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Redemption for Scot swimmer after Florida arrest

By WTOP Staff

ROB HARRIS
AP Sports Writer

GLASGOW, Scotland (AP) — Dragged to the ground after trying to evade arrest on a street in Florida, swimmer Dan Wallace was in handcuffs and fearing his dream of reaching the pinnacle of his sport had just ended.

Suspended by the University of Florida swimming team, Wallace’s place in Scotland’s squad was in jeopardy with the Commonwealth Games approaching.

Redemption, though, has come quickly — in Scotland at least.

Barely two months after being detained for urinating on a police car early one morning in Gainesville, the 21-year-old Wallace captured his first international title on Friday.

“For freedom,” Wallace screamed, raising his arms triumphantly after winning the 400 meter individual medley title.

Rather than recalling his own moment of adversity, Wallace was invoking the spirit of Scottish warrior William “Braveheart” Wallace.

Personal battles had to be fought to reach the top of the Glasgow podium.

“I got to the point in my life where I really had to re-evaluate the path I wanted to take and I think chose the right one,” Wallace said. “I was kind of living the life of a rock star but still trying to perform in the pool and you can’t do both.”

It was at 1:53 a.m. on May 4 when cuffs were placed around the hands that touched the pool wall in triumph on Friday. Wallace had been spotted urinating on a Gainesville Police Department vehicle.

The officer recalled Wallace “started running” when approached, with the police report adding: “I told the DEF (defendant) to stop, but the DEF refused to stop. The DEF was taken to the ground and continued to thrash his body on the ground refusing to be handcuffed. The DEF was eventually placed in handcuffs.”

This was not what Wallace’s parents envisaged when they sold their house to fund his move to the U.S. university in 2012. The anthropology student remains suspended indefinitely from the university swim squad, team spokesman Will Pantages told The Associated Press.

But Scottish swimming coaches were more forgiving, allowing him to compete in the Commonwealth Games, which features former British colonies.

“It was a wake-up call,” Wallace said. “I think I responded to that and turned my life around.”

Wallace seized his second chance in life, inspired by the Oscar-winning epic “Braveheart,” starring Mel Gibson as Wallace, who led the Scots in their battle to free themselves from English rule in the 13th century.

“I watched it (again) last week to get ready for this over on the plane,” said Wallace, who is yet to trace his roots to the warrior. “It’s such a Scottish thing and it warms my heart.”

It was on his mind just after finishing ahead of Thomas Fraser-Holmes of Australia and University of Florida teammate, Sebastien Rousseau of South Africa, with a winning time of 4 minutes, 11.20 seconds in Glasgow.

“I yelled at the top of my lungs, ‘For freedom’ because being here, the whole crowd has really brought out the Braveheart and Scot inside me,” Wallace said. “I thought I’d soak up the moment.”

Off the booze, Wallace promised no excesses on Friday night to celebrate gold.

“It’s all about moderation, I think I have learnt from those experiences and it’s starting to pay off now …. I’m going to celebrate with a cup of tea,” he said.

One of the first to offer congratulations was Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s Deputy First Minister.

“She said she is really proud of me,” Wallace said. “And I think the whole of Scotland is now.”

But in Florida, Wallace still has no place in Olympic swim coach Gregg Troy’s university team despite the Scot indicating the suspension had been lifted while speaking to reporters in Glasgow.

“My performance tonight has really overshadowed everything that has happened,” Wallace said. “Hopefully this is what I am going to be remembered by and not past mistakes.”

___

Rob Harris can be followed at www.twitter.com/RobHarris

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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