Together we can make a difference…

St John’s College students thrive in an environment of inclusiveness, encouragement, support and friendship. As a Foundation, we strive to further reflect the warmth and generosity of spirit of our College community through the provision of opportunities that help facilitate our students to make a lasting and positive difference in their chosen field and, ultimately, the lives of others.

Every year, through extensive fundraising and the generous contributions of our extended community, the Foundation proudly supports up to 70 Johnians with much-needed financial assistance to cover living and educational expenses while at college.

Our comprehensive Bursaries and Scholarships Program is designed to make a real difference to the lives of deserving students, new and existing, providing them with the recognition and financial support they need to realise their true potential.

The Foundation is fortunate to be guided by an independent Board of Directors from diverse professional backgrounds, comprising mostly Old Johnians, and who all share a passion for service to the College.

Year Established

Paid to college since 2013

Scholarships Awarded Per Year

in 5

College Students Provided Assistance Each Year

Our People – Board of Directors

Hover image to view more info.

Ms. Rose Alwyn
Warden – St John’s College

Rose Alwyn was appointed as the fourteenth Warden of St John’s College, and is the first woman lay head of the College. A graduate of the University of Adelaide, her professional expertise is developed from wide experience in management, leadership and governance roles in the South Australian not-for-profit sector.

Rose has over twenty-five years’ experience inspiring and working with young people, in an educative capacity and in leadership roles and twenty years in education administration. Rose has also been involved in of a number of public policy advisory committees in the education, employment and homelessness sectors. She has also held Board directorships in the not-for-profit sector specialising in Strategy, Business Planning and Social Justice initiatives. She is immediate past president of University Colleges Australia, the representative professional body for Heads and Deputies of residential colleges and halls throughout Australia and is on the Board SHineSA.

Rose holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Masters in Business Administration from the University of Adelaide. She is also a Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Rose is committed to developing future leaders within the students in her care and extending to alumni across Australia and abroad.

Mr. Greg O’Meara

Chairman

Greg O’Meara is a partner of a legal practice in Brisbane CBD and specialises in commercial and property law. He graduated from The University of Queensland with degrees in Commerce, Economics and Law. He attended St John’s between 1982 and 1984 and has been involved with the College Foundation since 2018. Greg has a long history at St John’s, with his father, brothers, nieces and two of his children attending the College.

Mr. Peter Sullivan

Peter Sullivan has been involved in the property, finance and wealth industries for more than 20 years. He is the General Manager of Astute Financial, one of the country’s largest independent mortgage and financial planning aggregrators. A Chartered Accountant by trade, he completed his Commerce and Laws degrees at University of Queensland. He entered St John’s College in 1987 and resided at college for all five years of his studies. In 1990 Peter was President of the first Student Club to welcome the entry of female Johnians as members. Peter has been a director of the Foundation since 1991 and sits on the Investment Committee.

Mr Andrew Carrick
Hon Treasurer

Andrew (Andy) Carrick is a Chartered Accountant and an Assurance Partner with global accounting firm Ernst & Young (EY). Andy is also EY’s Mining & Metals Leader in Queensland. Having completed a Bachelor of Commerce (Hons) at the University of Queensland, Andy commenced his professional career at EY before leaving to pursue work opportunities with a significant global mining company in Australia and overseas. He returned to EY in 2003. Andy attended St John’s College between 1994 and 1996, and was on the Student Executive as Treasurer and Secretary during that time as well as holding the student allocated title of ‘perpetual fresher’ in 1996.

Dr Peter Trout

Dr Peter Trout is a mining engineer with more than 25 years’ executive and site management experience in the Australian and international resources industry, predominantly in precious and base metals mining. Peter attended the College from 1988 to 1991 and served as Student Club Vice President in 1990. He graduated from the University of Queensland with a Bachelor of Engineering and Doctor of Philosophy in the field of mining engineering. Peter joined the Foundation as a director in 2021 and resides in Brisbane.

