Scholarships supporting athletes in sport, education & life
Thirty-seven athletes from 19 sports and 21 tertiary institutions have been awarded more than $100,000 in AIS Education Scholarships, a program supporting athletes to be successful in sport, education and life.
Winter Olympics silver medallist Matt Graham, national athletics champion Catriona Bisset, Olympic bronze medal rower Cameron Girdlestone and four-time world cycling champion Kaarle McCulloch are among the athletes receiving this round of AIS Education Scholarships. A key feature of this year's expanded program is supporting athletes with education earlier in their high-performance sporting careers. More than three-quarters of athletes awarded scholarships in this round are categorised as 'Developing' or 'Emerging', the first two steps on an Australian athlete's journey to becoming an international medallist.
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.
Mr Wylie, former Chair of the Australian Sports Commission, said: "sport and education is a winning mix. Every athlete goes into competition with a game-plan, this program with the AIS is about helping more Australian athletes to pursue education as part of their broader life plan. Every athlete receiving one of these grants has talents beyond the sporting arena, just look at the breadth of education courses they're undertaking. There's health education like paramedics, speech pathology, sonography and medicine, though to diverse areas such as science, commerce, design, engineering and so much more.
"Our message to athletes is sporting success doesn't have to be at the sacrifice of other ambitions, especially education and career pathways. If we can encourage more athletes to engage with education at the start of their sporting careers, we'll no doubt have more successful leaders emerging from sport and into their communities."
Newcastle's Aimee Fisher suffered a spinal injury as a gymnast in 2017, but re-imagined her sport and education goals when she sat in a racing wheelchair alongside Paralympic champion Madi de Rozario just six weeks after her accident. Now the 20-year-old is aiming to complete her Bachelor of Medical Sonography in 2023 while also training towards a Paralympic debut in Paris 2024.
"Since I was four, I dreamt of doing x-rays as a career, so I've decided to focus on ultrasound," Fisher said. "For me, there is a sense of purpose and fulfilment in balancing these facets of my life [sport and education) and seeing the results of hard work and determination put into striving towards lifelong dreams and goals set along the way."
Remashree Muniandy, 19, relocated to Australia from Malaysia with her family in 2018. The South Australian squash player works four part-time jobs to achieve her dreams of being a paramedic and representing Australia at the Commonwealth Games. "I'm currently in my first year of Paramedic Science and really enjoying it," Muniandy said. "I believe that my participation in study has taught me that if you put your mind to it, you can pursue your study pathway while also working towards sporting goals, doing both things you love."
Olympic silver medallist and mogul skier Matt Graham suffered a set-back with a broken collar bone in training on the weekend, but is still aiming to be fit for the Winter Games in Beijing to start next year. He then hopes to finish 2022 by completing a Bachelor of Civil Engineering (Honours)/Bachelor of Business. Graham has been studying since 2014, the same year he debuted at his first Winter Olympics in Sochi. "For me, pursuing higher education isn't just about preparing for life after sport, it also provides me with a mental switch to focus on something different away from sport. That gives me good balance and adds to my motivation to train," Graham said. "I have always tried to show younger athletes that your education is important and that there is more to life beyond sport."
The AIS has prioritised athlete education and created more specialised athlete support by building its Elite Athlete Education Network (EAEN) across the country. AIS CEO Peter Conde said: "The AIS now has formal links with more than 40 universities and 12 TAFEs, giving Australian athletes greater choice and flexibility with their education support. Our priority is to support those athletes who demonstrate a genuine commitment to study and can use their own experiences to inspire and benefit others, in sport and the broader community."
AIS Education Scholarship recipients
Abby Andrews: Water Polo Australia, The University of Queensland, Bachelor Advanced Finance and Economics, QLD
Abigail Paduch: Judo Australia, Australian Catholic University, Bachelor High Performance Sport, NSW
Aimee Fisher: Athletics Australia, Central Queensland University, B. Medical Sonography/Graduate Diploma Medical Sonography, NSW
Alec Paterson: Rowing Australia, The University of South Australia, Bachelor Construction Management, TAS
Alexander English: Australian Fencing Federation, Deakin University, Bachelor Sport and Exercise Science, VIC
Alexander Rossi: Rowing Australia, Notre Dame, Bachelor Biomedical Science, WA
Alyssa West: Water Polo Australia, Flinders University, Bachelor Health Sciences/Master of Physiotherapy, SA
Amelia Quinlan: Australian Sailing, The University of New South Wales, Bachelor Actuarial Studies (Co-op), NSW
Caitlin Bettenay: Volleyball Australia, The University of Queensland, Masters of Physiotherapy Studies, QLD
Caitlin Webber: Paddle Australia, Flinders University, Bachelor Education (Secondary)/B Health Science, SA
Cameron Girdlestone: Rowing Australia, University of Western Sydney, Graduate Diploma in Property Investment, ACT
Catriona Bisset: Athletics Australia, The University of Melbourne, Master of Architecture, VIC
Hayden Beltz: Hockey Australia, Curtin University, Bachelor of Science, WA
Jack Lunn: Athletics Australia, Monash University, Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) and Bachelor of Science, VIC
Jana Milutinovic: Volleyball Australia, Australian National University, Bachelor of Psychology (Honours), SA
Jayshaan Randhawa: Hockey Australia, RMIT, Master of Biotechnology, VIC
Jessica Borg: Australian Taekwondo, Griffith University, Bachelor of Business and Bachelor of Law Honors, QLD
Joseph Wilson: Rowing Australia, University of Tasmania, Bachelor of Science (Hons), TAS
Kaarle McCulloch: AusCycling, Charles Sturt University, Bachelor of Education Health and Physical Education, NSW
Katerina Paul: Snow Australia, La Trobe University, Bachelor of Business (Sport Management), VIC
Kira Ward: Gymnastics Australia, Australian College of Physical Education, B. Education (Physical & Health), NSW
Kristina Bates: Hockey Australia, Deakin University, Bachelor of Laws, VIC
Kristy Harris: Boxing Australia, Deakin University, Bachelor of Psychological Science, VIC
Liam Twomey: Triathlon Australia, Deakin University, Bachelor of Exercise & Sport Science, VIC
Luke Bate: Triathlon Australia, The University of South Australia, Bachelor Health Science (Nutrition and Exercise), NSW
Mackenzie Mielczarek: Athletics Australia, Deakin University, Bachelor of Exercise and Sport Science, VIC
Matthew Graham: Snow Australia, University of Newcastle, Bachelor Civil Engineering (Honours)/B of Business, NSW
Nathan Katz: Judo Australia, Charles Sturt University, Bachelor of Sports Media, NSW
Olivia O'Rourke: Diving Australia, University of Technology Sydney Bachelor of Construction Project Management, NSW
Remashree Muniandy: Squash Australia, Flinders University, Bachelor of Paramedic Science, SA
Seve de Campo: Snow Australia, Australian National University, Bachelor Engineering (Hons) / Commerce, ACT
Stacey Hymer: Australian Taekwondo, RMIT, Bachelor of Food Technology and Nutrition, VIC
Tahlia Blanshard: Swimming Australia, Australian College of Physical Education, B. Health Science (Exercise), NSW
Tess Lloyd: Australian Sailing, Monash University, Bachelor of Arts, VIC
Victoria Rossiter: Shooting Australia, Flinders University, Bachelor of Speech Pathology, SA
Will Thompson: Athletics Australia, Australian Catholic University, Bachelor of Exercise and Sports Science, VIC
Zoe Cuthbert: AusCycling, Australian National University, Bachelor of Design, ACT
