Propping up the future
Dr Geoffrey Vaughan’s amazing legacy continues in his generous bequest to help the next generation of Melbourne rugby players.
Dr Geoffrey Vaughan AO made an extraordinary commitment to the Melbourne University Rugby Football Club (MURFC) over more than 60 years.
Geoffrey’s talent and enthusiasm for rugby was astonishing. He started playing for MURFC in 1957, when he transferred from Sydney to Melbourne to complete a Doctor of Philosophy in Microbiology at the University of Melbourne.
From intervarsity rugby, he progressed to captaincy of Victoria's state team and from there to Australia’s national team. In 1957, he was selected as a prop-forward for the Wallabies’ tour of Britain, France, Ireland, USA and Canada, playing three Tests.
His passion and legacy reverberate around the club. A life member of MURFC, Geoffrey has generously left a bequest to the Peter Hone Rugby Scholarship Fund. The scholarship fund was established to commemorate Peter Hone – a MURFC player, coach and president. Geoffrey was a loyal lifetime supporter of the scholarship fund, making annual gifts since 2001.
Gifts to the Peter Hone Rugby Scholarship help other talented rugby players balance playing the game they love with success in their studies.
Shawn Ingle, a Bachelor of Commerce student, is a forward playing his second season with MURFC. He was awarded the Peter Hone Rugby Scholarship as part of the University’s Rugby Young Achiever Award in August 2017 and said the scholarship has allowed him to continue to pursue his rugby dreams while studying at a world-class University.
“The Peter Hone Rugby Scholarship has helped me in many ways,” he said.
“Financially, the scholarship has allowed me to fund the pursuit of professional rugby, namely training with the Melbourne Rebels' Emerging Player Program, Victorian Under 19 team and Melbourne Rising extended training squad, without having to worry about my financial wellbeing.”
Shawn said that rugby and those who share his passion for it (teammates, coaches, managerial staff and volunteers alike) have been a large part of his world since coming to Australia from South Africa as an international student.
The Peter Hone Scholarship means the world to me as it has provided me with the greatest opportunity of all - the opportunity to lead a life of passion and to pursue excellence whilst surrounded by great people.
“I would like to express my gratitude to those who made this scholarship opportunity possible, including Dr Geoffrey Vaughan, whose generous bequest supports the fund. I have benefitted immensely from this opportunity and will be forever thankful.”