The Group Study Exchange Program of The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International is a unique cultural and vocational exchange opportunity for young business and professional men and women between the ages of 25 and 40 in the initial years of their professional life. The program provides travel grants for teams of young participants to exchange visits between paired areas in different countries. For four to six weeks, team members study the host country's institutions and ways of life, observe their own vocations as practiced abroad, develop personal and professional relationships, and exchange ideas.
For more information on the Group Study Exchange, please download a pdf brochure here.
2007 – 2008 District 7720 Group Study Exchange (GSE)
Trip "Downunder"!
The GSE Team from District 7720 departed on September 5, 2007 and returned on October 6, 2007. The GSE Exchange is with District 9750 in Australia. The Australian GSE Team will be coming to our District in April of 2008.
The team:
Fred Huestis is the GSE Team Leader, and he currently the President of the New Bern Rotary Club. Fred recently retired as the General Operations Manager of the Automotive Dealerships Groups here in New Bern.
Robin Armstrong from Greenville, NC who is Assistant Director for Graduate Programs at ECU's School of Business. Her vocational interest while in Australia are to understand their Graduate Study Programs and to make contacts and receive input from MBA Program Directors with the goal of strengthening ECU's Study Abroad Program.
Olivia Sutton also from Greenville, NC is higher education counselor at Nash Community College. She also has a background in non profit crisis counseling and hopes to learn more about how the Australians handle Admissions, career counseling, and placement activities in their technical higher education institutions.
Kate Merrill is from Elizabeth City and is an Instructional Specialist in the Hertford County Schools. She is hoping to learn how Australian primary and secondary school administrators, teachers, and students develop pathways to higher learning.
*Meredith Stewart is a YMCA Professional - Assistant Program Director at Camp Seafarer in Pamlico County. She is looking to increase her knowledge by seeing how Australians handle outdoor recreational planning and programming for children and teenagers.
Ulysses Cann is from Havelock, NC and is a Martial Arts Instructor with interests in health and fitness, gym management, and small business operations. He hopes to gain insight into these activities in Australia plus learn more about their wildlife and environmental science activities.
The Team departed for Sydney, Australia on September 5, 2007 and after crossing the International Date Line arrived in Sydney on Sept. 7th. Their visits took them to the Canberra (Australia's Capital) area where they experienced the coastal plains near there and attended the District 9750 Conference in Canberra, Sept. 14-16. They helped the Rotarians there celebrate their 80th anniversary of Rotary in Australia on Sept. 15th. Then it was on to the Sydney suburbs, and finally to the city itself with all its splendor including the famous Opera house, fantastic harbor, and other noted landmarks. After four great weeks spending time with Rotarians and giving presentations at Rotary Clubs there on our Eastern North Carolina's scenic beauty, vibrant economy, and unique treasures of people and progress, they will returned home to their families on October 6, 2007.