientist at Perth’s Mount Hospital.

Wishing to give back, Nelly established an annual encouragement award for first-year Curtin laboratory medicine students, and has also pledged a generous gift in her Will to ensure that her awards continue to support students for generations to come.

“My main motivation behind leaving the bequest was my passion for medical science. I wanted to ensure future generations were encouraged to pursue medical science. It is in some ways a silent profession, with the general public unaware of what we do, but it is incredibly rewarding, especially in the hospital setting as you are helping to save lives.”

Paul Andrew Digby Robinson

In 2001 Paul Andrew Digby Robinson left a generous bequest in his Will to support research into Indigenous education at Curtin. With the help of his friends Walter and Sylvia Hyams, the innovative Noongar Language and Culture course was born.

Developed with Curtin’s Centre for Aboriginal Studies, the course creates an awareness and understanding of significant aspects of Noongar culture, with its strong connections to family, community and country. This wonderful educational gift has continued to give and develop over time – in mid-2018, the program was adapted into a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) that many thousands of people around the world have now accessed via the edX platform.

Curtin is truly grateful for the commitment of Paul, Walter and Sylvia to furthering understanding of Noongar culture and contributing so significantly to reconciliation.

Shelley Pike

Shelley Pike wants to enable an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person to commence or further their university studies.

Born and raised in Perth, Shelley is a local government professional with fifteen years’ experience as a Chief Executive Officer in regional Western Australia, specialising in organisational change and business development. She completed a degree in social science at Curtin’s predecessor institution, the Western Australian Institute of Technology (WAIT), prior to undertaking postgraduate studies at the University of Western Australia.

Shelley has spent a significant portion of her life in WA’s Kimberley and Great Southern regions working with and employing Aboriginal people. As a result, she is passionate about the positive role education can play in improving opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals and communities.

Shelley hopes her bequest will provide life changing opportunities for future generations.

Helen Potter

Having benefitted from a free university education in the 1970s, Curtin graduate Helen Potter is committed to helping the next generation of students access the same life-changing opportunities.

Helen grew up in a low socioeconomic environment but thanks to the government policy of the day, she was able to complete her undergraduate degree in physiotherapy in Melbourne. After graduating, Helen moved to Perth and worked at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, and then as a rural locum physiotherapist for several years. She was awarded a scholarship to partially fund her postgraduate studies at Curtin.

Helen has become a leader in her field, involving herself with volunteer sports physiotherapy placements, and leading seminars, teleconferences and practical courses. She has supervised physiotherapy students in hospital clinics and taught undergraduate and postgraduate students at Curtin.

Helen’s bequest will support postgraduate physiotherapy students from remote and regional WA communities who are in need of financial assistance to undertake their studies at Curtin.

Margaret Cox

Margaret (Margot) Cox, a former librarian at the WA School of Mines, left a donation to Curtin in her Will. Margot forged a close connection with the University while working at the Kalgoorlie campus in the 1970s and was passionate about supporting students.

Mary Margaret Durack

Mary Durack generously left two artworks by important Kimberley artists Roy Wiggan and Mervyn Street to the John Curtin Gallery in her Will.

Mary began her working life as a marine biologist, before later completing a degree in Aboriginal Education. She was passionate about diving, snorkelling, bushwalking, indigenous culture and art collecting

During her career, Mary spent much time working in regional and remote parts of Australia, including the Kimberley and the Northern Territory. She also spent a number of years in Paris, where she set up and ran a small Aboriginal art business.

Mary retired to Kununurra in 2019. In the short time she lived there she developed strong relationships with the local Miriwoong people and attended cultural awareness and language courses to increase her knowledge. Her love for the country intensified as she walked extensively in the bush enjoying the amazing landscapes at her doorstep.

Mary’s passion and knowledge of art, especially Aboriginal art, inspired her to acquire a substantial and important collection during her lifetime.

In 2020, Mary was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease and after brave battle passed away in Kununurra in October 2021.

Untitled by Andrew Nicholls

These drawings by Curtin graduate Andrew Nicholls were especially commissioned for the Gifts in Wills Program. The black cockatoo is an Australian native bird and a familiar sight at Curtin’s Perth campus.

 

Jeffery Elliott

Jeffery Elliott is giving Carrolup drawings to the John Curtin Gallery in his Will, returning artworks by children of the Stolen Generations to Western Australia after decades in the United States.

Jeff’s mother, Jean Thompson (pictured), was raised in Katanning near the Carrolup Native Settlement, where Aboriginal children removed from their families were detained. Jean would play the organ at Sunday service in town and would repeat it at Carrolup for the children.

In 1945 Jean met Jeff’s father, a United States sailor stationed in Fremantle, and they were soon engaged and would move to the US. On one of her last Sundays at Carrolup, Jean was offered some of the children’s drawings to remind her of where she grew up. In Iowa, Jean would use the artworks to illustrate her homeland on the other side of the world to service groups and school classes.

Jeff feels the artworks should now be sent home to be reunited with many others by the Carrolup children, held in custodianship by the John Curtin Gallery, to educate the community on truth-telling and reconciliation.

