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District 5300 and the Ambassadorial Scholarship Program
About the Ambassadorial Scholarship Program_
Calendar
District 5300 Ambassadorial Scholar Selection Committee
District 5300 Outgoing Ambassadorial Scholars (2007-2008)
District 5300 Outgoing Ambassadorial Scholars (2008-2009)
Incoming Ambassadorial Scholars (2008-2009)
District 5300 Outgoing Ambassadorial Scholars, (2009-2010)
Assembly Presentation by Christine Carroll Ambassadorial Scholars Program

For information about the program, please see Rotary International’s information page: http://www.rotary.org/en/StudentsAndYouth/EducationalPrograms/AmbassadorialScholarships/Pages/About.aspx.  District 5300 offers only the “Academic Year Ambassadorial Scholarship” (a single year of scholarship). Notwithstanding different amounts stated in different places on the Rotary International website, the scholarship for 2011-2012 will be a flat grant amount of US$26,000 or its equivalent.

Late Breaking News:

Scholars and Sponsors - as you finalize your application, please re-check this web-page frequently. We promise to make no substantive changes after March 15, 2010. Any changes after November 30, 2009 and prior to March 15, 2010 will be posted in these first few paragraphs.

In addition to Rotary International application requirements, District 5300 requires:

Please submit 12 (yes, twelve) copies of your complete application. Please DO NOT bind nor staple, other than one binder clip per copy. Please do NOT copy nor include the following pages - 1, 2, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20. The applicant and sponsor club are responsible for completing, compiling, collating, and transmitting the 12 sets to:

Chris Carroll, District 5300 Ambassadorial Scholarship Chair
P.O. Box 62070
Boulder City, NV 89006-2070
Ph: 702-524-3314

The submittal deadline is: 5:00 p.m., Monday, March 30, 2010. Application packet must be received by the chair by 5:00 p.m. Friday, April 2, 2010. If necessary, materials may be delivered by UPS or FedEx to Chris Carroll, 700 Wyoming Street, Boulder City, NV 89005.

The committee welcomes separately typed answers for Section II (on pages 8-9 and 10-11), with reference in the typing to each question being answered and inserted in the application behind the appropriate page. BUT, this is not required - the recommenders are offered the opportunity to type rather than write.

Do not bring any additional handout material to the interview. The committee will only consider your application and your personal appearance.

Dress as you plan to dress for your Ambassadorial Rotary Club appearances abroad.

Candidate’s home address vs. Sponsor Club location: The District prefers candidates who will likely return to the District after completion of the year abroad, hopefully to become District 5300 Rotaractors or Rotarians. The candidate's address need not match the sponsor club location - we only want to know that the Sponsor Club and Sponsoring individual are enthusiastic about the candidate and will do all possible to maintain contact with the candidate after the Ambassadorial Scholar years have passed.

District 5300 Requirement: Include a one page budget:
The Scholars are essentially receiving a "flat grant" (payment terms are described in the Rotary International pages) of $26,000 for the academic year 2011-2012. The committee would like to know (the "detailed statement of intent" essay is a great place to explain) the Scholar's plans for the funds. No surprise, in past years, scholars with well-thought and plausible service projects/goals have risen to the top of the selection list. The scholar should also include a one page budget. Label it "Budget" and place it as the last page of the application package. Base the budget on the scholar's first choice of school. It should include broad categories, such as: tuition, monthly living expense estimate, housing expense estimate, travel costs estimate, dollar exchange rate allowances, service project estimate, etc. If the total of expenses exceeds $26,000, please add a note explaining the resource(s) planned to make up the difference.

Tentative Interview Date: The date and location have yet to be confirmed as of this writing, but it is anticipated that the interview committee will convene Saturday, April 24, 2010 in Arcadia . Should we have a sufficient quantity of applicants, we will also interview on Friday, April 23, 2010. Once the date is set, it is not flexible.. The applicant must be available for personal interview on one of those two dates. If the applicant is unable to appear for the interview, the applicant will not be considered for the scholarship.

District 5300 will allow videoconference interviews for applicants who cannot appear in person due to extremely extenuating circumstances, such as being out of the country studying abroad. The District and committee have established rules for the videoconference eligibility and execution, the rules are available upon request by email to the District Ambassadorial Scholar Chair, Chris Carroll, carroll.chris8@gmail.com. The videoconference interviews will be held on April 24 with the full committee's participation, videoconference interviews are not available on any days other than April 24. The sponsoring club is responsible for all costs of the videoconference, including the costs of the technical support representative from our hosting interview location.

