OSCA has a number of awards which recognise the outstanding alumni in our community.
The Perelberg award honours the memory of Ashley Perelberg from the Class of 1992, who tragically died of a heart attack at the age of 18 in his first year of university study. Ashley exemplified Scotch spirit throughout his full and enthusiastic involvement while a student at Scotch. The Perelberg Award has been presented annually since 1993. The key criterion is that the recipient has shown “exemplary Scotch Spirit”.
Ashley’s family presented a silver sculpture depicting the 
penguin parade at Phillip Island, which was inspired by Ashley’s devotion to the annual Scotch-at-Cowes summer camps on Phillip Island. The annual winner of the Perelberg Award receives a silver replica of this sculpture which is presented at the schools Year 12 Presentation night
Associate Professor Doug Lording AM (’64) is the 2025 recipient of the prestigious Perelberg Award, honoring his outstanding contributions to medicine and men’s health. A distinguished retired Endocrinologist and Andrologist, Associate Professor Lording has made outstanding contributions to the community through his lifelong commitment to men’s health and service. Through his board involvement with Healthy Male, of which he was Chair from 2017-2023 and as Founder and President of the charity Men of Malvern, Doug has worked tirelessly to improve the health and wellbeing of men, and to advocate on their behalf. He has shared his expertise widely as a respected speaker on men’s health.
He spent 42 years at Cabrini Hospital, including 15 years as Medical Director, during which time he established the now flourishing Cabrini Research Institute.
In recognition of his significant service to medicine and society, Doug was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 2020.
Dr Lording’s leadership roles at Scotch encompassed service across three boards: as an OSCA Councillor from 1992–1997 and again from 2014–2018, before serving as President of OSCA (2016–2017); as a member of the Scotch Foundation Board from 2014–2023, where he subsequently held the position of Chairman (2017–2023); and as a dedicated member of the School Council from 2015–2021. He is an Honorary Life member of OSCA, the Old Scotch Cricket Club and the Wine and Food Club.
Doug and Liz Lording with members of the Perelberg Family.
The Perelberg Award recognizes Doug’s lifelong dedication to improving the lives of men through medical innovation, education, and advocacy.
Perelberg Award Nomination Form
Perelberg Award Recipients – 1993 – 2025
Honorary Life Membership is a significant honour bestowed on those whose commitment to the association has been of the highest level.
The presiding OSCA Council determines who is to receive this award and follows the Association’s Honorary Life Membership Guidelines policy. The Honorary Life Membership is bestowed at the Association’s AGM and President’s Dinner in November each year.
The 2024 Honorary Life Membership was awarded to John Jeffreys (’69)
John Jeffreys attended Scotch from 1966 to 1970. He played in the 1969 1st XI and was vice-captain of the 1970 1st XI, in which he shared the Dr Bryan Prize for fielding. John was captain of the 1970 2nd XVIII and was also a member of the premiership 1970 1st XVIII. He was 1969 Monash House Prefect and its 1970 Captain, as well as a 1970 School Prefect. John was a Cadet and a member of the Chess Club.
John’s service to OSCA began soon after he left school when, in 1972, he and Campbell McComas established of the Young Old Boys as a new affiliated society. He had earlier joined the Old Scotch Football Club where he played in all the senior XVIII’s. He joined the committee, served as the club’s Treasurer in 1972 and 1973, and coached the Juniors in 1976.
In 1973 John commenced his lengthy involvement as a member of OSCA Council. He served for the decade 1973-82 and the eight years 2003-2010. John served as OSCA President in 2008, and again at short notice in 2009. It was a particularly critical time for OSCA with the arrival in mid-2008 of a new Principal. Remarkably, he commences a third stint from 2025 – having already made a recent impact through chairing OSCA’s Clubs and Societies Committee.
For several years John convened OSCA’s flagship event, the Annual Dinner. The dinner in those days was run entirely by volunteers, and everything happened by paper and snail mail. Attendances typically numbered 800-900 – and then, in 2001, John’s commitment and dedication contributed to OSCA’s largest Annual Dinner ever.
In 2010 OSCA appointed John as a founding director of the Board of the Victorian Scottish Heritage Cultural Foundation (VSHCF). He performed that role until he moved interstate, and then he rejoined in 2018. He became (and remains) the Treasurer, and in early 2024 OSCA appointed him as VSHCF Chairman.
John has contributed an enviable list of iconic innovations. In 2006 he initiated OSCA’s President’s Dinner and in 2017 the OSCA Presidents’ Luncheon which he still convenes today. In 2014 as part of a small group he founded the OSCA Collegians Club, of which he became (and remains) the club’s first Secretary. In 2020 he led a project to design the OSCA/Scotch tartan and manufacture it into kilts.
Without doubt, John is an exemplary recipient of OSCA Honorary Life Membership.
Click on the link below for information about membership criteria and the nomination process.
Honorary Life Membership Criteria
Download a Nomination Form : Honorary Life Member Nomination Form
A Merit Award is bestowed on those whose commitment to an OSCA club has been, in the view of its members, of an outstanding nature.
The presiding OSCA Council determines who is to receive this award and follows the association’s Merit Award Guidelines policy. Merit Awards are bestowed at the association’s AGM and President’s Dinner in November.
The 2024 OSCA Merit Awards recipients:
Click on the link below for information about membership criteria and the nomination process: OSCA Merit Award Criteria
Download a Nomination Form : OSCA Merit Award Nomination Form
