What motivates a person’s commitment to philanthropy? For Bruce Parncutt (OM 1968), the access scholarship he and his family established in 2013 represents gratitude for the education he received.
“I wanted to give back to the institution that did so much, not just for me but for my whole family,” Bruce says.
The Parncutt Family Scholarship is one of a suite of Access Scholarships offered by the School. These scholarships support very able students to attend Melbourne Grammar, regardless of their financial circumstances.
“A scholarship like this has the ability to bring people from different backgrounds to Melbourne Grammar, and that’s a very good thing for the culture of the School as a whole,” he adds. “Our children all benefitted from the diversity of the Melbourne Grammar population.”
The benefits of new perspectives
The Parncutt Family Scholarship’s current recipient, Shakhram (Shak) Rakhmatullaev, will complete Year 12 this year. Over his time at Melbourne Grammar, Shak has become involved in a remarkable range of activities, from debating to chairing the Across the Boundaries committee, which focuses on celebrating diversity.
“Shak is a very mature young man who has taken on board all the opportunities Melbourne Grammar has presented to him,” Bruce says. “He’s definitely making a leadership contribution to the School and seems to be absolutely thriving.”
Bruce emphasises that the effects of supporting students who wouldn’t otherwise be able to attend Melbourne Grammar go well beyond that student’s immediate experience.
“Our Scholarship encourages students to participate in the broader offerings of the School, outside the classroom, which means many of their peers can learn from their perspectives and experiences,” Bruce explains. “We’re lucky to have a student like Shak at the School.”
Creating a new level of excellence
“When I was a student at Melbourne Grammar, I would see a plaque with someone’s name, recognising those who’d made what we enjoyed possible,” he explains. “Those names always stayed in the back of my mind. They showed that the whole history of the School is one of great courage and philanthropic action.”
“My view is that the quality of educational excellence offered by Melbourne Grammar can be a light on the hill—an exemplar,” Bruce adds. “We’re showing the rest of Australia: ‘This is what it takes to do it well’.”
Meet current Year 12 student, Shakhram Rakhmatullaev, and hear about the impact the Parncutt Family Scholarship has had on his life.
