Global Grant Scholarship Information
Global grant scholarships are for graduate students studying abroad in one of Rotary’s six causes: Promoting peace; Fighting disease; Providing clean water, sanitation, and hygiene; Saving mothers and children; Supporting education; Growing local economies. Scholarships last from one to four years and can include an entire degree program. Global grant scholarships are funded using cash or District Designated Funds matched by the World Fund. Scholars interested in the 2020-2021 Global Grant Scholarship may apply any time until December 18, 2020. Related documentation and information will be posted as soon as available.
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Meet 2019-20 Scholar Alexandra Starry
District 6580 has selected Alexandra “Alex” Starry of Bloomington for its 2019-20 Global Grant Scholarship. The $40,000 award will help fund Alex’s pursuit of a Master’s degree in Public Policy at Hertie School of Governance in Berlin, Germany. Alex was endorsed by the Bloomington Sunrise Rotary Club and chosen by a team of 10 Rotarians from clubs throughout the district. Scholars must present a plan of study and a career commitment that align with one of The Rotary Foundation’s six areas of focus. Alex’s area of focus is “Economic and Community Development.”
Alex has an impressive record of service to others. At Bloomington High School North, where she competed four years on the varsity swim team, she was a lead organizer for “Hoosiers Outrun Cancer.” As an undergraduate student at IU, Alex volunteered at “Pages to Prisoners” where she gave inmates an opportunity to express their artistic talents. At the Crestmont Boys & Girls Club, she worked as a volunteer, helping students with homework and with forming relationships. Alex also was accepted into IU’s “Washington Leadership Program,” and she interned for then Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth for a semester. After receiving a B.S. in Public Financial Management from IU in 2014, Alex served two years as a Peace Corps volunteer in Lesotho, Southern Africa where she worked on education, health and economic projects to combat the rising number of HIV/AIDS cases in youth.
During her year as a Rotary global scholar, Alex will be hosted by the Rotary Club of Berlin-Gedächtniskirche. This summer Alex will intern at the U.S. Embassy in Rome where, among other things, she will focus on emergency food assistance and on financing for rural development projects. After graduating from Hertie, Alex plans to gain more experience in non-governmental organization management, continuing to work on community projects in developing countries. Alex, who speaks German and Sesotho, also wants to work with foreign governments on policy issues that would improve the lives of every citizen no matter how small or poor the country may be.
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Click here to learn about 2018-19 Scholar Aubrey Seader.
**** For the past year-and-a-half, a team of more than 30 Rotarians worked hard to put together an outstanding “Rotary Together 2020” District Conference for you and our fellow Rotarians. With dynamic speakers and an incredible lineup of breakout sessions at the new Embassy Suites Conference Center in Plainfield, the April conference was destined to be one of the best ever. Then the coronavirus hit and forced us to cancel. We’re making an e-book available to you. however, to highlight the great content of the conference! Please click the "2020 District Conference" link at the top of this page to learn more. 