The Selection Committee sets aside 30 minutes for each interview, and uses the last five minutes of the interview to make notes regarding the applicant’s performance. Therefore, concise responses to questions are appreciated, during the interview err on the side of brevity. Several of the interview questions are based on information contained in the Application. The number of candidates who will be interviewed for Ambassadorial Scholarships will be limited to the quantity the committee feels appropriate for not more than two days of interviews. If too many applications are received they will be pre-screened to select the applicants that will be interviewed.

About the Ambassadorial Scholarship Program

Please see Rotary International’s information page: http://www.rotary.org/en/StudentsAndYouth/EducationalPrograms/AmbassadorialScholarships/Pages/About.aspx

District 5300 offers only the “Academic Year Ambassadorial Scholarship” (a single year of scholarship). Notwithstanding different amounts stated in different places on the Rotary International website, the scholarship for 2011-2012 will be a flat grant amount of US$26,000 or its equivalent.

The Rotary Foundation's oldest program is Ambassadorial Scholarships. Since 1947, nearly 37,000 men and women from 100 nations have studied abroad under its auspices. Today it is the world's largest privately funded international scholarships program. Nearly 900 scholarships were awarded for study last year. The purpose of the Ambassadorial Scholarships program is to further international understanding and friendly relations among people of different countries. The program sponsors several types of scholarships for undergraduate and graduate students as well as for qualified professionals pursuing vocational studies. While abroad, scholars serve as ambassadors of goodwill to the people of the host country and give presentations about their homelands to Rotary clubs and other groups. Upon returning home, scholars share with Rotarians and others, the experiences that led to greater understanding of their host countries.

Each year the Rotary Scholar Selection Committee looks forward to interviewing another group of outstanding Ambassadorial Scholar applicants. Our applicants represent excellence in character, public service, familiarity with Rotary, and academics. The Committee encourages all clubs in the District to sponsor applicants to compete for the scholarships available each year. Our District Designated Funds and Strategic Planning Committee determine the number of scholarships available each year. Years past have had as many as seven available scholarships. After committee interviews and selection, Rotary International assigns successful applicants to one of the five study institutions listed in their applications. Scholars are assigned to their first choice institution whenever possible.

Applications for the "Class of 2011-2012" are available from Rotary International, click: http://www.rotary.org/RIdocuments/en_pdf/139en.pdf 

Applicants Need A Rotary Club Sponsor: A person considering applying for a Scholarship through District 5300 will need to be sponsored by a District 5300 Rotary Club. Sponsoring clubs assign a Rotarian to assist the applicant throughout the application process. See the District 5300 Rotary Club Information page for information on how to contact a local Club. If you are unable to contact your local Club, please contact one of the Committee Members listed below. While Committee Members will provide general information on the Scholar Program, please discuss any questions related to completing the application with your Club Sponsor.

A Club can sponsor a maximum of two applicants each year.

The Selection Committee has found that applicants that are not at least university juniors when they apply have a difficult time competing with the other applicants. Much of the disadvantage results from (1) not having had sufficient time to demonstrate a commitment to Rotary’s humanitarian goals, and (2) having one less year of community service than the other applicants. Stated another way, another year of life experience is a significant benefit this early in an applicant’s life.   Candidates who have completed their baccalaureate degree are also encouraged to apply.

A frequently asked question is: “If a club sponsors an Ambassadorial Scholar applicant, and the applicant is selected, how can the Club pay for the $26,000 scholarship?” There is no direct cost to clubs for participating in the Scholar Program. Scholarships are funded through the Rotary Foundation. A portion of the contributions of all Rotarians to the Foundation are allocated to the Scholar Program.

Role of Sponsor Counselor. The president of the sponsor club must appoint a Rotarian sponsor counselor for each principal candidate and note that appointment on the candidate’s scholarship application form. The sponsor counselor should:

a. Contact the scholar and arrange a personal meeting.

b. Ensure that the scholar has good knowledge of Rotary as an organization, Rotary Foundation objectives, and his / her responsibilities as a scholar and ambassador of goodwill.

c. Attend district or multidistrict orientation with the scholar.

d. Arrange for the scholar’s attendance at local club meetings and district functions.

e. Review the financial aspects of the scholarship award so the scholar understands the Foundation’s funding policies.

f. Help the scholar contact his / her host counselor to become acquainted, and write to both the scholar and host counselor during the scholarship.

Availability Of Program Information: If you would like additional information explaining the Scholar Program or to arrange for a speaker on the Scholar Program please contact the Chair of the Selection Committee or any other Committee Member. .

