Rotary International seeking professionals for study exchange with Australia

CEBU, Philippines – Young professionals will have a chance to experience Sydney Australia in the Rotary International's search for a leader and four members of their Group Study Exchange (GSE) Team.

The chosen team will have an opportunity for a unique cultural and vocational exchange. The program, which will send the team to Australia in March next year, will provide travel grants to allow the team to study the host country's institution and ways of life.

The study exchange will allow the participating team to broaden their cultural perspective and their understanding of a nation's history.

It will also allow them to "communicate, and live with each other in a spirit of fellowship and goodwill."

Joy Anya T. Lim, last year's team member, shared some of her experiences during her visits in New Hampshire, USA.

As the program entails so extensive and rigorous activities in several places, she said they always consider the GSE to mean "Got Some Energy?"

The GSE program is designed to develop professional and leadership skills among young adults so they can address the needs of their communities in an increasingly global workplace.

The team leader will be responsible for the actions and in disciplining the four team members.

Applicants for team leader are preferably an active past president and a Paul Harris fellow. For team members, applicants must be non-Rotarian and should not be related to a Rotarian up to the third degree. Applicants must 25-40 years old, fully employed or at least have two years experience in their chosen field.

The deadline for the submission of applications is August 7, 2010. The applicants will be interviewed on August 15. The chosen people to comprise the team will depart for Sydney on March 9, 2011 and will be back in the Philippines on April 6, 2011.

Application forms can be downloaded from http://www.rotary.org/en/ServiceAnd Fellowship/Fellowship/GroupStudyExchange/Pages/ridefault.aspx as well as the endorsement letter from the sponsoring club. (THE FREEMAN)