Photo: Tiffany Warmowski Left to right: Rotary District 6460 Governor Keith Lape, Rachel Rogers, Rotarian Helen Downey, Rotary District 6460 Governor-elect Dick Robinson.

  
Jacksonville – Rachel Rogers, an English major at MacMurray College, received very special recognition from the Jacksonville Rotary Club.

     It was announced at their regular noon meeting of the local chapter that the Altona sophomore was the recipient of the prestigious Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship from the Jacksonville Rotary District #6460.

     The scholarship provides for up to $26,000 for school tuition, living and travel expenses and is sponsored by the Jacksonville Noon Rotary Club.

     Each district of Rotary International has Ambassadorial Scholarships which pay for one year of study abroad. Around the world, over 500 recipients are given the scholarship by their local Rotary chapter.

     The daughter of Don and Marg Rogers of Altona, Ms. Rogers is planning on attending the University of Limerick in Ireland. It is her number one choice of five selected schools in three countries.

     To receive the award, students must be in their junior or senior year of college and have to be able to speak the language of their host country. Each nominee must also be a student in good standing.

     The Jacksonville chapter requires that nominees be a city resident and be enrolled as a student at either of the two local colleges.

     Information is first collected from area colleges and applications are then presented to the local club. Nominees are then interviewed by the Rotary District 6460 committee and Ms. Rogers was one of four candidates.

     She will have a local Rotary contact in her host country and will be required to attend local meetings and functions, acting as a true ambassador”.

      Each scholar must indicate their choice of five universities overseas. The local Rotary chapter then tries to give them their first choice based on cost.

     When asked what she ultimately hoped to achieve from her study abroad, she said, “a better world perspective and an increased understanding of other cultures.” When Ms. Rogers returns from her year of study she will make presentations at various Rotary clubs about her experience and should have quite a story to tell!

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     Located in Jacksonville, Ill., MacMurray College is a private, four-year, liberal arts, coeducational college, founded in 1846, and affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Its friendly, informal environment stresses academic excellence, personal attention, career experience, and well-rounded development of each individual.