The RI Web Site at http://www.rotary.org/en/StudentsAndYouth/EducationalPrograms/AmbassadorialScholarships/Pages/ridefault.aspx  contains substantial information on the Ambassadorial Scholar Program (Rotary International Ambassadorial Scholarship Web Page).

Calendar
2011/2012 Outbound Scholars (Current Application Cycle)
2009/2010; Study Year Starts July 2011

 District 5300 Ambassadorial Scholar Selection Committee

District 5300 Outgoing Ambassadorial Scholars (2007-08)

	Christina DesVaux Biography Email: cdesvaux@gmail.com Host Club: Rotary Club of Montevideo, Uruguay (District 4980) Study Institution: Universidad de Montevideo Study Field: Independent Research, "Gender, Equity, and Fair Trade Sponsor Club: Las Vegas, Nevada Sponsor Counselor: Karen Whisenhunt Phone: 702-362-8245 Email: kwhis@cox.net Christina's Blog I write from Rio de Janeiro--the "City of God"--where I am visiting with two fellow Ambassadorial Scholars (one is on vacation and the other is studying here in Rio). Each of us has marveled at how incredible it is that we are together here Brazil, so far from our respective homes (Las Vegas, Chicago, and Georgia), after having met for just two days at our Rotary Scholar Orientation in Pittsburgh. That was May and this is February, and tonight we will dance the samba with thousands of Cariocas--the name for people of Rio--and thousands of others from around the globe. Last night we cheered with thousands of futbol fans and sprinted for a seat in Macarena, the world's largest soccer stadium, not even full with close to 100,000 spectators. As we ran for the gates we spotted a Rotary wheel statue outside of the stadium's entrance, and we agreed that it was a perfect illustration for Rotary: Rotary is community and it is global. Near and far, its presence is felt. I applied for the Rotary Scholarship believing it to be a perfect complement to my studies of International Relations. Though I had taken courses on political theory and Latin American economies, my education seemed incomplete without a prolonged experience abroad. What's more, I wanted to truly be a part of the community I would live in. Having access to the Rotary community, both in my sending and receiving Districts, makes it possible to lead a uniquely integrated life while living and studying abroad. Surely no Rotary scholar can say they are rootless, as Rotary's roots and branches stem far and wide. Though I applied to my scholarship nearly 2 years ago, sitting on the edge of beginning my scholarship in Montevideo, Uruguay next week, I can assure you that it will be well worth the wait. I will be studying at the University of Montevideo, under two tutors in the School of Business. I will be conducting independent research regarding Female Artisan Cooperatives, Fair Trade, and Gender Equity. I am looking forward to opportunities to meet with artisans and possibly administer a micro-loan program. I will start a blog soon to keep individuals updated on my travels (and avoid lengthy mass-emails). I am very much looking forward to the vast experiences that surely will be gained through my time in Uruguay.
	Amanda Zeidan Email: mailto:zeidanamanda@gmail.com Host Club: Istanbul, Turkey, District 2420 Study Institution: Bogazici University Study Field: Political Science (Diplomacy) Sponsor Club: Green Valley (Henderson), Nevada Sponsor Counselor: Jim Frey Email: jhfrey99@hotmail.com   Phone: 702-458-7493 April, 2009 Dear Rotarians: It has been one heck of a year and I am happy to proudly wear the badge of “Rotary Alumni”! From Turkey, to Egypt and Lebanon I look forward to bringing back flags from various Rotary Clubs I have visited with. Thank you all for a year of service, language learning, friendships and life lessons. I end this year with high hopes for the Matching Grant project forged between District 5300 of Nevada/California and District 2420 of Istanbul, Turkey. If I can pass along any advice to future scholars it is this: become involved in Rotary Life during the year and do your best to build a friendship between the two countries through service! The rewards are unquantifiable and you will walk away with life-long friendships. It is a great pleasure to leave this year with the Las Vegas Rotaract Club (thanks to the support of Amanda Hurst and Karen Wisenhunt) and Istanbul Rotaract Club signing a “twin joint agreement”. I am sure with the leadership of Candas and Amanda a friendship in service will be created. Fellowship, service, and international understanding--the core foundations of Rotary-- have allowed me to not only be optimistic about the future, but the year has shaped my career path and way of living for the future. I hope to come full circle in my relationship with Rotary and hopefully down the line return the generosity by helping to fund a Rotary scholar. Looking forward to seeing the GSE team from District 5300 before my departure in May! Kind Regards, Amanda Zeidan, Green Valley Rotary Club Starting the trail for the Lycean Way in Antalya, Turkey. The Look out point (sponsored by Rotary) and the view-..if that doesn't motivate you to visit I don't know what will =)
	Catherine ‘Cate’ Powell Email: createtheconnection@yahoo.com Host Club: Hyderabad, India (District 3150) Study Institution: Henry Martyn Institute Study Field: Comparative Religion  Sponsor Club: Claremont Sunrise, California Sponsor Counselor: Patricia Dillon Email: patricia.dillon@scrippscollege.edu Phone:  (909) 621-9731 March, 2009 Hello Rotary Friends, I have been charting my course in the last six months and it has really paid off! I have been accepted in to the MS program in International Affairs at GA Tech. (thank you Pat and others for your networking). My India project is gaining more and more momentum as I am still planning a group trip back to India this summer and I have recently launched an online shop: www.popjewelrycollective.com The best way to support this project is to go to the website and buy the hand-crafted jewelry. In continuing my involvement with Georgia Rotary I will be giving presentations at the North Fulton club on March 17th and in White County on March 10th. I love connecting with clubs and giving presentations, pass this message on or let me know if there are any other clubs who would like to sign me up for a speaking engagement. I would also like to be involved with the GSE program. Your support means so much to me. All the best in Rotary, Cate More about Cate.... A Few Months in the Life of Cate Cate's Service Project (1/28/08)

