Ambassadorial Scholars

Ambassadorial Scholarships has been Rotary Foundation's oldest and best-known programme. Founded in 1947, it was an international programme aimed at encouraging those who have just graduated to undertake an additional year of study abroad to further international understanding and friendly relations among people of different countries and geographical areas. Nearly 38,000 men and women from about 100 nations have studied abroad under its auspices and as such has attracted many students to Ireland. It was the world's largest privately funded international scholarship's programme. It is being replaced from July 2013 with Scholarship Grants (more here).

The Club has sent and hosted students on this Programme. During their time spent with us the Club welcomed the Scholar to our weekly meetings and events and they were active participants with Rotaract. They also spoke to other Rotary Clubs.

We would like to thank PP Bryan Johnston who is the Club's Host Counsellor to the Scholars who assisted them with day-to-day issues of adjusting to a new culture and society and also accompanied them on their round of talks to Rotary Clubs and the US Consul in Belfast.

The Club sometimes organise group visits as in 2009 when led by President Courtenay the Club facilitated, with thanks to our hosts Lord Laird of Artigarvan and Shane Ross TD., vists for all District 1160 Scholars to all three seats of Government - House of Lords, Parliament Buildings, Stormont and Leinster House. Picture shows the group in front of Seanad Eirean (front row) Ambassadorial Scholars Donna Swanson, Skye Geerts, Emily Just, Martha Josephson and Rotarian Laura Steele; (back row) Rotarian Ronnie McLean, President Courtenay Thompson and Past Presidents Albert Baird and Derek Baxter.

The Club are delighted to welcome Ambassadorial Scholar 2012/13 Delia Ferguson from The Bahamas sponsored by the Nassau Club. She is studying Engineering Construction Methods and Policy at Queens University, Belfast. At her introduction to the Club she exchanged Banners with President Alan. She will be giving a presentation to the Club about herself and her sponsoring Club which celebratied its 50th Anniversary 23 January 2012 (more details here).
 

Recent Ambassadorial Scholars to the Club (see menu left for details)

2011/12 Woody Hanson	2010/11 Tom Eisenhart	2009/10 Borjan Zic
Rotary Club of  Minneapolis University	Rotary Club Downtown Statesboro, Georgia	Rotary Club of Montgomery Village, Washington

Visiting Ambassadorial Scholars address the Club

From time to time Ambassadorial Scholars being hosted by other Rotary Clubs visit us and addresss the Club.


We were delighted to welcome on Monday 25 June 2012 Nora Tobin, Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar attached to Dublin Central Rotary Club who gave a most interesting presentation on her home State Iowa and her work in Ireland on conflict resolution. 

She then exchanged banners with President Adrian.
 

We were also delighted to welcome two American Ambassadorial Scholars, being hosted by the Rotary Club of Londonderry, to speak to the Club about themselves and their experiences on Monday 31 October 2011.

Elaine Marie Joy and Katie Cooper. From Gallipolis, Ohio and Nashville, Tennessee respectively they spoke about their backgrounds and how the Ambassadorial Programme had transformed them. Elaine is in Londonderry with her husband Ben who was also present at the Club. They are pictured here with the Club's Ambassadorial Scholar this year, Woody Hanson (far right).

Following their moving presentation they exchanged banners with President Adrian.

We were pleased to hear two Scholars, being hosted last year by Dublin Clubs, speaking to the Club on Monday 9th May 2011.

Emily Sernaker, (left) hosted by Dublin North, from San Diego, California is a graduate in Creative Writing and Social Justice from the Johnston Centre for Integrative Studies, University of Redlands, California 2009. Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Redlands, District 5330. She is studying for a Masters in Equality Studies, UCD. Her work experience includes a School for Schools Summer Staff for Invisible Children Organisation in San Diego, Mumbai and Uganda and a Consultant for Wellspring International, Uganda. She has fundraised considerable sums of money for these organisations. Megan Black, 25, hosted by Dublin Central, from Bloomington, Indiana is a graduate in English Education from Murray State University, Kentucky, 2009. Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Murray, Kentucky, District 6710, she is studying for a Masters in Popular Literature, at TCD. Her previous work experience has included teaching English for a year at a High School and over two summers to economically disadvantaged minority students aged 12-16 at a summer camp.