Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship
From October 2008 to September 2009, I was privileged to represent the Rotary District of Central Indiana to the Rotary District of Lancashire and Cumbria, UK. Rotary is a worldwide philanthropic organization centered on the premise of "Service Above Self", and while clubs do service projects on the local and regional level, they are currently nearing completion of eradicating polio from the world.
Ambassadorial Duties
The underriding purpose of the Ambassadorial Scholarship is to "promote international understanding and goodwill through study in a foreign country". I was appointed to live and study at Lancaster University in the north west of England where I studied for a master's degree in education. My sponsor club was the Attica-Williamsport Rotary Club, and I was hosted by the Lancaster Loyne Rotary Club.
Professional Development
This scholarship provided several opportunities to develop my ability to communicate well through a variety of mediums. I delivered fourteen presentations to Rotary clubs in England, giving insight into life and culture in Indiana as well as my experiences in England. The size of these groups ranged from ten to fifty individuals. Upon my return, I have delivered five additional presentations about my year abroad to Rotary clubs in central Indiana, including a group of one hundred high school students attending a Rotary Youth Leadership conference.
In addition to public speaking, I also wrote formal reports midway and at the end of my year abroad that were submitted to Rotary International headquarters, my sponsor and host clubs, and my sponsor and host club districts. I maintained a blog, Amy Abroad, to keep Rotarians, friends, and family up-to-date on my activities, and wrote two articles for Rotary Norwest, my host district's magazine.
Personal Development
My year serving as an Ambassadorial Scholar resulted in an incredible amount of personal growth. Living abroad constantly challenged my personal perceptions of what is 'normal' and pushed me to observe, to step out of my comfort zone, to try new things, and take every opportunity offered to me. I also gained an appreciation for the international community where I live in the USA. I now seek out opportunities to befriend people from other countries and cultures, and even now I continue to enjoy a diverse group of friends.
Ambassadorial Duties
The underriding purpose of the Ambassadorial Scholarship is to "promote international understanding and goodwill through study in a foreign country". I was appointed to live and study at Lancaster University in the north west of England where I studied for a master's degree in education. My sponsor club was the Attica-Williamsport Rotary Club, and I was hosted by the Lancaster Loyne Rotary Club.
Professional Development
This scholarship provided several opportunities to develop my ability to communicate well through a variety of mediums. I delivered fourteen presentations to Rotary clubs in England, giving insight into life and culture in Indiana as well as my experiences in England. The size of these groups ranged from ten to fifty individuals. Upon my return, I have delivered five additional presentations about my year abroad to Rotary clubs in central Indiana, including a group of one hundred high school students attending a Rotary Youth Leadership conference.
In addition to public speaking, I also wrote formal reports midway and at the end of my year abroad that were submitted to Rotary International headquarters, my sponsor and host clubs, and my sponsor and host club districts. I maintained a blog, Amy Abroad, to keep Rotarians, friends, and family up-to-date on my activities, and wrote two articles for Rotary Norwest, my host district's magazine.
Personal Development
My year serving as an Ambassadorial Scholar resulted in an incredible amount of personal growth. Living abroad constantly challenged my personal perceptions of what is 'normal' and pushed me to observe, to step out of my comfort zone, to try new things, and take every opportunity offered to me. I also gained an appreciation for the international community where I live in the USA. I now seek out opportunities to befriend people from other countries and cultures, and even now I continue to enjoy a diverse group of friends.
Multimedia
First Rotary Report | |
File Size: | 29 kb |
File Type: | doc |
Article for Rotary NorWest | |
File Size: | 22 kb |
File Type: | doc |