District 5300 Outgoing Ambassadorial Scholars, (2008-2009)

	Alina Shaw [Medellin,Columbia] www.alinacolombia.blogspot.com Email: alina.shaw@gmail.com Host Club: not yet assigned, District 4690 Study Institution: Universidad Andina Simon Bolivar - Sucre, Bolivia Study Field: Latin American Studies and Hispanic Studies Sponsor Club: Claremont Sunrise Rotary Sponsor Counselor: Patricia Dillon Email: pdillon@scrippscollege.edu As the holiday season draws to its exciting climax, we all find ourselves with too little time to give out to our loved ones and too much to eat. Because I know that it is difficult for everyone to keep up with my blog (alinacolombia.blogspot.com), I thought I would send out a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar mid-year update and seasons greetings in one, hopefully concise email. Holiday cheer has been permeating the streets and homes here in Medellin since mid-October, and I must say that the city puts on its best face for Christmas. Medellin is known for their 'alumbrados', or Christmas lights, that are designed and installed every year by EPM, a huge public services company. An entire 5 km span of the river banks is lined with 20-foot walls of scenery made out of moving lights; covering earth, wind, water, and fire. The main streets in the center are lit up with the same motifs, and of course each household or apartment complex adds their own rhythm and color to the nocturnal festivities. It is by far the most magnificent and beautiful display of artificial light I have ever seen. Christmas here emphasizes a more communal holiday meant to bring families together with loads of gatherings, celebrations of the religious holiday in strict Catholic fashion, and continual partying--a nice respite from the dominating materialism that permeates Christmas in the US. Although I did decide to stay in Colombia for the holidays to experience as much of the culture as possible, it is hard not to hear Christmas carols playing in English around town or feel that cold nip in the air (the overall temperature in Medellin hasn't changed since I arrived). It makes me realize that the way I gauge the coming and going of time is by distinct markers in my year cut out by family traditions and seasons. Luckily I have good friends here who not only include me in the Colombian Christmas activities but explain them to me so as to maximize my overall appreciation This, combined with the excitement of traveling around during my month-long school break with my boyfriend and grandparents who are coming to visit, makes being far from 'home' all the more easy. I am also ready for some time to myself and time to rest. The past five months have been packed with visiting over 10 different Rotary clubs in my host district, participating in their events, diving into my research and volunteer projects, and of course, being extremely social. The Rotarians here have turned out to be some of the most lively, hilarious, welcoming, supportive, and engaging people I have ever met. Through them I have had the opportunity to participate in a wide range of activities from conducting free eye examinations in impoverished areas of the city to a community police force induction ceremony. My involvement in the Facultad de Salud Publica at the Universidad de Antioquia has allowed me to gain amazing experiences in the field of public health. I attend fascinating international health conferences held at the university, assist in a community leader capacitation program, and go out on health assessment visits to different neighborhoods. The university has also offered an incredible support network though which to start my research: the effects of market forces (as a result of the social health system) on access to maternal health care. Along with several research professionals, I am conducting interviews of nurses, doctors, directors of prevention and promotions programs, as well as pregnant women themselves, in clinics and hospitals around the city. It is giving me more insight into the strengths and faults of the Colombian health system than I have into that of my own country, and shows the range of quality of health care offered around Medellin. Individually, I am also looking at the cultural/environmental causes and effects of the extremely high teen pregnancy rates, but am so overwhelmed by the data I am collecting that I cannot even start to analyze it yet. With the collaboration of some of the health care professionals I am meeting, I have been developing sexual and reproductive health education material to be taught in the areas of Medellin where there are the lowest levels of education and thus highest levels of health risks. Needless to say, I am loving doing this sort of work, and it has confirmed my interest in pursuing public health and medical anthropology as a career. If you want to learn more, I suggest that you visit my blog to get more information about everything in which I have been involved and my daily contemplations since it is impossible to capture my high, low, and steady points since moving to Colombia. I will now let you return to your cozy fires and cups of hot cocoa while I sit in a summer dress listening to the ceaseless salsa music playing outside my window. But know that I am thinking of you and sending the warmest of wishes for Happy Holidays and a Prosperous New Year! Abrazos
	Jesse Last http://laluzdeamerica.blogspot.com Email: jesselast@gmail.com Host Club: Not yet assigned, District 4400 Study Institution: Universidad Andina Simon Bolivar - Quito, Ecuador Study Field: International Relations Sponsor Club: Claremont, CA Sponsor Counselor: David Edwards Email: Lberted@aol.com \ March, 2009 Qué tal todos, Carnaval is a Brazilian celebration, a week of masks and mayhem, right? Wrong. Or wrong in that it is only a Brazilian celebration – I think the rest is probably true. Being a very Catholic country, Ecuador also celebrates the holiday, albeit in a slightly-toned down manner. With Monday and Tuesday off, a group of University friends and I left for Baños – a town south of Quito – for an extended weekend. I had visited once before, but was utterly unprepared for the events this time through. There were parades with dozens of dances performed by folks aged 4 to 104. There were solemn processions of the Virgin Mary through the town with people crowding to touch the Virgin’s dress for good luck. And, most importantly of all, there was espuma. Espuma is basically colored shaving cream that when shaken shoots out from its bottle at dangerous velocities. Moreover, it has an automatic homing mechanism that aims for the eyes of gringos. Or it may be the locals with the homing mechanisms. Regardless, everywhere I walked I heard the warning cry of “¡Gringo!” or roughly translated, “Look, an easy American target that I can shoot with espuma and then laugh at with my friends!” followed seconds later by a stream of foam. I don’t mean to give a negative impression however. The truth is that it was all in good fun, and that