Tuesday, December 13, 2005
Defries is Rotary Ambassador
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Lora Defries is the recipient of a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship. Defries will graduate with two bachelor’s degrees, in economics and international studies, in May 2006. As a Rotary Ambassador, she will represent one of three Indiana districts and attend classes at Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi, India during the 2006-07 academic year. The scholarship is fully funded and includes housing, tuition, and travel. Defries will study Indian history, international relations, Hindi language, and Indian culture. The purpose of the Ambassadorial Scholarship program is to further international understanding and friendly relations among people of different countries. The program sponsors several types of scholarships for undergraduate and graduate students as well as for qualified professionals pursuing vocational studies. “The Rotary Club was happy to have someone from USI as an applicant, because it is a nationally recognized program,” Defries said. “It’s highly respected, so they wanted to see more representatives from USI interested in applying.” While abroad, scholars serve as ambassadors of goodwill to the people of the host country and give presentations about their homelands to Rotary clubs and other groups. Upon returning home, scholars share with Rotarians and others the experiences that led to greater understanding of their host countries. Generous contributions from Rotarians worldwide represent continued faith that the students who are Ambassadorial Scholars today will be tomorrow's community and world leaders. “The scholarship isn’t designed to finish a degree program, but to be involved in the community,” Defries said. “Ambassadorial duties take up a lot of your time.” In spring 2006, Defries and Indiana’s other two scholarship recipients will meet with state leaders in Indianapolis in preparation for presentations they will give on Indiana to Rotary Clubs in their host countries. Dr. Linda L.M. Bennett, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs and a Rotary Club member, sponsored Defries’ application. “In the competition for this prestigious scholarship, Lora competed against individuals who are already in graduate school,” Dr. Bennett said. “That speaks volumes about her abilities and the extent to which she has grown intellectually while at USI. She is a wonderful ambassador for USI and she will make an outstanding Ambassadorial Scholar for Rotary International. We're very proud of her.” Defries is a member of the USI Model United Nations and the International Club, and she received a travel award from USI to study abroad in Malta last semester. The daughter of Roy and Nancy Defries of New Harmony, Indiana, she graduated from New Harmony High School. Her sister, Katie Defries, is a 2004 USI graduate with a degree in nursing. The Ambassadorial Scholarship is the Rotary Foundation's oldest and best-known program. Since 1947 nearly 37,000 people from 100 nations have studied abroad under its auspices. Today it is the world's largest privately funded international scholarship program. More than 1,000 scholarships were awarded for study in 2003-04. Through grants totaling approximately $428 million dollars, recipients from 70 countries studied in more than 70 nations. |
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