Community acknowledges contributions of CQU benefactor Ron Diamond

The Business/Higher Education Round Table (B-HERT) bestowed a High Commendation upon Rockhampton's R.F (Ron) Diamond for his distinguished philanthropic support of Higher Education, acknowledging his financial contributions to, and advocacy of, science education and community development at Central Queensland University.

Ron Diamond - Photo courtesy The Morning Bulletin

(The B-HERT award for philanthropic support of higher education is a prestigious national award, sponsored in part by the Department of Education, Science and Training which acknowledges outstanding achievement in Development in higher education.)

In 2000, Mr Diamond, with his wife, Helen, established a $50,000 trust in the name of his late brother, Dr R J (Jim) Diamond, a distinguished physicist and mathematician, to help fund the Central Highlands Science Centre at Emerald. Those resources led to the establishment, in 2006, of the Robert James Diamond Science Scholarships which stimulate interest and achievement among disadvantaged young people in the sciences.

"My brother Jim wanted to do something for this area - for the place where we grew up," explained Ron, one of 4 brothers raised in Rockhampton during the Great Depression, a time of hardship for many children and adults alike.

"To be a scientist takes a lot of hard work, time and application. All of society's material advancement is based on science. It's fundamental. It's where it all begins," he added.

To date, 5 $1000 scholarships have been awarded to first-year CQU science students, to help cover their expenses, such as textbooks.

CQU Development Manager Suzi Blair described Mr Diamond's support as a testament to his love of knowledge, respect for a good education and astute understanding of how to extend a hand-up to people.

CQU Development Manager Suzi Blair (second from left) received the award on behalf of University benefactor Ron Diamond. Also pictured are (from left) Daniel McDiarmid, Managing Director, Global Philanthropic; Lisa Paul, Secretary, Department of Science, Education and Training and David Hind, President of BHERT

"Ron and Helen demonstrate, in a very personal way, the value of higher education and remind us that anyone can play an important role in the development of a student," said Ms Blair.

One grateful recipient student, Douglas Jackson, said the scholarship had been a "kick start" to his uni path.

 "I didn't have to worry about how I was going to pay for any uni items ... I found it easier to concentrate on my studies," said Jackson, a Bachelor of Biomedical Science student.

 "Helen and I have striven to bring CQU and the community closer together and we seem to have achieved some success," said Ron, who characterises his contributions as modest.

Ron Diamond was also recognized by BHERT for another $50,000 commitment by himself and Helen to higher education, at the University of Queensland (UQ),  to establish the Cecilie Sloane Postgraduate Creative Writing Research Scholarship, in memory of  Helen's late sister, a highly regarded tutor and lecturer at UQ.

The interest accrued from the Diamonds' endowments will be used to fund annual awards, making their gifts perpetual.