Long Beach native creates scholarship for disadvantaged students
Alex Austin partnered up with Access Scholarships to give away one $1,000 scholarship and two $500 scholarships.
LONG BEACH, Calif. (KABC) -- Last year the NCAA started to allow athletes to make money on their image and likeness. Now, a football player from Long Beach is using this option to start a scholarship for disadvantaged students.
20-year-old Alex Austin was born and raised in Long Beach. He's currently a student and football player at Oregon State University. He also played football in high school at Long Beach Polytechnic high school.
Alex Austin says he comes from a family who volunteers often.
"I would say community service is a part of our DNA as a family. We are constantly doing something in the community," said Al Austin, Alex Austin's father.
Al Austin is a Long Beach city council member and his wife, Daysha Austin, is the district director for assembly member Reggie Jones-Sawyer.
Alex Austin says his parents have been his biggest inspiration and now he's giving back by creating a scholarship.
"It really just came from me wanting to give back to the community. I've always been a hand in the community starting with turkey giveaways and back to school give always at a young age," said Alex Austin.
Alex Austin, his agent and Access Scholarships teamed up to collaborate.
The scholarship is called "Alex Austin's overcoming adversity scholarship," and its open to all high school and college students in the United States.
"Some may not be able to pay for college applications simply because their family doesn't have the financial resources to do that and pay for books, so he found that this would be the best way to give back and reach back and help others," said Daysha Austin.
Applicants have to submit a 500 word or less response to an essay question about an obstacle or challenge they have faced.
The deadline to apply is Sept. 1. One person will win $1,000 dollars and two others will win $500.
Alex Austin says that's not all though, he has big plans for the future in addition.
"I plan on starting a scholarship specifically for LBUSD students as well because that's the Long Beach Unified School District, where I went to school, so of course I want to give back to the school district I came from as well," said Alex Austin.
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