b'FEATURED ARTICLEMore than a motel with attitude:colleges and philanthropy in an Australasian contextWhats true of all evils in the world is true of plague as well. It helps men to rise above themselves. One of my favourite authors when I was in High School was Albert Camus and in particular his book, The Plague. I n the wake of the COVID-19 pandemicits massiveboard of Trustees of the Public Library, the Museum and economic and public health impacts, geopoliticalNational Gallery. tensions and border closures, and an abrupt exodus from university campuses worldwide to remote work andAs well as financially supporting Queens he was studyAustralasian university leaders have been recitinginstrumental in establishing the Eastern Suburbs similar messages in unison: these are unprecedentedTechnical College. Against his wishes in 1913 it was times; we face immense challenges and uncertainty; therenamed Swinburne Technical College, now Swinburne progress of the virus is impossible to predict; we must allUniversity. He gave upward of 20,000 pounds to support be patient; this will be a marathon, not a sprint.Swinburne which is close to $1.5M in todays currency.At the moment many of us are craving certainty whenTurning specifically to the years of crisis immediately there is none. This is none more so than in the field offollowing the First World War let me give an example of Advancement at a secondary and tertiary level (botha Fundraising campaign in years of pandemic in Queens colleges and universities).College, Melbourne. Philanthropy is a contact sport. It is about developingCollege council members such as George Swinburne and nurturing relationships, and multiple lockdownsplayed a leading role in what we would now call have had a serious impact on engagement. One of theAdvancement and the building campaign to increase earliest definitions of philanthropy appears in Greeceaccommodation and add a chapel to the College. during the fifth century BC. It was defined As a state ofPersonally Swinburne became a lead donor and supported well-educated habits stemming from love of humanity. Athe then Master, Dr E H Sugden, in appointing W T state of being productive of benefit to humans. A state ofHattam as the college treasurer and organiser of the grace. Mindfulness together with good works. The twoappeal. keys to our work within educational institutions are well-educated habits and love of humanity.Historically, in Australia and New Zealand, the majority of our institutions were founded by philanthropy on the basis of these two habits and have gone through periods of trauma, war and, to be sure, pandemic in the shape of the post WW1 Spanish Flu. What are some of the lessons of history?Public spirited philanthropists promoting education abounded in late nineteenth and early twentieth century Australia and New Zealand. An example was George Swinburne, businessman and politician and an ardent Methodist. Swinburne was a member of the Queens College and University of Melbourne Council, theRev. Edward Holdsworth Sugden First Master, Queens College, 188819286 0 FACE 2 FACE MAGAZINE'