by Cassandra Aanderud

board, tuition, books, and yes, even a living stipend.
      When you apply for the scholarship, you have the opportunity to select five universities from three different countries (i.e. two from New Zealand, two from Africa, and one from England), ranking them in order of preference. Most students get their first choice although some get their second of third, especially if the top choices include popular university choices like those in Paris, London, etc. There are also a couple essays, which take some time, and peer editing is highly recommended! These are very important!!! Also, in the interview knowing key information about Rotary, like the motto and mission statement or the purposes of Rotary International, will prove to be very helpful.
        If you receive a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship, you are asked to make a few presentations before, during, and after your scholarship period, an opportunity for you to share your plans with the Rotarians, tell about your experience, relate some of the interesting things you learn or the memories you make in your time abroad, and thank them for their contribution to your education. Other than this, they only ask you to participate in Rotary events when your schedule permits so they can visit with you and get to know the students they are supporting. With all that you would gain from a program such as this, it seems like a very minimal request.
      With graduation only a few weeks away, looking towards the future is inevitable. My time at the University of Oregon is nearly completed and I will be moving on to graduate school at Pacific University and next February I will leave the U.S. for the experience of a lifetime: study abroad. I will be studying at the University of Auckland in Auckland, New Zealand from February to December of 2005 as a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar, completing my teaching license and Master's program. Truly a lifetime experience! When I began my college education, I never would have believed that I would have an opportunity like this, but this dream is about to become reality! I hope that those of you who can, also take advantage of this amazing experience. The adventure begins when you check out the information at www.rotary.com and fill out your application. Feel free to e-mail me if you have other questions and good luck!

        Boarding the plane, your only emotion is total excitement. Passport in hand, a $25,000 check, and suitcases packed with enough to last for the next ten months, you are ready to take off, ready to experience life in a different country and the best part, is you don't even have to work if you don't want to! As long as you keep your grades up, everything is paid for so you can really experience life and enjoy the opportunities you are given. Yeah right, wouldn't that fantasy be an amazing reality?
      Well, if you have ever dreamt of far-off distant places, longing to discover new and exciting things, experiencing life and study in a different country, there is an exiting program that could be for you! Study abroad is not a new concept, but what if you were offered $25,000 to pay for your airfare, room and board, tuition, books, and even a living stipend to study at the college of your choice anywhere in the world? $25,000, you ask? Yes, a $25,000 scholarship so that you can live and study abroad for a whole school year and although this may seem too good to be true, it's not.
          The Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship Program is one that very few take advantage of, but a great program to look into if you have ever considered study abroad. In the southern district (those attending OSU or colleges south of OSU) only fourteen students applied for three $25,000 scholarships, so competition for the scholarship is relatively low and if you have the ambition, some experience in community service, and are willing to be an "ambassador of goodwill" to another country, you have a good chance of getting the scholarship. Applications are usually due at the end of March with an interview sometime in August. If you are selected as a scholarship recipient, your study abroad would begin the following year with up to $25,000 paid for, including airfare, room and

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