Help Indigenous students

Laurie Cowled says that giving has made her feel "100 years younger, and joyous".

Laurie established the Cowled Foundation following the death of her husband, Ron Macnamara, in 2005. The Foundation funds a raft of scholarships, including the Laurie Cowled Scholarship to support young Indigenous women at UTS.

There are doubtless brilliant young girls and women in regional and rural Australia... whose parents cannot afford to give them higher education.

The first recipient was Dunghutti woman Larteasha Griffen (née Smith) from Kempsey in NSW. Larteasha graduated in 2010 with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication (Journalism).
Larteasha has already shown her motivation to achieve great things. In 2011 she joined SBS show 'Living Black' as the program's Indigenous cadet journalist, after having produced and presented the SBS radio show 'Alchemy', and later 'Aboriginal Radio Program'.

In March 2010, Laurie gave $200,000 to establish an endowment fund for her scholarship, with UTS matching that amount. Her generosity ensures that the Laurie Cowled Scholarship will be awarded in perpetuity, benefitting generations of young Indigenous women to come.

Reasons for Giving

"My motivation came from my country upbringing," says Laurie. "I feel country girls can miss out on many opportunities. There are doubtless brilliant young girls and women in regional and rural Australia... whose parents cannot afford to give them higher education. Among these could be someone who, given the chance, could achieve great things for herself and for our country. It's really thrilling to see a young woman [Larteasha] able to do what she wants to do, and flourishing."

Laurie’s achievements in philanthropy were recognised in 2012 when she received the B–HERT Award for Outstanding Philanthropic Support for Higher Education.