So What is A Rotary Global Scholar?

Hello! My name is Katie Shepardson and I am a Rotary Global Scholar from La Crosse, Wisconsin. I have been asked to write a little piece on what exactly it means to be a Rotary Global Scholar and to explain the Global Grant in Development.

A Rotary Global Scholar is simply an individual who has been awarded a Global Grant in Development in order to pursue Graduate level education in a foreign country. The grants are administered at the district level in partnership with Rotary International and a host community. Part of being a Global Scholar is up-keeping a blog like this, participating in Rotary District Conferences, speaking at Rotary Meetings, and being involved in Rotary projects. Unlike high school exchange students, Rotary Global Scholars are assigned Host Counselors, rather than Host Families, and these individuals assist in the students move to their new countries. Global Scholars are expected to act with a considerable amount of autonomy and to be ambassadors for not only their origin and host districts but also their Universities.

Global Grants support large and small international activities in Rotary’s areas of focus. These areas of focus are Peace and Conflict Resolution, Disease Prevention and Treatment, Water and Sanitation, Maternal and Child Health, Basic Education and Literacy, and Economic and Community Development.

An applicant for a Global Grant must show that the grant will be used toward sustainable, measurable, community driven goals that align with one or more of the above areas of focus.

Global Grants are not just used for graduate level education but can also be used by districts as large scale projects that align again with the above areas of focus. Therefore, it is not surprising that the smallest Global Grant is $30,000.00 which is the most common for grants for Global Scholars and can reach even larger sums for large development projects.

In my case, I will be pursuing a Masters degree at the University of London SOAS which specializes in the geographic regions of Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. My Masters will be in Migration, Mobility, and Development of Human Populations in SOAS's Development Studies Department. As of right now my dissertation will most likely be on the impact of forced migration on family structures.

I also want to take a brief moment to thank everyone who helped me along this journey towards becoming a Global Scholar including my wonderful parents and younger sisters Emily and Clair, Shane Carlson, Bruce Swanwick, Lyn Kenney, the incredible faculty at the University of Wisconsin La Crosse for their unwavering support and encouragement and of course the force that showed me the way forward.

I am very blessed to have such an incredible origin club like La Crosse and to have been assigned to a host club with so much history like the Club of Putney.

If you would like further information on anything from above I have included links for information on Rotary's Global Grant, The University of London SOAS, The Downtown La Crosse Rotary Club, and the Club of Putney.

Global Grant Information:

https://my.rotary.org/en/take-action/apply-grants/global-grants

The University of London SOAS:

https://www.soas.ac.uk/

Rotary Club of La Crosse: http://www.rotarycluboflacrosse.org/

The Club of Putney:

http://www.putneyrotary.org.uk/

If you have any questions feel free to contact me with the contact form below or through Twitter or Instagram.

I'm excited to be starting this journey with you all and look forward to our adventures!

Chao!