Helping students achieve their potential

Mount Gambier couple honoured for contribution to regional education & the community

“Giving access to education is in our DNA. People like the Cowans are our lifeblood.” That was the sentiment of University of South Australia ViceChancellor Professor David Lloyd as the educational institution honoured Mount Gambier’s Bob and Gayle Cowan.

The couple were awarded Fellows of the University of South Australia last year, in recognition of their outstanding contribution to the growth and development of UniSA, and the couple’s commitment to education and the community of Mount Gambier has seen them receive even higher honours – both named in the 2023 Australia Day honours list, inducted as Order of Australia recipients (OAM).

The Cowans are passionate advocates for students from rural and regional areas, who often face disadvantage in accessing higher education.

The Cowans association with higher education is a partnership steeped in history. Bob Cowan’s parents, Bill and Marnie Cowan, had discussed establishing a fund to help tertiary students so following Bill’s passing Marnie and Bob established a private Trust in 1994 to benefit students in financial need, particularly from regional and rural areas.

The Cowan Grant was established to support initiatives that help financially disadvantaged students gain a higher education and over almost three decades, the grant has provided more than $3.2 million to more than 1500 students. That assistance all started in 1995 when St Mark’s and Roseworthy Colleges were given funds to support selected students by reducing their boarding fees and then by the late 1990s Bob Cowan was in positive discussions with UniSA.

That resulted in students at UniSA Mount Gambier Campus being able to apply annually for a Cowan Regional Grant to assist those students who have financial needs or a Cowan Placement Grant to assist students who incur additional costs while completing placements as part of their degree. For many students the support of the Cowan Grant has been the difference between being able to financially cope with their studies and not. UniSA Mount Gambier Campus holds an annual Scholarships, Awards and Grants Celebration and Bob and Gayle take great pride in meeting many of the recipients of a Cowans Grant from that year.

And the powers-that-be at UniSA are all too aware the value of the kind of support people like the Cowans provide.

“Gayle and Bob Cowan are passionate advocates for students from rural and regional areas who often face disadvantage in their access to furthering their education and the career prospects that such education affords,” Vice-Chancellor Professor Lloyd said. “The Cowan Grant was established to support initiatives that help financially disadvantaged students gain a higher education and follow the career prospects that such education affords. They also encourage the broadening of horizons through international travel and challenge.

“The Cowans’ generosity and support has been spread widely, particularly in the past few years with education providers such as the University of South Australia, the University of Adelaide, James Cook University, Kathleen Lumley College and St Marks College.”

The Cowans’ work in the education space is just one of the ways the couple have been active members in the community. Bob had a 35 year career in the forestry and timber industry in South Australia before his retirement. He spent much of that career in senior executive roles at the South Australia Woods and Forests Department which is now Forestry SA. He is an expert in his field adding to his Bachelor of Science (Forestry) with a Diploma of Forestry from the Australian Forestry School in Canberra and postgraduate studies in forestry at Oxford. He is generous with his expertise, lecturing in forestry technology at the South East Department of TAFE in South Australia and sitting on a number of forestry industry management boards and committees, including being President of the Radiata Pine Association of Australia and being the Inaugural Chairman of the South East Economic Development Board.

“…Gayle and Bob Cowan are passionate advocates for students from rural and regional areas who often face disadvantage in their access to furthering their education and the career prospects …” University of South Australia Vice-Chancellor Professor David Lloyd

Since 2008 when the Cowan Grant was created as the sole recipient of the Cowan Family Trust, Gayle has been instrumental in its successful investment approach, enabling the trust to expand its philanthropic offerings, particularly supporting students from rural and regional family backgrounds.

She is also deeply committed to her Mount Gambier community, volunteering her time to several groups including organisations that reflect her passion for the arts. She has been a long time supporter of the Riddoch Art Gallery and is a generous supporter of other groups within Mount Gambier.

The contributions made to the wider community by both Bob and Gayle Cowan are many and varied but are best summed up by one Cowan Grant recipient at last year’s graduation ceremony. “Your generosity has enabled countless students to pursue experiences that they never otherwise would have been able to access,” they said.

“…your generosity has enabled countless students to pursue experiences that they never otherwise would have been able to access …” scholarship recipient