Alex Rose Memorial Scholarship Fund

Family and friends of Alexander "Alex" McLain Rose enthusiastically announce the Ranger Alex Rose Memorial Scholarship at Western Kentucky University.

Rose was born in Nashville, TN on May 2, 1972 and endured much adversity in his young life.  With countless moves and living in many households, attending eight schools in Nashville, TN, Austin, TX, and finally Jacksonville, FL, all the change growing up contributed to his ability to adapt well and connect easily with people.  Rose established residential stability when he followed his “Big Sister” to WKU, and he earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1995. With a degree in public relations and a passion for writing, history, and philosophy, Rose was known by fellow collegians for his staunch political views and was a popular writer for the College Heights Herald.  Rose was also known for his sharp debate skills, and once drew large crowds on campus while famously winning a public debate with a WKU professor.

After college, Rose lived a full, robust, and adventurous life! He started a career in public relations at Business Wire in Nashville, TN, but whenever he could escape from work, he fostered his love of nature, fly fishing, hiking and other adventures. After an extended Alaskan hike among the bears in Denali National Park, as well as a Huckleberry Finn-style canoe trip down the Mississippi River in 1999, his insatiable appetite for adventure was unleashed! It was then in the spring of 2000 that Rose walked away from his corporate public relations job to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine. That six-month adventure is an accomplishment many pursue but few complete, and an experience that changed the trajectory of Rose’s life.

The hike on the Appalachian Trail ultimately launched an 18-year career in the outdoors, working for the National Park Service, U.S. Department of Forestry, and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Rose was the epitome of the classic all-American Park Ranger and he developed into a public figure famously known to folks across the world as "Ranger Rose". He delivered his storytelling programs to audiences with an infectious passion and captivating style. To memorialize his contribution to the BLM, friends and coworkers established a permanent memorial engraved in the wall at the entrance of the National Historic Trails Interpretive Center in Casper, WY where Rose made a notable impact not only as a Park Ranger, but on the Casper community. Rose was an avid flyfishing angler and was also remembered with a memorial by the Wyoming Fly Casters, an organization which Rose once served as President; during his term Rose was recognized by Wyoming U.S. Senator John Barrasso for his advocacy of preservation of notable Wyoming fishing waters. In 2014 Rose was promoted by the BLM, and at the time of his death he worked as the Supervisory Park Ranger at the California Trail & Interpretive Center in Elko, NV. Ultimately, one of Rose's greatest life accomplishments was making his mark doing work that he loved.

Rose was an inspiring mentor to many, coaching countless student interns throughout his career and connecting with folks from all walks of life. He was also widely regarded by friends young and old as a good listener, with the heart of a diamond. Rose lived an authentic life and loved simple pleasures such as striking a fire with flint and steel, catching fish, and frying it camp side in an iron skillet, and cooking biscuits by scratch over campfire in a cast iron oven. A classic benevolent stump philosopher, he will be remembered for his determined mindset, larger-than-life persona, handsome charm, bright smile, the twinkle in his eye, and his gentle, compassionate, kind, empathic soul.

Rose collected positive energy from people around him, and was famously known for his skilled swing dancing skills, which he first learned after graduating college while frequenting his old "haunt", Robert's Western World (aka "Robert's") on Broadway in Nashville, TN. Following Rose's death, friends and family gathered to celebrate his life at Robert's, to include a performance by an old friend of Rose's and owner of Robert's, JesseLee Jones, the lead singer of Brazilbilly. A memorial to Rose now sits on the wall at the entrance of the world-famous honky tonk, a nod to Rose's life and his southern Nashville roots. A fitting memorial, as Rose spent his entire career impacting folks worldwide through his Ranger programs; now his warm smile and infectious twinkle in his eye will greet people from all across the world who walk through those iconic doors at Robert's.

Rose passed away September 4, 2019 at the age of 47. His ashes were spread on Tennessee soil in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, his favorite portion of the Appalachian Trail, and the place where his adventurous park ranger career was birthed. Rose loved his family and made an unforgettable mark on the hearts of many who love him, and countless others who will never forget him.  To honor Rose's life and his belief in education, this endowment fund was set up by his “Big Sister”, Ashley Stephanie Rose (WKU ’93), along with many friends and family who dearly miss him and wanted to remind future WKU students to pursue their wanderlust, because life is one great big giant adventure!