five-year old girl who tapped me on the back and then shot me point blank in the eye – nothing but love. Also, I must also admit that I was far from an innocent civilian. I’m pretty sure I went through over a dozen bottles of this foamy joy during my vacation…and you should have seen how that five year-old who started it ended up. Besides picking on small children to improve the reputation of the US, I have served more seriously in my role of Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar through the local Rotary Clubs. Several weeks ago a fellow scholar and I went to Guayaquil, Ecuador’s largest city near the coast. We gave presentations on the United States and our experiences in Ecuador, and were treated to an awesome weekend in the beach town of Salinas. A week before that, I helped the local Rotaract (Rotary for under-thirty year-olds) organize a country-wide conference. As always, I was deeply impressed by the warmth and goodwill of the people I met – as previously generalized, Ecuadorians are very kind and generous. During my last email I tentatively offered some more serious reflections on my experience, and oddly enough, received positive feedback! So, in the spirit of cultural exchange, I have decided to share a few more “deep thoughts.” Feel free to skip to the “Que les vaya bien, Jesse” at the bottom of the email if you feel the need. People here share. Food, sodas, even money. I cannot claim to know where this attitude comes from, but it never ceases to impress me. When I sat down in the dorm kitchen the other night while my friends ate, they would not stop offering food until I partook, despite my very full stomach. Enjoying something that somebody else does not have makes people here very uncomfortable. The only negative in this wonderful tradition is that when one person in the dorm gets sick, everyone does. People here celebrate. Birthdays are a very big deal. Fútbol games are reasons for professors to cancel class. If one can come up with a half or even quarter-decent reason to honor someone or something, chances are a celebration – with plenty of music and dancing – can be arranged. People here give and receive nicknames. I suppose this is not so different from the US, except that many of the nicknames here would be considered pretty offensive in the states. For example “gordita,” (“little fat one”), “flaco” (“skinny one”), and “blancito” (“little white one”) are all perfectly acceptable ways of addressing or referring to someone. The appropriateness is probably tied to the fact that there is less obsession with body image in Ecuador, although this is not true of all of Latin America. People here are mixed on the US. As I mentioned in a previous email, the election of Obama was greeted with excitement. His biracial background, promise to close Guantanamo and to end the War in Iraq were all welcomed. Nonetheless, a history of US involvement in the region – oftentimes unasked for – as well as economic policies imposed by the International Monetary Fund and associated with the US have created an unfortunate degree of distrust and even resentment. Fortunately, when I find this attitude, it is nearly always directed at the government and not at me as an individual. People here care about one another. I know – it sounds like a Mr. Rogers bit. It is true anyway. Two weeks ago a friend got very bad food poisoning and I took her to the hospital. When I came back that evening, two girls met me in the lobby. When I told them where I had been, they wanted to know why I had not called them. “Because,” I explained matter-of-factly, “we had things under control.” One girl turned red and looked away. The other explained that culturally, it was not about if things were under control or we needed help. It is simply about letting others know so they can do whatever they can to help. People here do not plan excessively. In fact, often times they do not plan at all. This can be either a good thing or a bad thing depending on one’s personality and/or situation. If you are Type A and expecting folks to show up on time, expect to lose your mind within a week. If you are Type B and interested in enjoying whatever comes your way, this is your paradise. For me, it has been a good training in relaxing some. And, I think I’m going bald. I don’t know if the two are related. ¡Que les vaya bien!   Jesse Ecuador in Photos Feb 15, 2007 by Jesse Last View Album Play slideshow
	Becky McKibben Email: Rebeccah.McKibben@pomona.edu Host Club: not yet assigned, District 9100 Study Institution: University of Ghana - Accra, Ghana Study Field: Public Health Sponsor Club: Rancho Cucamonga Noon Sponsor Counselor: Clemen Sandoval Email: clemen@aol.com I would like to begin by first stating how happy I am in Ghana. With few exceptions, the adaptation process has gone incredibly smoothly and I feel almost completely at home here. I could not be happier in my choice of country, and I am overjoyed that I will have the opportunity to spend one whole year here. I am enrolled in the Masters of Public Health program, at the School of Public Health, University of Ghana. This is a one-year program, with intensive class work, followed by fieldwork and my dissertation. While I am part of the Population, Family, and Reproductive Health (PFRH) Department, I have yet to begin studying this discipline thoroughly. Fall semester is devoted to core courses, including such classes as Introduction to Epidemiology and Biostatistics, that will give all MPH students a base for the field of public health and aid us in researching and writing our dissertations. During the spring, we focus on our specific departments, in my case the PFRH Department, through elective courses. This is followed by individual research in the field and composing our dissertations. I have begun thinking about possible dissertation topics, and while I do not need to finalize my topic until the end of October, I believe I will focus on HIV mother-to-child transmission. While I have loved living in Ghana so far, adjusting to school was not the easiest transition. I was not accepted until late summer because the admissions department in the School of Public Health had misplaced my application. When they did accept me, they forgot to send me the handbook, which includes the curriculum, academic calendar, and overview of the MPH program. Furthermore, the website has not been updated recently and contains scarce information about the program. Due to these factors, I did not know much about the MPH program until 70% of my tuition was paid and I was sitting in class on the first day of school. I had not realized previously how intensive class-time would be. For the first semester, I attend courses from 8:30-5 every day, with two breaks at mid-morning and lunch. While spring semester is less rigorous in terms of class-time, the initial intensity of the course load shocked me and made me apprehensive about the program. Furthermore, the teaching style differs from what I am used to in the United States, which I