Björn Borg names receiver of first Game Changer Scholarship

By

Cajsa Lykke Carlson

Published
Feb 23, 2016

Swedish fashion and sportswear brand Björn Borg has announced the winner of its first-ever Game Changer Scholarship, which was instituted to support athletes with extraordinary visions and dreams.

It has been given to Stephanie Kurlow, a 14-year old Australian ballerina who has danced ballet since she was two years old. In 2010, she converted to Islam together with her Australian father and her Russian-born mother, and soon noticed that she was treated differently for wearing a hijab.

Kurlow was frustrated to find there were no full-time ballet studios that readily accepted her wearing a hijab, and started a crowdfunding campaign to fulfil her dream to train in a top ballet school. She wants to open a diverse performing arts school where everyone is welcome.

Stephanie Kurlow: “I plan on bringing the world together by becoming the very first Hijab-Wearing ballerina so that I can inspire so many other people to believe in themselves and pursue their dreams. I want to encourage everyone to join together no matter what faith, race or colour and I hope to live in a world with greater acceptance. This scholarship funds my training and brings me closer to my goal”.

“We were genuinely inspired to learn about Stephanie and her story. She is a true game changer and an extraordinary human being. The power and the courage that it takes for a 14-year-old to not give up in a situation like this, to see possibilities where others see problems, is exceptional”, said Jonas Lindberg Nyvang, Marketing Director Björn Borg.