2012

Rotary Club International

Eva Martin Proposal Writing Final Granting Students the Opportunity to Study Abroad 4/30/2012

Proposal Summary

Founded in Chicago in 1905, the Rotary Club is recognized as the worlds first volunteer service organization. The Rotary name derived from the early practice of rotating meetings among members offices. Rotary's popularity spread, and within a decade, clubs were chartered from San Francisco to New York and even to Canada. By 1921, Rotary Clubs had been formed on six continents. The organization adopted the Rotary International name a year later. As Rotary International expanded, its mission did too. It was a club beyond serving members professional and social interests. Rotarians began pooling their resources and contributing their talents to help serve communities in need. The organization's dedication to this ideal is best expressed in its motto: service above self. Since Rotarys first donation of $26.50 in 1917, it has received contributions totaling more than $1 billion. More than $70 million was donated in 2003-04 alone. Rotary had some trouble continuing to hold meetings during World War II, because of devastation within communities. When the dust settled, clubs got together and continued to meet. As the 21st century approached, Rotary worked to meet societys changing needs, expanding its service efforts to address pressing issues such as environmental degradation, illiteracy, world hunger, and children at risk. Women were now able to be part of the clubs, as more were expanding over the following years. Today, the Rotary Club is an organization with over 1.2 million members who belong to over 200 countries and geographical areas. Their main objective is service in the community, workplace, and around the globe. Rotarians make up more than 30,000 Rotary Clubs in every country in the world, all coming from different backgrounds, cultures, and affiliations. As well as focusing efforts to better the community, Rotary also has a student chapter that does the same. This chapter is filled with students who are dedicated to serving others above themselves. Rotary has previously raised money to allow students to travel abroad. Rotarians raise money, or ask for funding from other companies in order for their members to study and travel abroad. Since the Rotary Club has given money to those who aspire to go abroad, I will ask for a grant for students who want to study abroad. This is my focus for the proposal.

As a part of the Rotary Club, I hope to gain funding for students who arent financially stable to have the opportunity to travel abroad. The trend of traveling and studying abroad is becoming more common as years go by, and before we know it, it may be mandatory for students to study abroad. Money is a big factor in this situation, and definitely something on many peoples minds. Since the Rotary Club has previously granted students money to travel abroad, I am simply hoping for the same. The experience of traveling abroad is one that I will always remember and be very thankful for. I learned a lot, grew as a person, and believe that many others will have the same experience I did. Many people regret not going abroad during college, a time where students have minimal commitments. I believe students should travel when they have the time to!

Introduction of Organization

The Rotary Club is an organization with 1.2 million members with a motto of Service Above Self. Their main objective is service in the community, workplace, and around the globe. Rotarians make up more than 34,000 Rotary Clubs in every country in the world, all coming from different backgrounds, cultures, and affiliations. All Rotary Club members take action in getting involved in their communities, connecting with other professionals, and using their skills to help others. Rotarians support global causes and share their time and experience with young people. Rotary service tends to fall within one of six areas: Peace and conflict prevention/resolution, disease prevention and treatment, water and sanitation, maternal and child health, maternal and child health, basic education and literacy, and economic and community development. Aside from these, the Rotary Club also focuses on the emphasis of student education. Since 1947, the Rotary Foundation has given more than 41,000 men and women the opportunity to study abroad. Although this program will come to an end in 2013, new scholarship opportunities through the foundations district and global grants will give Rotarians greater flexibility to sponsor scholars in their adventures abroad. As a part of the Rotary Club, I have decided to keep the trend of allowing students to study abroad alive. I will ask for a grant for the aspiring students who want to have the opportunity to study abroad. I will not be involved in the decision making of if the grant will get awarded, but I wanted to speak up for the people who need the money. The people who will benefit from my project will be those who want to go abroad and have the Rotary Club fund them after 2013. I will be asking for funding for these students. Since the Rotary Club has funded students to go abroad before, I expect that they will have a more open mind about accepting a request from an individual with great desire to make sure students have the opportunity to go abroad.