Ailsa West

Ailsa West is leaving a gift in her Will to enable high achieving screen arts students in their final year or undertaking postgraduate studies to pursue their dreams.

When Ailsa applied to study a Bachelor of Arts in English and media at the WA Institute of Technology, little did she know how much it would change her life – she would go on to travel the globe working for leading universities and media organisations. However, her degree was hard fought for, as her family could not support her financially through university, forcing her to find time between studies to wash dishes and wait tables to pay her own way.

Ailsa decided to leave a bequest to future Curtin students similarly committed to their field, enabling highly motivated screen arts students to pursue important projects they might otherwise be precluded from.

“I hope my bequest will encourage and reward future generations. It is for those people who are highly motivated and passionate. I hope it might allow someone to travel overseas and make that important film or documentary.”

Nelly Hodges

Curtin graduate Nelly Hodges wants to inspire future generations of medical scientists.

After returning to study as a part time mature aged student at Curtin, Nelly graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Medical Science in 2005. Since then, she has found immense success in her field, working in the laboratories of leading hospitals across the state, most notably as a senior scientist at Perth’s Mount Hospital.

Wishing to give back, Nelly established an annual encouragement award for first-year Curtin laboratory medicine students, and has also pledged a generous gift in her Will to ensure that her awards continue to support students for generations to come.

“My main motivation behind leaving the bequest was my passion for medical science. I wanted to ensure future generations were encouraged to pursue medical science. It is in some ways a silent profession, with the general public unaware of what we do, but it is incredibly rewarding, especially in the hospital setting as you are helping to save lives.”

Paul Andrew Digby Robinson

In 2001 Paul Andrew Digby Robinson left a generous bequest in his Will to support research into Indigenous education at Curtin. With the help of his friends Walter and Sylvia Hyams, the innovative Noongar Language and Culture course was born.

Developed with Curtin’s Centre for Aboriginal Studies, the course creates an awareness and understanding of significant aspects of Noongar culture, with its strong connections to family, community and country. This wonderful educational gift has continued to give and develop over time – in mid-2018, the program was adapted into a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) that many thousands of people around the world have now accessed via the edX platform.

Curtin is truly grateful for the commitment of Paul, Walter and Sylvia to furthering understanding of Noongar culture and contributing so significantly to reconciliation.

Shelley Pike

Shelley Pike wants to enable an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person to commence or further their university studies.

Born and raised in Perth, Shelley is a local government professional with fifteen years’ experience as a Chief Executive Officer in regional Western Australia, specialising in organisational change and business development. She completed a degree in social science at Curtin’s predecessor institution, the Western Australian Institute of Technology (WAIT), prior to undertaking postgraduate studies at the University of Western Australia.

Shelley has spent a significant portion of her life in WA’s Kimberley and Great Southern regions working with and employing Aboriginal people. As a result, she is passionate about the positive role education can play in improving opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals and communities.

Shelley hopes her bequest will provide life changing opportunities for future generations.

Helen Potter

Having benefitted from a free university education in the 1970s, Curtin graduate Helen Potter is committed to helping the next generation of students access the same life-changing opportunities.

Helen grew up in a low socioeconomic environment but thanks to the government policy of the day, she was able to complete her undergraduate degree in physiotherapy in Melbourne. After graduating, Helen moved to Perth and worked at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, and then as a rural locum physiotherapist for several years. She was awarded a scholarship to partially fund her postgraduate studies at Curtin.

Helen has become a leader in her field, involving herself with volunteer sports physiotherapy placements, and leading seminars, teleconferences and practical courses. She has supervised physiotherapy students in hospital clinics and taught undergraduate and postgraduate students at Curtin.

Helen’s bequest will support postgraduate physiotherapy students from remote and regional WA communities who are in need of financial assistance to undertake their studies at Curtin.

Margaret Cox

Margaret (Margot) Cox, a former librarian at the WA School of Mines, left a donation to Curtin in her Will. Margot forged a close connection with the University while working at the Kalgoorlie campus in the 1970s and was passionate about supporting students.

Mary Margaret Durack

Mary Durack generously left two artworks by important Kimberley artists Roy Wiggan and Mervyn Street to the John Curtin Gallery in her Will.

Mary began her working life as a marine biologist, before later completing a degree in Aboriginal Education. She was passionate about diving, snorkelling, bushwalking, indigenous culture and art collecting

During her career, Mary spent much time working in regional and remote parts of Australia, including the Kimberley and the Northern Territory. She also spent a number of years in Paris, where she set up and ran a small Aboriginal art business.

Mary retired to Kununurra in 2019. In the short time she lived there she developed strong relationships with the local Miriwoong people and attended cultural awareness and language courses to increase her knowledge. Her love for the country intensified as she walked extensively in the bush enjoying the amazing landscapes at her doorstep.

Mary’s passion and knowledge of art, especially Aboriginal art, inspired her to acquire a substantial and important collection during her lifetime.

In 2020, Mary was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease and after brave battle passed away in Kununurra in October 2021.

Untitled by Andrew Nicholls

These drawings by Curtin graduate Andrew Nicholls were especially commissioned for the Gifts in Wills Program. The black cockatoo is an Australian native bird and a familiar sight at Curtin’s Perth campus.