expected, but nevertheless took some time to understand. I had imagined my time in Ghana as much more focused on fieldwork, which does not truly occur until late spring. The School of Public Health has been incredibly supportive. The professors, including the dean, make a point to ask how I am doing with my studies and how I am faring in Ghana. Furthermore, my department has assigned me a mentor, who has been incredibly supportive and helpful. I have been feeling much better and more excited about my coursework. Despite many concrete preparations before coming to Ghana, I felt as if I met the challenges of living and studying in Ghana fairly well. I think the best preparation I had was my trip to India. Mentally, knowing what to expect in terms of such things as language barriers and dealing with people who handle problems in different ways than most Americans, allowed me to take setbacks in stride and with patience. While I did get frustrated many times with the pace of life here, I expected as much, which allowed me to handle it better I believe. So far, my involvement with Rotary has been mainly confined to Rotary meetings. I have been to a few meetings of my host club, as well as a Rotaract meeting on campus. I have begun to make contacts with Rotary and Rotaract members, which I will hope will develop into friendships. I view forming connections with others as one of the primary functions of being an “ambassador of goodwill,” so this has been one of my main focuses since I have been here. In terms of Rotary activities, though, I would like to become more involved. I know that my host club does a few medical outreach programs every year, and I have informed them I would like to help with those. Furthermore, the annual polio campaign takes place in a few weeks, and I plan on involving myself with that. While my life in Ghana is still forming, I could not be happier so far. I love the people I have come to know; I am now happy in my study program and am learning about a subject that fascinates me. I pinch myself every time I realize that I have the opportunity to live in Ghana. It is truly a joyous and ultimately exciting experience that I am treasuring.
	Annelise Cohon [Haifa, Israel] http://www.guesswhereiamtoday.blogspot.com/ Email: acohon@gmail.com Host Club: not yet assigned, District 2490 Study Field: Peace Education Study Institution: University of Haifa - Haifa, Israel Sponsor Club: The Claremont Rotary Club Sponsor Counselor: Randy Prout Sponsor email: randy@rprout.net I have to say that this year, I really feel extremely thankful for so many wonderful things, people, and new experiences in my life. Being away from your family and friends, on such an important holiday as thanksgiving, is hard enough, but knowing that I have so many wonderful people here in Israel that take care and look after me, makes being away a little bit easier. My thanksgiving this year was a bit nontraditional, as it lacked DC Comics, the Levitz Family, Jasmine Lin, random diner adventures around NY/NJ with my friends, and of course Thanksgiving dinner with my family and my grandmother’s amazing cooking! I think I was in denial for most of the week, and probably won’t recognize the fact that Thanksgiving really happened until Christmas. Being in Israel for over 5 months now, I realize how much has changed in my life, and how many new experiences I have had. I remember first arriving in July and thinking I am never going to be able to understand Hebrew or what the hell is written on any of these signs. I also remember my first time eating Falafel, and realizing how the food capital of the world might not be in Parma, but instead in Haifa. I remember spending Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and Succot with my friend Yamit’s family, and even attending a Druze wedding with my friend Maaly. A lot has happened since July, and none of it would have been possible without the kindness that strangers, who are now family, have shown me. This thanksgiving I truly feel blessed! To anyone who has ever wondered where Santa really lives don’t be fooled, the North Pole is just a cover, I mean honestly who really wants to live all year round in sub zero temperatures… I have documented Santa’s elves, workshop, and other incriminating pieces of evidence containing holiday cheer in Israel! I am going to be in Jerusalem seeing a famous Israeli writer, Etgar Keret, who writes short stories and in Haifa. I am also preparing for my friend Katie to come on December 30th, as well as Chanukah and Christmas! Here in Haifa, they have a Holiday of Holidays party every Saturday in Wadi Nis Nas, the Christian and Muslim Quarter that celebrates all of the world holidays. Haifa is a truly amazing city that hosts people from every race, ethnicity, religion, and socio-economic background. As classes are winding down, I am looking forward to traveling with Katie, Kerstin, and my friend Lindsay in January! Don't forget if you want to come visit let me know! My friend Anjali just bought her ticket to come in April and I am trying to convince my dad to come sometimes around Passover. I hope you all know that I have a little menorah and Christmas tree in my room that makes me feel home away from home. This year will be the first year I have not gone home for Thanksgiving or Christmas I think ever, and I don’t know what I am going to do without my wonderful Eggnog and family of course. I am trying to find a low-fat recipe to make to drown my sorrows!
	Lindsay Slote [Pune, India] http://lindsayslote.blogspot.com/ Email: lindsay.slote@gmail.com Host Club: Not yet assigned, District 3140 Study Institution: University of Mumbai in Mumbai, India Study Field: Economic Development and Microfinance Sponsor Club: Claremont Sunrise, CA Sponsor Counselor: Rich Phillips Email: joannrich@earthlink.net Hope this email finds you well!  My time here in India is FLYING by - I really can't believe how soon it will all be wrapping up!  Before I go, there's lots more to be done - Rotaract activities, Rotary speeches, classes to finish, and travel plans at the end (to the Himalayas!).  Megan (the other Ambassadorial Scholar here, from Ohio) and I recently represented the USA in an international food festival on campus, which was great fun and raised some money for our Rotaract Club.  Though the Indian students obviously couldn't eat our hamburgers, other students snapped them up, and people were curious about the PB&J sandwiches... I think our stall was the first to run out of food!   I want to get the ball rolling on deciding when I should visit my sponsoring club (and others in District 5300). I can safely say the talks will be a lot better than the ones I gave when I was leaving!  I'm attaching a couple of new pics - one is the print version of the TV ad I did for Indian tourism with the Bollywood star Aamir Khan, and the other is a picture of our busy USA food stall. I think you can barely see me, talking to the Vice-Chancelor of the University. So many great memories!! Take care,  Lindsay

