Ambassadorial Scholars becoming Global Grant Scholars
In a recent article in the Networker, Dennis Shore described some changes to the overseas study programs delivered through Foundation. It is good to see reasoned evolution of such programs. Extracts from the article follow:
When The Rotary Foundation rewrote its objectives after the Second World War, the first of its three objectives was "the promotion of Rotary Foundation Fellowships for Advanced Study". And so was born the idea that for more than sixty years has been a hallmark of The Rotary Foundation - Ambassadorial Scholarships.
In 1955, Rotary's 50th anniversary year, 494 scholarships were awarded to scholars from 57 countries. The Ambassadorial Scholarship's program has grown to become the world's largest privately funded scholarship program for universities. So why have the Trustees of The Rotary Foundation decided that is it time for a change?
At the start, as it is now, the purpose of the program was to promote further international and friendly relations between the people of all nations as a first step to a peaceful world. Scholars are proposed by Rotary clubs and selected by Districts with two priorities. As the very name implies, scholars are first to be ambassadors for Rotary between their home district by sharing their culture with others in their host country and secondly to complete the chosen course in academic study.
The program has surely achieved these objectives and many well known people have been recipients of these scholarships and acknowledge the part played by the scholarships in shaping their future lives. At two ends of the spectrum we can cite former Governor General, Sir William Dean and leading media personality, Virginia Trioli as well known examples. However, whilst this is a signature program for Rotary it has perhaps never had the kudos of other programs such as the Rhodes Scholar program. Indeed many Rotarians had started to express a view that the program was becoming more about the second priority than the first.
So in the fine tuning of the focus of the Rotary Foundation that is being rolled out under Future Vision, all program's were subject to intense scrutiny and it was concluded that it was indeed time for a change.
A sign of the future direction is provided by the success of the Rotary Peace Fellows program, which achieves quantifiable outcomes in support of the mission of The Rotary Foundation while actually increasing the ambassadorial outcomes.
So welcome to the Global Grant Scholarship program! To me this new focus achieves the valuable ambassadorial aspects of the previous program but by confining study to areas that will contribute to and enhance the six areas of focus for Future Vision, it fulfils the general objective of The Foundation of "doing good in the world". For the recipient it means significantly higher funding to ensure that scholars can attend the best universities to study in areas that will add value to the core focus areas of the Rotary Foundation.
It is evident when you think about the study opportunities that would comply with six areas of focus that there is no shortage of study opportunity for the right candidate, who can elect to study in these areas:
- Peace and conflict prevention or resolution
- Disease prevention and treatment
- Water and sanitation
- Maternal and child health
- Basic education and literacy
- Economic and community development
Of course with change comes yet more changes. Districts will no longer be the arbiter of who is eligible for a Global Grant Scholarship. This will be determined by The Foundation, as it is for Peace Fellows. In a way, however, this increases the need and opportunity for the district to select well to ensure that the proposed candidate is successful. But there is more! The opportunity is no longer necessarily confined to an annual opportunity and clubs can directly nominate a suitable applicant directly if they wish. There is a catch however as clubs have to find at least US$15,000 towards the funding which District will add to in order to meet the required local funding contribution.