Problem Statement

While engaging in conversation with graduates, they often express how much they wish they had the opportunity to study abroad while in college. It is the one thing they regret most about their college experience. Some wished they went for the location and the experience, and others wanted to find themselves. I am lucky enough to have had the opportunity to study abroad during my years at James Madison University. Since my trip, I have really come to realize much about the world around us and experienced reverse culture shock upon my arrival to America. While abroad, I developed a knack for traveling and think it is so important for young people to go abroad and experience things that they would not regularly experience in their everyday lives here in the United States. After sharing my experiences and telling friends everything I gained, they are unhappy not having the chance to go abroad. The underlying thing stopping most of them was money. Whether it is the summer between their junior and senior years, during a whole academic year, or just during one semester, studying abroad can get very expensive. Since I am a believer that young adults should go out and take on the world when they have no ties and big commitments, I believe they should be given the opportunity despite their financial status. Going abroad was the best thing that I could have done for myself, and I think it is crucial for more students to share a bond of traveling the world. Studies show an increase of participants who study abroad. This is a great trend in numbers as more students are getting the chance to participate in this life-changing event. Students who study abroad, whether it is with the aid of financial help or not, should all receive the same chance. That is why I am asking for funding to get more students to study abroad and experience a change in their lives and future, for the 2013 school year and beyond. Studying abroad has changed my perspective of the world, and with help from funding, more students will receive the same great opportunity. To travel the world is the greatest feeling, and I am a true believer that more students should be given this opportunity if they somehow cannot afford it themselves.

Area of Focus and Goals

I want to ensure that students have the opportunity to go abroad, no matter their financial status. I am asking for money so that the students will be financially capable to study and travel abroad during their college career. Many students completely rule out the idea of going abroad because they do not think that some of the cost can be paid for by outside sources. Some school programs have a financial aid opportunity to cover some of the costs, but Rotary Club International will hopefully cover more than just the cost of tuition. Many students dont recognize all of the benefits of studying abroad. There are many positive outcomes that will come out of this grant. Studying abroad enables students to fully adapt a language, and learn it best while they are speaking it in the actual country. There is no better and more effective way to learn a language than to be immersed in a culture that speaks the language. This way, students are surrounded by the language on a daily basis and are seeing and hearing it in the proper cultural context. Language learning happens most quickly under these circumstances. Along the same lines, studying abroad lets students get to know another culture firsthand. Cultural differences are more than just differences in language, food, appearances, and personal habits. A person's culture reflects very deep perceptions, beliefs, and values that influence his or her way of life and the way that s/he views the world. Students who experience cultural differences personally can come to truly understand where other cultures are coming from. Studying abroad also provides the opportunity to travel; students will be closer to places they might otherwise not have had the opportunity to visit. Even though this will not be in the budget, it serves a great purpose to expand students cultural understanding. Weekends and academic breaks allow students to venture out and explore their surroundings. Even if students arent financially capable of flying to a different country, it would be good to get out of the actual city that you are living in. Students can always take a bus to the countryside to see other areas of the country they are in. The countryside is often very different from the city, and students will get a great perspective of how areas inside the country are juxtaposed with the one they are most familiar with. While traveling, students may meet some new friends. Making these connections will

create a bond that students will have for the rest of their life. These friendships will create immediate connections as well. While abroad, students will meet not only natives to the culture in which they are studying, but also other international students who are as far from home. Studying abroad helps students learn about themselves. Often, they return home with new ideas and perspectives about themselves and their own culture. The experience abroad often challenges students to reconsider their values and beliefs. The experience may perhaps strengthen those values or it may cause students to abandon them and embrace new concepts and perceptions. The encounter with other cultures enables students to see their own culture through new eyes. In comparison with citizens of most other countries, Americans tend to be uninformed about the world beyond the nation's boundaries. Students who study abroad often return home with an informed and much less biased perspective toward other cultures and people. Studying abroad also gives students the opportunity to break out of their typical academic routine. The experience is likely to be much unlike the kinds of things students take part in while at an American university. It's also a great chance to break out the typical routine students follow each semester. Having the study abroad experience on a resume enhances employment opportunities. Through an employer's eyes, a student who has studied abroad is self-motivated, independent, willing to embrace challenges, and able to cope with diverse problems and situations. The experience living and studying in a foreign country, negotiating another culture, and acquiring another language will set these students apart from the majority of other applicants. Along the same note, study abroad can enhance the value of students degrees. While abroad, students can take courses different to the typical course they would take for their university. As you can see, studying abroad has major benefits that will encompass the student for the rest of their lives. The outcomes that come with studying abroad will be met as long as students take full advantage of the opportunity. With the money, my goal of sending students abroad will be completed. I hope they will take as much out of the outcome of the program as they can.