Incoming Ambassadorial Scholars (2008-2009)

Jung-Li Lee (Hope) Rotary Cultural Ambassadorial Scholar Rotary Club of Taoyuan, District 3500 Host Club, Las Vegas Host Club Counselor: Karen Whisenhunt ,kwhis@cox.net > My name is Jung-Li Lee. I came to Las Vegas in January 2009 on a Rotary International Cultural Ambassadorial Schlarship from Taoyuan, Taiwan. My sponsoring club is the Rotary Club of Taoyuan, District 3500. It was established in 1961. There are currently 68 members in the club. I joined Rotaract in 2006. Through Rotaract, I made many friends and did many activities. Moreover, I learned how to cooperate, communicate and enhanced my leadership skills. There are seven members in my family, my Father, Mother, two brothers, one sister, one dog and myself. I am the youngest in my family. I love people and animals, so I adopted the dog four years ago. I graduated from Kaohsiung Hospitality College, majoring in Airline Management and Finance Management. After four years of education, I went to work at HSBC Bank for three years. I am now on a leave of absence without pay while studying English in the United States. When I return home, I will continue my position as a manager of finance, special commissioner. I am studying English in Las Vegas for three months at CSN. I am hopeful to do something for Rotary during my three months and meet a lot of Rotarians. I hope by the end of March, I can let many people know the culture and customs of Taiwan. Finally, I wish to let people in my culture know about America, not only in Rotary but also with my relatatives, friends and acquaintances.

