Group Study Exchange

Group Study Exchange (GSE) is a unique cultural and vocational exchange opportunity for business and professional men and women between the ages of 25-40 and in the initial years of their careers. The 4 – 6 week program is designed to develop professional and leadership skills among young people to better prepare them to address the needs of their communities and an increasingly global workplace. The team consists of one Rotarian, the team leader, and 4 non-Rotarians. All interested applicants must first have their candidacy endorsed by a Rotary club in the district where the applicant works or lives.

Team Leader Application (260-EN)
Team Member Application (161-EN)
Frequently Asked Questions

GSE - India

We are seeking a team leader and four non-Rotarian team members to represent our district in January of 2009. View team leader and team member qualifications. If your club would like to get involved with recruting team members, sponsoring a team member or hosting the inbound team in 2009, please contact co-chairs Judy Marquardt, Erik Moeser or Alice Sedwick.

Team Leader Application due – May 23
Team Leader interview – June 11
Team Member applications due – June 28
Team Member interviews – July 12
Reception for applicants – July 9

Participant Activities

Vocational visits with individuals in their profession
15 to 20 club presentations
10 to 15 formal visits and social events
5 to 12 home stays
2 to 3 days at the District Conference
6 to 8 Hours per day of cultural and site tours

Team Leader Qualifications

Possess outstanding interpersonal communication skills
Have presentation and public-speaking skills
Help the team prepare speeches
Have the ability to imbue a team with a sense of mission
Is an experienced Rotarian
Must be endorsed by the applicant's Rotary club
Must remain with the team for the duration of the exchange
Must be willing and able, physically and mentally, to keep pace with the GSE

Team Member Qualifications

Be between the ages of 25-40
Be employed full-time in a recognized occupation
Not be a Rotarian, or the lineal descendant or spouse of a lineal descendant
Not be the spouse of another team member

2008 Outbound GSE Team - Mindanao, Philippines

Sherry Holmes Sharon (Sherry) Holmes
Team Leader
Moraine Park Technical College -VP Mkg & College Advancement

Sherry Holmes has experience in marketing, public relations, advertising and marketing research for a 2-year community technical college. She is responsible for alumni relations and fund raising for the college's non-profit foundation and she serves as a board member on Fond du Lac Chapter of American Red Cross and the Fond du Lac Association of Commerce. Currently, Sherry is president of Fond du Lac Morning Rotary, past president-elect, past secretary, and has chaired a major fund raising project. Her hobbies include golf, travel, reading, puzzles--crossword, Sudoku and jigsaw. Sherry would like to interact with other college and university officials, professionals in the fields of advertising and public relations, and executives with non-profit organizations (e.g., Red Cross)

Micahel Bradburn
Business Banking Officer
Pyramax Bank

Micahel Bradburn enjoys anything outdoors - boating and fishing in the summer. He is a rabid Brewer baseball fan. In the winters Micahel tries to go pheasant hunting as much as he can. He loves playing trivia games of any variety. Micahel's responsibilities revolve around two major areas, new business development and relationship management. He is responsible for actively seeking new business banking relationships in his territory, including lines of credit, term loans, merchant services, and depository needs. Relationship management consists of servicing our current clients through structuring and presenting new loan requests, handling the renewals of existing loans, and acting as the clients' point of contact for their banking relationship. Micahel is responsible for managing and mitigating portfolio risk by monitoring clients' financial performance and credit quality.

He would like to visit banking institutions that are typically available to the majority of the public. He hopes to gain insight into the banking system functions to learn the similarities, if any, to US banking institutions including underwriting criteria, credit products, and typical financing options for consumers and businesses. He wants to learn how their small business community functions and addresses their capital needs. He would appreciate visits to manufacturing facilities or construction projects, that correspond to his area of focus.

Kristin Godfrey
Marketing Director
Milwaukee Shakespeare Theatre

Kristin Godfrey would like to understand how the Philippine people embrace the arts. Though her primary focus is theatre (classical preferred), any kind of performing arts can be relevant to her vocation. Kristin would like to gain insight into how the performing arts reflect on the culture and how they are marketed. From her recent research, there seems to be a higher concentration of music and dance - and some guerilla theatre - than traditional theatre, and for that reason, it would be highly relevant to Kristin. Kristin would be delighted to witness the differences between how the Philippines presents local/traditional theatre vs. the Western classical theatre such as Shaw, Shakespeare, Moliere. Kristin would like to visit the marketing department of a consumer product company to understand the general marketing practices of the Philippines in trying to reach the masses. She is interested in understanding the cultural stigmas and practices toward marketing in the Philippines. Her hobbies include theatre, reading, hiking, singing, golfing, kick boxing and cooking.

Mechelle King
Marketing (Online)
M & I Banking Corporation

Mechelle King coordinates and manages marketing projects including: Develop written project outlines, coordinate creative process, legal reviews, print/production and online distribution. She uses various content management systems to edit and manage online content across M&I’s web sites. She assists in product testing during development phase for eBusiness applications and is responsible for supporting and managing audit and general compliance for all M&I web sites. Mechelle participates in the development of new and existing product or service initiatives. She would like to interact with other Online Banking marketers to understand their approach to project/product management, understand the Philippine's banking industry by visiting the country's largest banks, and gain insight into marketing/advertising techniques and strategies by visiting ad agencies or marketing departments. Ms. King enjoys eating, watching television and reading.

Jana Schmeling -
Graphic Designer/Art Director
Bartolottas Restaurants

Jana Schmeling is responsible for creation and direction of all advertising and media relations and placement, administration of the Bartolotta Loyalty Program and administration of Information Technology Services.

Ms. Schmeling would like to interact with any professions that include art making, advertising and graphic design. Jana enjoys painting and sculpting, playing with her dogs, winning board games and movies.

Ken King
Team Leader Alternate

Ken King has experience working as a Non-Profit Financial Education and Counseling, as well as working in the field of Fiscal Management, General Management, Financial Counseling, Education and Training, Human Resources.

Mr. King's goal for this Group Study Exchange would be to interact with non-profit community based programs, local governments as well as local Rotary Projects.

Hobbies Ken enjoys include golfing, being with his family and auto racing.