Fellowships Fund Inc (FFI) is a separately incorporated group of members of Graduate Women Qld (formerly AFUWQ) committed to providing postgraduate opportunities for study and research to women by the provision of Fellowships (postgraduate scholarships). They are funded from the income on investment capital carefully built up over 50 years by hundreds of volunteer members running our former academic regalia business that hired and sold academic dress to universities and other institutions in Queensland. FFI aims to provide several one-year Scholarships and one three-year Scholarship each year.
History
The provision of postgraduate Fellowships to women has been a way of expressing the long-held aims of women graduate associations worldwide to encourage educated women to improve their skills and their contribution to a better world, and promote better understanding between women of different nations. These objectives were enunciated at the first International Federation of University Women (IFUW) in London in 1920 and by the University of Queensland Women Graduates Association (UQWGA) at its inaugural meeting in the same year. In 1922, UQWGA linked together with similar organizations in other States as the Australian Federation of University Women (AFUW), that in turn affiliated with IFUW.
Despite the changing demands of a country in the 20th century, the provision of fellowships and scholarships to women graduates has always been important to UQWGA (later renamed Australian Federation of University Women – Queensland (AFUWQ), now Graduate Women Qld Inc.) and associated organizations. Initially funds were contributed to fellowships offered by international and national associations and as early as 1930 a fellowship fund was established, became dormant during the Great Depression and World World II and was revived in 1948. Fund-raising for these took many and varied forms and was supported by voluntary contributions from members.
It was in the early 60s that the business of academic dress hiring commenced when the then principal of Women’s College of the University of Queensland, Molly Budtz-Olsen, with the help of friends borrowed gowns to ensure students could attend graduation ceremonies. Eventually the operation grew in size and Molly Budtz-Olsen offered AFUW-Q the opportunity to provide this service.
In February 1963 The University of Queensland asked graduate women to hire regalia to its students for the Matriculation ceremony. AFUW-Q members saw this both as a means of supporting educational opportunities for women, and at the same time a way to provide a much-needed service to their alma mater. It accorded with their strong beliefs that the provision of educational opportunities for women was the best contribution they could make. For this first ceremony in 1963 the hire charge was five shillings a gown. The first graduation was robed in May in the same year and this work continued over more than 50 years. Eventually, the enterprise grew in size and complexity to such an extent that it was considered prudent to separately incorporate this work as FFI in 1983.
FFI continued the business of Academic Dress Hire until 2017 when a number of commercial operators entered the field and changes in technology offered institutions a different way of running graduation ceremonies with imported, souvenir quality gowns and computerised procedures. This made the Fellowship Fund’s high-quality regalia, requiring dry-cleaning and high maintenance costs, held by FFI redundant and The Fellowships Fund withdrew from the business of regalia hire and sale in late 2017.
Because of the shoestring budget and low administrative costs, proceeds from gown hiring built up gradually over the years. From an initial amount of $2,000 awarded to a single graduate in 1972, the number of Fellowships has increased so that several new one-year Fellowships and one three-year Fellowship can be awarded each year. The stipend is set at 10% more than the APG Awards and increases in line with that award. Since 1972 AFUWQ and FFI have, together, awarded over 200 Fellowships.
Our Fellowships have been awarded to women graduates from more than ten countries, and have supported studies in a wide range of disciplines, for example: marine biology, architecture, law, literature, radiography, mathematics, social work, archaeology, economics, molecular biology, management, music, information technology and performing arts.
Membership
The Fellowships Fund is a separately incorporated branch of Graduate Women Qld and membership of FFI is open to any member of that organisation. Any woman who has gained a degree from a university, or an equivalent academic qualification is eligible to join Graduate Women Qld. Application for membership must be made on the prescribed forms available from the Membership Secretary, FFI, PO Box 1355, Milton Q 4064 or by email: enquiries@fellowshipsfund.com.au
Management Committee
The Management Committee consists of eight members with a President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer elected for a period of three years. The following members were elected to the Management Committee in September 2021.
Fiona H Rohde BCom BSc MInfSystems PhD
President
Professor Fiona Rohde’s current major role at the University of Queensland is Deputy Dean (Academic) of the Law School. Prior to joining the Law School, she served the Business School as Deputy Head. Her research interests include the outsourcing of data, information management, and standardised business reporting and the effect of each on various types of organisations. She has authored over 40 articles in various publications. Her research extends beyond her specific discipline to include the scholarship of teaching synergistic to her major leadership roles. Early in her career Professor Rohde worked in the Computer Audit division of KPMG Peat Marwick assisting in team audits of mining and manufacturing firms. She has been a member of the FFI management committee since 2008.
Mary Rose Cooney MBBS MBA MFM PhD
Immediate Past President and Treasurer MBBS MBA MFM PhD
Mary Rose is a retired finance academic and medical practitioner whose interests include financial markets, investment and superannuation. She has served for many years on boards and committees of not-for-profit and Church organisations and on the management committee since 2001.
Arna Duetz LLB (Hons) QUT, GDip URP
Member Committee
Arna worked for many years as Lecturer in the Law Faculty at QUT before studying Urban and Regional Planning. Following graduation, she worked in the multidisciplinary areas of Planning and Environmental Law and Town Planning. She strongly in the importance of education for women of all ages.
Lyn Peacock BA Dip Soc Sc M Litt (UNE) PhD (Newcastle)
Secretary
Lyn is a member of Graduate Women Qld (Sunshine Coast). She has a professional background in secondary and tertiary education with particular interest in gender issues embedded in curriculum. Prior to retirement, Lyn was Assistant Head of the School of Humanities at the Central Coast Campus of the University of Newcastle. She has wide-ranging experience in not-for-profit organisations and professional organisations, including ten years as membership secretary of the Home Economics Institute of Australia. Lyn’s tertiary experience at the University of Western Sydney and the University of Newcastle Central Coast Campus has heightened her interest in supporting young women as first family members to attempt tertiary education.
Carole Crowther BA (Syd) DipEd (Syd) TCert STC GCert T
Member Committee
Carole is currently VIce-President of Graduate Women Queensland Inc. She was the foundation Treasurer of the fledgling AFUWQ (now GWQ) – Gold Coast Branch when it was formed in 1978, has since served three terms as President of the Gold Coast Branch and has been awarded Life Membership of that group. Carole has a professional background in business and Secondary Education where she implemented a number of programmes incorporating innovative approaches to teaching and community issues. She is a fervent believer in the value of lifelong education and the liberating power of education for women.
Robyn McKenzie BCom (UQ) MPhil (QUT) GCertMgt (QUT)
Member Committee
Robyn is a non-executive director and a specialist advisor in effective governance. She has extensive experience in financial reporting and management operations and is currently working with boards on strategy, risk and providing solutions in complex environments. Her interests are in strategic management and corporate governance and her focus is on ensuring organisations are managed holistically balancing profits, people and the environment
Phillipa (Pip) Coore BJ/BCommun (UQ) LLB (Hons) (QUT) DPhil (Oxford)
Member Committee
Phillipa (Pip) Coore has undergraduate degrees in Journalism and Communication (UQ) and Law (QUT, a Masters in Law and DPhil (Oxford). She has a passion for changes in the area of Elder Law and has spent time as a visiting scholar at the Oxford Institute of Population Aging in order to educate herself on the key sociological and demographic issues associated with the growth of ageing populations. She practises as a Barrister in Brisbane.