District 5300 Outgoing Ambassadorial Scholars, (2009-2010)

	Genna Beier EMail: geb02004@mymail.pomona.edu Host Club: Not yet assigned 1st Study Institution Choice: Universidad Catolica del Uruguay; Montevideo, Uruguay Study Field: Political Science Sponsor Club: Upland Sponsor Counselor: Linda Yao, lindasyao@gmail.com
	Hesham Elnagar: EMail: hhe2@nau.edu Host District: 9920 Host Club: Not yet assigned Destination: University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand Study Field: Educational Studies Sponsoring Club: Green Valley (Henderson) District 5300 Sponsor Counselor: Larry Bettis, LPBettis@cox.net Hesham will graduate from Northern Arizona University in May 2009 with a Bachelor of Arts with University Honors in Music and a minor in Mathematics. After such, he has the honor and privilege to serve the Rotary Club of Green Valley, District 5300, and the United States of America to District 9920 in New Zealand. During his anxious wait, he will be researching and developing presentations relating to his Honors Senior Thesis titled "Civic Engagement and Service-learning in American Higher Education." He will use this research to engage in educational and service related activities in hopes to introduce to various Rotary Clubs, communities, and students of all ages and backgrounds. While abroad, he will study education and work with organizations on community literacy and numeracy projects. Hesham's goals in life include performing at a level that helps others reach, obtain, and experience life with a greater sense of happiness. With that stated, he believes and has first handedly experienced the ideals Rotary International sets forth in making the world a stronger and happier place. He would like to thank all the friendly Rotarians he has met which have welcomed him to this amazing organization.
	Rachel McCullough EMail: rmccullo@scrippscollege.edu Host Club: Not yet assigned 1st Study Institution Choice: Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Peru; Lima, Peru Study Field: Public H ealth and Human Rights Sponsor Club: Claremont Sunrise Sponsor Counselor: Rich Phillips, joannrich@earthlink.net
	Leah Newman EMail: Leah_Newman@pitzer.edu Host Club: Not yet assigned 1st Study Institution Choice: University of Mauritius; Reduit, Mauritius;Africa Study Field: Economic Development Sponsor Club: Rancho Cucamonga Noon Sponsor Counselor: Charles Wright, cwright@partnervest.com
	Christine Shu EMail:  ceshu@colby.edu Host Club: Not yet assigned 1st Study Institution Choice: Kazakhastan Institute of Management, Economics and Strategic Research; Almaty, Almaty; Kazakhstan Study Field: International Relations Sponsor Club: San Marino Sponsor Counselor: Bill Payne, Bill.Payne@cbre.com Christie's Blog

This page was updated on 11/23/2009