Methodology

Because this grant is dependent on if students want to go abroad, there might not be a need for the money right away. Even so, if granted, it would be good if the money was readily available since deadlines often sneak up on students quicker than expected. It would be disappointing if student had the opportunity then didnt get to go because Rotary Club wasnt prepared to give the money to the student right away. Rotary Club should have the money granted before students apply, so that the students are guaranteed to receive funding. The money amount will differ, depending on how many students apply for this grant. It is up to Rotary Club to decide how many months, and students, to give to. The Rotary Club in the past has provided students with funding for studying abroad. It is necessary that everyone that applies to this scholarship will have family members in the Rotary Club, or be associated somehow. If this wasnt the case, many students would apply to the program to receive a grant. The picking process will depend on a cover letter and academic grades. The student will also be allowed to submit a multimedia piece exhibiting their desire to study abroad. This piece is not mandatory, but it may be submitted and included in the students application. Students may only apply for one grant per Rotary year. Students will submit the application online. Applications may be submitted to the foundation at any time, but students are encouraged to submit their applications as soon as possible, so the grant can be decided on and done so immediately. If this money fails to go to the university or program, the student and family will be fined the money, with interest. To prevent this from happening, students will also file a report that includes a final agenda to ensure the money was properly used.

Future Funding

Studying abroad is becoming more popular with the educational systems. Soon, researchers say it will be implemented that all colleges will have students study abroad as a requirement. Yes, the costs are more than the cost of a regular semester, but in order to enrich the lives of students, it is worth it. Universities are becoming more involved with different study abroad programs and want to implement study abroad in their educational system. For example, James Madison University uses CAPA International Education to help their students find internships in the country of which they study in. This partnership gives light to other outside study abroad sources, which there are many of. This also means that CAPA International Education collaborates with other colleges and universities to give students a fulfilling study abroad experience. Just a simple Google search for different study abroad programs gives the curious minded a plethora of choices. If students do not have a program to go through for their university, they can often go through one not affiliated with their university and have the credits count. Students also go through other universities and transfer the credits to their university once they get back to America. This technique is used more often than we think. According to a New York Times article titled Overseas Internships can Benefit, for a Price, students who have internships abroad have an enriched experience, more so than students who dont have them. Cheryl Miyake, a junior at Stanford, got an internship in Beijing after meeting a company representative at a career fair. Not only did I get to travel and work on my Mandarin speaking skills, but I really got to understand what Chinese business culture is like, she said, gaining a better sense of guanxi, a code of building relationships that is important to conducting business. It is a fact that those who have internships abroad really indulge in the lifestyle and communicate with foreigners in order to get a real sense of the typical work environment that foreigners account for. This student, among others just like her, at one time went through the thought process of how much it would cost her to study abroad. Funding to study abroad may be different for every student depending on which program they decide to go through, but in the next section, I describe what I think is necessary budget for the average college student.

Budget

Many aspects go into the planning process for assessing the budget when studying abroad. Since I am unaware of how long each student will plan to stay, the amounts below will mostly be calculated monthly. This funding is also based on just one students expenses. We will stick to American dollars as our exchange rate, and the money will be converted to Pounds, Euros, or Francs for the things that will be paid for in the country in which theyre located. The cost of money will include transportation, tuition and housing, a stipend of money for meals each week, and supplies for class. Although this money will not cover every aspect of the students study abroad costs, it will assure them with the necessities: the cost of the flight, extra transportation costs, tuition and room and board, a stipend for food, and supplies for class. Everything else will be taken out of the students own money. Below, I explain what the costs mean.

Line Item Travel Totals

Travel Expenses Requested In-Kind $1,700 $0 $1,700 $0

Total Line Item Expenses $1,700 $1,700

These prices include the round-trip flight to the country where will the student will be studying. It also includes a stipend for the extra transportation. Whether this is a cab fare, or choosing a more economic choice, like buying a card for the subway system, they will need to have money for other transportation costs. By having one of these cards, it will expand the students learning and allow them to travel around the city as needed. This cost is standard, even if the student is only in the foreign country for two months. All other travel outside this cost will be paid for by the student.

