Westlake rugby captain awarded Drake Scholarship

Sam Viskovich from Northcote, Auckland has been selected as the third John Drake Memorial Scholar at The University of Auckland.

The scholarship, established in 2009 and worth $5000 a year, supports an outstanding all-rounder who intends to study at the University and also play for the Auckland University Rugby Football Club.

Sam was named winner for 2012 at a reunion dinner in Auckland last night for the 1987 All Blacks held to raise money for the Drake Scholarship with 800 attending.

John Drake, who died in 2008 aged 49, was an Auckland graduate and a redoubtable prop forward in the World Cup-winning team. The scholarship in his memory is awarded to a school leaver who has excelled both in rugby and academically while showing the potential to emulate John Drake’s attitude and success both on and off the rugby field.

Sam Viskovich is Sports Captain and Deputy Head Boy at Westlake Boys High School where he captained the first fifteen this year. Playing at flanker he was in the team for three years. In 2010 Westlake were the North Harbour Champions.

He is also involved in acting and debating. Last year he scored highly in the Cambridge International Examinations and he will be sitting NZQA scholarship exams in history, economics and statistics.

At university Sam plans to take a conjoint Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Arts. For his BCom he will do a double major in Economics and International Business while for his BA he will major in Psychology. His career ambition is to be a future business leader in New Zealand.

Sam quotes a Croatian family proverb passed down from his great-grandparents, translated as: “Give me knowledge and I’ll give you wealth.” He sees the Drake Scholarship as “the perfect opportunity to continue acquiring knowledge and gain wealth, not simply in money but in experience and values with which to make a positive and significant impact on society”.