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Rotary Grants available for university teachers and students

By Beacon Staff

In my role as the current President of the Rotary Club of Columbia Falls, lots of Rotary stuff slides across my desk (or email). Rarely is any of it of interest to everyone outside of the Rotary Club. Once in a while, a huge opportunity pops up that someone from Columbia Falls can take advantage of and this is one of those times. We’d love to see a C-Falls teacher or student (university-level in both cases) get to take advantage of one of these opportunities. Everything I’ve heard about them from participants centers around “life-changing”.

Montana university teachers and students have a unique opportunity for international scholarships, but the deadlines are SOON – August 31, 2007.

The Rotary Clubs of Montana offer access to international teaching and cultural programs, described below.

DONT dawdle, these programs all have Aug 31, 2007 deadlines.

The Rotary Foundation is currently the world’s largest, private sponsor of university-level international scholarships.

Rotary Grants for University Teachers

The objectives of the Rotary Grants for University Teachers program are to:
. Build understanding while strengthening higher education in low-income countries
. Promote the exchange of teaching methods and ideas between teachers at grant recipients’ home and host institutions
. Advance development in low-income countries through sponsor¬ing educators to teach subjects of practical benefit to the host country
The program blends two of The Rotary Foundation’s most im¬portant emphases: education and volunteer service. Teachers are expected to be outstanding ambassadors of goodwill to the people of their host and home countries through appearances before Rotary clubs and districts. At the conclusion of the teaching period, grant recipients share their experiences with the people of their home countries and with the local Rotarians who sponsored their award.
The Rotary Clubs of Montana have elected to sponsor and award a grant of US$12,500 for 3-5 months of service. Grants are awarded to higher education faculty to teach in low-income countries (other than their own). Low-income countries are defined as having a per capita GNP of $6,200 or less. A list of these countries is posted on the RI Web site at www.rotary.org.
ELIGIBILITY
. Applicants must hold (or if retired, have held) a full-time college or university appointment for three or more years, but need not hold (or have held) a specific rank.
. The subject(s) taught must have practical use to the host country.
. The applicant’s home and host countries must contain at least one Rotary club.
. The proposed host institution must be located in a low-income country.
. Applicants must be proficient in the language of their prospec¬tive host country.
. Applicants may be either Rotarians or non-Rotarians.
Application must be made through a local Rotary club in the area of the applicant’s legal or permanent residence, or place of full-time employment. Club-endorsed candidates will compete at the district level.
APPLICATION DEADLINES
The deadline for applications to be received from the clubs to the district is August 31. The approved and selected applications have to be in to Rotary International by
October 1. A recipient intending to teach abroad sometime after 1 July 2008 but before 30 June 2009 would need to apply in 2007. More information may be found at www.rotary.org or by contacting Dr. Clyde Neu, 5756 Prospect Drive, Missoula, MT 59808 or e-mail [email protected].

Cultural Ambassadorial Scholarships

Ambassadorial Scholarships support approximately 800 students studying abroad annually and introduce scholars to the cultures of over 70 different countries. They have created a worldwide network of over 37,000 alumni and have empowered students to improve international understanding for over half a century.

Rotary Clubs in Montana will award one Cultural Ambassadorial Scholarship of US$10,000 awarded for three months of intensive language study and cultural immersion abroad. The three-month scholarship is most appropriate for studying a foreign language in which the applicant may already be somewhat proficient. Funding is intended to defray costs associated with round-trip transportation, tuition and fees for language training, and homestay expenses. Scholars will stay with local families when possible.

The Ambassadorial Scholarships program supports the vision of The Rotary Foundation to enable Rotarians to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace by:
. Increasing awareness of and respect for cultural differences by sending ambassadors of goodwill to study in another country
. Instilling in scholars the Rotary ideal of Service Above Self through active participation in Rotary service projects
. Encouraging scholars to dedicate their personal and professional lives to improving the quality of life for the people of their home communities and countries
. Developing leaders who can address the humanitarian needs of the world community
. Impacting all areas of the world through a balanced geographi¬cal distribution of scholars
. Encouraging Rotarians worldwide to increase the educational opportunities for scholars from low-income countries
. Fostering a lifelong association between Rotary and its scholars
During the study period, scholars are expected to be outstanding ambassadors of goodwill to the people of the host country through appearances before Rotary clubs and districts, schools, civic organizations, and other forums. After study has been completed, scholars share their experiences with the people of their home countries and Rotarians who sponsored their scholarship.

GENERAL ELIGIBILITY
Applicants must have completed at least two years of university or college course work, or must have a secondary school education and have been employed in a recognized vocation for at least two years when the scholarship begins. All applicants must be citizens of a country in which there is a Rotary club. Applicants must ini¬tially apply through a Rotary club located in the area of their legal or permanent residence, or place of full-time study or employ¬ment. Persons with disabilities and members of Rotaract clubs are eligible and encouraged to apply.
The following persons are ineligible for any Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholarship:
A Rotarian; an honorary Rotarian; an employee of a club, district, or other Rotary entity or of Rotary International; a spouse, lineal descendant (child or grandchild), a spouse of a lineal descendant, or an ancestor (parent or grandparent) of any living person in the foregoing categories.

APPLICATION PROCEDURES
Applicants must contact a local Rotary club to sponsor their application. Club-endorsed candidates will compete at the district level, and district-endorsed applications will be forwarded to the Foundation for Trustee approval and study institution assignment. Applications sent directly to the Foundation without club and district endorsements will not be considered.
APPLICATION DEADLINES
The deadline for applications to be received from the clubs to the district is August 31. The approved and selected applications have to be in to Rotary International by
October 1. A recipient intending to travel abroad sometime after 1 July 2008 but before 30 June 2009 would need to apply in 2007. More information may be found at www.rotary.org or by contacting Dr. Clyde Neu, 5756 Prospect Drive, Missoula, MT 59808 or e-mail [email protected].

For more info, visit us at www.rotary.org or e-mail [email protected]