Line Item Tuition & Housing Totals

Tuition and Housing Expenses Requested In-Kind Total Line Item Expenses $2,500 $200 $2,700 $2,500 $200 $2,700

The student will most likely be taking the money granted and applying it to their colleges program. For this sake, we are including tuition and housing in one amount. I found this number by getting a median number of a couple study abroad programs, and

divided it by how many months the programs lasted. So for example, if the student is abroad for three months, the tuition and housing will be $7,500 (this amount does not include the in-kind work done by the supervising staff overseeing the trip and making sure it works with the university the student is a part of). Again, these numbers are monthly numbers. Line Item Meals Totals Meal Expenses Requested In-Kind $260 $260 Total Line Item Expenses $260 $260

$0 $0

Students will receive a stipend of $260 for food for each month. This equals around $65 dollars a week for food. This may seem extreme at first, but it comes to about $9 a day for food. Grocery stories overseas have very fresh food that often includes preservatives. This means that food will not stay good as long as one might think. A trip to the grocery store at the beginning of each week may only last students with food until the weekend hits. If the student travels on the weekend, the food will not be wasted. We are aware that Rotary Club certainly cannot pay for it all, but this will help the student eliminate extra food costs. All other food outside the cost of the stipend per week will be paid for by the student. Line Item Supplies Books (if applicable) Extra costs (if applicable) Internship (if applicable) Totals Class Expenses Requested In-Kind $20 $200 $200 $400 $820 Total Line Item Expenses $20 $200 $200 $400 $820

$0 $0 $0 $0 $0

Class expenses are important to calculate into the budget. Supplies such as pens, pencils, and notebooks will be necessary for classroom involvement. The class expenses are not monthly, as they will be given to the student at once, at the beginning of the study abroad program. All other expenses will be paid for by the student. Some books are automatically given with available classes. Some study abroad students do not need to buy their own books for the classroom, so the cost is not fixed. Also, depending on what class the student is involved in, there may be extra costs. For example, a theatre class may have extra costs because they go to see plays. This cost will be paid in full at the beginning of the term once the student is enrolled in that class.

The internship aspect of the budget also depends on the school you decide to apply through. Some schools dont offer the international internship, so this cost would not be applicable. For schools that do offer an international internship, extra money will be needed to engage in an internship. If the internship option is available, then $400 will be granted to the student for the internship. This can cover the cost of the international work visa if one is needed, and the cost of the application to apply if there is one. All other costs of the internship will be up to the student to provide.

Below is the total calculated costs of the budget expenses. Line Item Travel Subtotals Line Item Tuition & Housing Subtotals Line Item Meals Subtotals Line Item Supplies Books Extra Costs Internship Subtotals Travel Expenses Requested In-Kind $1,700 $0 $1,700 $0 Tuition and Housing Expenses Requested In-Kind $2,500 $200 $2,500 $200 Meal Expenses Requested In-Kind $260 $0 $260 $0 Class Expenses Requested In-Kind $20 $0 $200 $0 $200 $0 $400 $0 $820 $0 Total Budget Summary * Requested In-Kind $4,480 $0 $800 $200 $5,280 $200 Total Line Item Expenses $1,700 $1,700 Total Line Item Expenses $2,700 $2,700 Total Line Item Expenses $260 $260 Total Line Item Expenses $20 $200 $200 $400 $820 Total Expenses $4,480 $1,000 $5,480

Direct Costs Indirect Costs Total Project Budget

*Remember that these costs are monthly depending on how long the student will be abroad.

Closing

I hope that with my efforts, students all over the country will have the opportunity to study abroad, and are able to do so because of the Rotary Club. Because of financial restraints, I no longer want students to feel restricted in their international education. I wish them the best of luck and hope they have an open mind throughout the whole experience. If you have any questions please email me to clear up any confusion. I will be more than willing to work with the Rotary Club to ensure the grant is processed and that students will have the opportunity of a lifetime. Thank you for your time,

Eva Martin Emartin824@gmail.com