Rower Alex Rossi awarded AIS Education Scholarship

WAIS rower Alex Rossi is one of 37 athletes to have been awarded more than $100,000 in AIS Education Scholarships, a program supporting athletes to be successful in sport, education and life.

The AIS Education Scholarship program is doubling from last year’s inaugural program and offering a total $200,000 in scholarships for 2021-22, thanks to support from the John and Myriam Wylie Foundation. A second round will open in March 2022.

The AIS has prioritised athlete education and created more specialised athlete support by building its Elite Athlete Education Network (EAEN) across the country.

“I am incredibly grateful for the generosity displayed by the AIS to hand out these scholarships and am thrilled to be the recipient of one! The money will go towards one of four units at university I am required to pay upfront,” said Rossi.

“Covering this expense means I will not need to work as much throughout the semester, allowing me to focus more on training, study, and recovery. Additionally, this scholarship creates a financial buffer for general living expenses such as food (I need to eat a lot) and fuel (uni is a long way from home), which has an extreme psychological benefit and will thus be integral to my development as a rower going forward.”

Photo: Rowing Australia