Group Study Exchange
One of the most popular and rewarding programmes of The Rotary Foundation is Group Study Exchange. Since the first exchange between districts in California and Japan in 1965, the programme has provided educational experiences for about 35,000 business and professional men and women who have served on about 6,500 teams. Since 1965, almost US$59 million has been allocated by The Rotary Foundation for Group Study Exchange grants.
One of the attractive features of GSE is the opportunity for the visiting team members to met, talk and live with Rotarians and their families in a warm spirit of friendship and hospitality.
In addition to learning about another country through visits to farms, schools, industrial plants, professional offices and government establishments, the GSE teams serve as ambassadors of goodwill. They interpret their home nation to host Rotarians and others in the community they visit. In recent years, teams of a single vocation or cultural group have been exchanged. Some GSE teams create humanitarian projects between their countries. Many of the personal contacts blossom into lasting friendships.
Truly, the Group Study Exchange programme has provided Rotarians with one of its most enjoyable, practical and meaningful ways to promote world understanding.
The Rotary Club of Nipissing has been very active in the GSE programme. As a club we have hosted teams from Argentina, Australia, Brasil, Dominican Republic, England, India, Mexico and South Korea.
We have four Rotarians who
are GSE alumni. Darlene Laferriere was a team member on the 1990 Brasil (D
4480) team. Peggy O'Connor went to Australia (D 9780) in 1993 as a team
member. Jennifer Valenti was the team leader to India (D 3290) in 2001
while John Tomlinson led a team from District 7080 to South Africa, Botswana,
Swaziland and Mozambique
(D 9250) in 1999.
District
7010 GSE Newsletter (April 2003) Russian Exchange
GSE
Team Member Sample Want Ad
GSE
Program Updates: Frequently Asked Questions