Bequest Testimonial: Dr Andrew McAliece & Richard Simmie

^{Dr Andrew McAliece (left) and Dr Richard Simmie (right) with scholarship recipient Willow Sizer. Photograph by Sav Schulman.}

“There is another side to both of us. Although we’ve had rewarding careers – in dentistry and in anaesthetics – in another lifetime, we would probably both have liked to dabble in the arts.

We started giving to the Victorian College of the Arts at the University. Then we wanted to explore more and meet a whole different world of people. So we spoke to the University. We told them that Andrew writes plays and that we both love the theatre, especially music theatre.

We didn’t know where the path would lead, but we wanted to engage in a conversation, even if it was a conversation outside our comfort zone.

That’s when we decided to create an annual scholarship for students of music theatre.

The decision tied in with our notion of giving back to something we enjoy, but also it related to our wish to leave a legacy. So we also decided to leave a gift in our Wills to establish a scholarship for theatre students.

We feel we’ve been extremely fortunate in all the gifts and opportunities we’ve received. When you reach a particular age, most people realise it’s time to give back. We’re at that point. If we can help just a small number of people in their journey, then we’re happy.”