R.I. Embassadorial Scholarships The Rotary Club of Scottsdale

NOW RECRUITING CANDIDATES.....

Ras Rowe and the District 5510 Ambassadorial Scholarship Committee are
requesting your help in promoting our scholarships among your club and your community. We will be interviewing for 2 available scholarships for the
2007-2008 academic year.

Academic-Year Ambassadorial Scholarships provide funding for one academic year of study in another country. This award is intended to help cover round-trip transportation, tuition, fees, room and board expenses, and some educational supplies up to $26,000 or its equivalent.

Application materials are available from Ras Rowe. Applicants should be
excellent scholars with at least a 3.0 GPA and proficiency in the foreign
language of their desired destination. They should also be a college junior,
senior, or recent graduate. Relatives of Rotarians are not eligible.
Applications should be submitted as soon as possible and are due no later than March 1.

Interested applicants can contact Ras directly for more information and to
receive application materials:

Ras Rowe
678 N Poplar Ct
Chandler AZ 85226

Email: errcyrano@cox.net
Telephone: 480-961-5988

THE AMBASSADORIAL SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM - Overview

The program was founded in 1947 and has sent 30,000 students from 100 nations to study. It is the largest privately funded international program of its kind in the world. The 2002-2003, 1000 student grants totaled $26 million. The purpose of the program is to further international understanding and friendly relations among people from different countries.

Candidates must be juniors or seniors in their universities and can not be sons or daughters of a Rotarian. Students with a broad liberal arts education and a second language are preferred. We are asking all members to help us identify candidates and promote this excellent Rotary International Program.

There are also numerous scholarships for undergraduates, grad students and qualified professionals pursuing vocational studies.

You can also find additional information and applications at: http://www.rotary.org/foundation/educational/amb_scho/prospect/index.html

Ambassadorial Scholar , Melainie Gentz had this to say:

The Rotary Foundation's oldest and best-known program is Ambassadorial Scholarships. Since 1947 more than 30,000 men and women from 100 nations have studied abroad under its auspices. Today it is the world's largest privately funded international scholarships program. More than 1,100 scholarships were awarded for study in 2002-03. Through grants totaling approximately US$26 million, recipients from some 69 countries studied in more than 64 nations. The purpose of the Ambassadorial Scholarships program is to further international understanding and friendly relations among people of different countries.

While in Australia, I attended Bond University, in the Gold Coast of Australia. Bond University is Australia’s the only private university. I continued my academic study of Business Marketing taking the following classes; Organizational Behavior, International Marketing, Finance, Public Relations, Media Relations, Philosophy of Religion, Dreamtime to Dust (about the indigenous spirit of Australia), and photography.

Bond University is extremely International, and I made friends from Sweden, Norway, Germany, France, Holland, Malaysia, India, England of course Australia, and all over America. While first semester I live with two Swedish girls, second semester I lived with a French girl and another American.

I gained a greater perspective of the world. I often like to use the analogy of the fact my life is a puzzle, I have had so many pieces laying there, and this experience allowed me to put so many of those pieces together. Many things that I knew started to make sense, and those silly things that I learned in third grade came into context. It was very empowering and rewarding. I learned so much about Australia, and its’ people, the culture. Moreover, I learned more about the American culture.

Rotary and Rotaract were a big part of my experience in Australia, as I participated in fundraising and education/awareness, as well as cleaning up Australia, and attending a leadership camp, and much more. I was immediately welcomed by the Rotary family, and gained many friends through Rotaract.

This experience has allowed me to gain a greater knowledge globally. I am currently working on my International Business Certificate and with this experience, much of the information can be tracked back to a specific experience, or I can relate to a friendship, in which I feel allows me to learn in the most productive way.

I have been involved with Arizona State Rotaract since the fall of 1998, and continue to be extremely active. We also have many goals and objectives in the near future, one being, starting other Rotaract clubs in the district.

I cannot thank Rotary enough for this experience. My sponsor district 5510, my host district 9640. WITHOUT ROTARY, I would have never had this opportunity and it has truly shaped me into who I am now. This experience has increased my knowledge and understanding of other cultures and international understanding.