A Bermudian student-athlete became the first recipient of the Arizona State University’s Bermuda Scholarships, which will be awarded to Bermudian students annually.

Daniel Phillips, 19, secured a bursary that will cover four years of tuition at the school.

Mr Phillips, who has represented Bermuda in the Davis Cup, is studying business management, has a 3.5 GPA and is on the men’s tennis team at Arizona State.

He said: “Being a Bermudian receiving a scholarship at ASU means the world to me. I’m so grateful.

“The international athletic journey has been a challenging one for my family to finance and get me to where I am.

“The scholarship has taken some of that pressure off my mom, and for that I am eternally thankful.”

Mr Phillips explained: “Both in the academic and sporting arenas, the professors and coaches are constantly motivating me to be the best version of myself.

“The two areas work together to ensure the team and I can travel to tournaments across the whole of the US while constantly ensuring I don’t fall behind in my studies.”

Mr Phillips added that ASU was “really diverse and the environment state-of-the-art”.

Bermudians who will study full-time at the school’s Tempe campus can apply for the ASU Bermuda Tuition Scholarship, which will be offered to incoming freshmen for four years and to transfer students for two years.

Bermudians enrolled in online classes part-time or full time can also receive a scholarship from Arizona State.

A statement said that the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences, part of the university’s Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory, was proud to support island students through the scholarship opportunities to study at ASU.

It added: “The programme reflects ASU’s core principle that it should take genuine responsibility for the welfare of the communities in which it operates.”

• Visittuition.asu.edu/financial-aid/asu-bermuda-scholarshipsto apply or learn more