Mrs Romana Miller

Romana holds a Bachelors of Laws and Commerce from UQ. She attended St John’s College (2001-2003), serving as Social Convenor in her final year. Romana is Senior Legal Counsel for Sedgman Pty Ltd, a provider of minerals processing and associated infrastructure solutions to the global resources industry. She is also a mum to two young girls.

Mr Hamish Bonifant
OJA Representative

Hamish Bonifant graduated from the University of Queensland with a Bachelor of Economics and has been working as a successful stockbroker since 1990. Hamish spent his undergraduate years at St John’s College and was actively involved in College life having held the roles of Student Executive Social Convenor and President of the St John’s Surf Live Saving Club. Hamish has served as President of the Old Johnian’s Association (OJA) and currently sits on the College Council as an OJA Representative. Hamish joined the Foundation Board in 2015. Hamish’s claims his debt to St John’s is immeasurable, having met his wife at Women’s College with whom he now has three children.

Mrs Catherine Parkinson

Deputy Chair

Catherine is a Senior Manager in the Business Tax Advisory team at Ernst & Young (EY). She completed her Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Commerce at the University of Queensland and resided at St John’s College for her first three years. She recently married a fellow Old Johnian and believes their first-born daughter is undoubtedly a Johnian-in-the-making! Catherine thoroughly enjoys the camaraderie of the Foundation and Old Johnian Association and relishes the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of young students.

Mr Mark Williams

Mark Williams is a Brisbane-based Telecommunications Engineer. He worked for The University of Queensland (UQ) for ten years and for telecommunications manufacturers in Europe and China for over 15 years before returning to Brisbane to establish a training and consulting company in 2015. Mark attended the College from 1982 to 1988 and again from 1994 to 1997, serving the student club as Vice President, O Week Director and ICC Vice President and St John’s College as Proctor and Senior Tutor. Mark holds honours degrees in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, and Asian Languages and Studies from UQ and is a Governor of the St John’s College Foundation.

Professor George D. Mellick
College Council Representative

Mr George Mellick is Professor of Neuroscience and Head of the School of Environment and Science, at Griffith University in Queensland.

An alumnus of The University of Queensland and an Old Johnian, George graduated with a PhD (in the field of Medicine) in 1996. As an undergraduate, he served on the St John’s College Student Club Executive as President in 1989 and Vice-President in 1988. As a postgraduate he spent many years tutoring chemistry and biochemistry in the College. Since graduating, George has been an active member of the Old Johnians’ Association and is a past President of the Association.

George is dedicated to transforming lives through education. He is an interdisciplinary scientist and a Research Leader in the Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery (GRIDD). His research focuses on the causes and treatments for Parkinson’s disease and related disorders. He has authored a vast number of research publications and is a regularly sought-after reviewer for International Granting Agencies, Advisory Groups and Research Journals. In addition, George has, for many years, been an advocate for people affected by neurological disease and is currently the President of Parkinson’s Queensland and Vice-President of Parkinson’s Australia.

Investment Strategy

The Foundation has simple aims, namely the raising of further funds, astute management of existing investments and the principled and responsible award of financial assistance to enable deserving students, new and existing, to attend the College.

The Foundation manages its investments in accordance with an Investment Strategy document that is considered and adopted by the Board each year. The content of the strategy is similar to that adopted by the Commonwealth Future Fund. It provides for the engagement of a professional fund manager, currently Crestone Wealth Management, to oversee all aspects of the performance of the various investments. The Strategy permits the manager to manage the investments across a range of investment classes, including cash, Australian and overseas equities and bonds.

The Foundation has a dedicated Investment sub-committee to oversee the performance of the investment manager, the investments and the Strategy itself.

The Investment Committee currently comprises Hamish Bonifant and Peter Sullivan, who together bring a mix of industry expertise and professional investment management experience for the benefit of the Foundation.

The trustee company is a registered charity with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profit Commission and donations to it are fully tax-deductible.

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Venture of Faith Book

A Centenary History
Paul Nicholls

History
St John’s College
University of Queensland

St John’s College began as the initiative of Archbishop St Clair Donaldson, who announced its genesis at the Brisbane Diocese Synod of 1911. He gathered a group of laypeople who formed a company to found, finance and operate the College.