The Cofuturo Foundation, together with the International University of La Rioja (UNIR), awarded a 100% academic scholarship to Ecuadorian weightlifter Neisi Dajomes.
Neisi's recognition is part of the program "Our Future, Our Dreams," whose main objective is to strengthen the training of athletes and give them new opportunities for a profession and life alternatives after finishing their sports careers, as detailed in a press release by UNIR.
So far, the foundation has awarded five scholarships for studies at UNIR to the athletes Sara Palacios, Gudmán Chalá, Carla Heredia, Elizabeth Bravo, and Neisi Dajomes.
The 22-year-old weightlifter has achieved several international titles, and her latest success was in October last year when she won nine medals, including eight gold and one silver, during the South American, Ibero-American, and Colombian Online Cup Championships.
The young athlete will study the University Expert in Sports Nutrition.
- Neisi Dajomes: I want to write my own story, do not compare me
At the scholarship award event - which took place online - Rosalía Arteaga, president of Cofuturo's Social Advisory Council; Gabriel García, Director of International Relations at UNIR; Yago Piedra, Cofuturo's manager; and the athlete and her family participated.
Rosalía Arteaga highlighted that one of Cofuturo's goals is to make dreams come true, and the program "Our Future, Our Dreams" is an example of this. "Ecuadorian athletes have brilliant careers and they represent the country with excellence, so our task is to complement their sports career with an academic education so they can achieve their goals during and after their sporting life," she mentioned.
On her part, the Ecuadorian athlete expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to specialize in sports nutrition, considering it a perfect complement to her career as a weightlifter. "Sometimes athletes have limited resources, and accessing a nutrition specialist can be complicated. This career will allow me to know which are the best diets for me, and also, I will be able to advise my sister (Angie Palacios), who is also a weightlifter," she explained.
Gabriel García congratulated Dajomes for her outstanding sports participation that transcends borders. "We are proud that you are part of our university, and that we are part of your sports and professional growth. UNIR's 100% online methodology will allow you to study wherever you are and at any time of the day. We are aware of the geographical and schedule barriers that prevent many people from studying, but thanks to UNIR's online methodology, we have managed to overcome those obstacles so that athletes, mothers, workers, etc., can continue their education," he said.
About the Foundation
The Cofuturo Foundation is an entity linked to the International University of La Rioja (UNIR) that seeks to contribute to the qualitative development and extension of higher education and professional training in Ecuador. It achieves this through coordination with other institutions to promote research, study, and experimentation on new teaching methods, techniques, and means, both in-person and online.
About UNIR
UNIR is a 100% online university that offers quality higher education through the most innovative technologies, always with the student at the center of its activity. It offers 25 official degrees, more than 100 postgraduate programs, and 3 doctoral programs, with the aim of bringing comprehensive and personalized education to the 48,000 students who study in its virtual campus from more than 100 nations, especially in Spain and Ibero-America.