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Sources:
Mary Kate Ludwig, 913-205-0905, mkludwig@k-state.edu;
and Laura Jones, 913-221-7057, lj427@k-state.edu
News release prepared by: Michelle Hall, 785-532-6415, mhall@k-state.edu
Tuesday,
October 17, 2006
TWO K-STATE STUDENTS WIN ROTARY AMBASSADORIAL SCHOLARSHIPS
MANHATTAN
-- Kansas State University students Mary Kate Ludwig and Laura Jones
have each received Rotary Ambassadorial scholarships. The scholarships
award up to $26,000 for a year of study abroad.
The
Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship Program is the oldest program of
the Rotary Foundation and has sponsored nearly 37,000 people from
100 nations to study abroad since it began in 1947. The program
focuses on humanitarian services, personal diplomacy and academic
excellence. Applicants must demonstrate maturity and social skill;
service and leadership; proficiency in host country's language;
a good rational for study abroad and program options; and have a
minimum 3.0 grade point average.
The
two Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarships are offered each year by the
Northeast Kansas Rotary District 5710. Students from K-State are
sponsored by one of the two Manhattan Rotary clubs. This is the
first time in many years both district scholarships were won by
K-State students.
Bob
Stamey and Jeff Pfannenstiel, presidents of the Manhattan Rotary
clubs, said they are extremely proud of the K-State students, who
competed against students from other universities in northeast Kansas
and came away the winners.
Ludwig,
a senior in history and pre-law, Beloit, will be pursuing
a one-year program at the National University of Ireland-Galway
studying public law, specifically judicial activism and reform;
international law; and public/social policy.
"Irish
heritage is something that runs deep within my family and I have
grown up engulfed in this culture," she said. "Also, the
deep history that exists in Ireland is something that interests
me greatly, and the public law program which I will be studying
is an exciting next step in my ultimate journey to become a child
advocacy attorney."
After
returning from Ireland, Ludwig hopes to attend Notre Dame Law School.
"I
believe there are a plethora of issues which threaten the future
of our youth," she said. "I have a passion for law, as
well as children, and I believe I could make quite a difference
by giving a voice to our most vulnerable citizens."
Jones,
Lenexa, will pursue a master's degree, her second, in the
United Kingdom at the University of Leeds. She plans to receive
a Master of Arts in European Union and development studies, focusing
on the changing role between European Union new member states and
other developing economies.
"The
United Kingdom is the forerunner in research concerning development
studies," Jones said. "I was particularly attracted to
the program at Leeds because of its dual focus on European Union
politics and development. A requirement of the program is to complete
a three to six month internship in an EU development organization
or public policy think tank; another reason it was my first-choice
study institution."
Jones,
who has her undergraduate degree in French from K-State, is currently
working for the United States Agency for International Development
in the Bureau for Europe and Eurasia while finishing two courses
for her Master of Business Administration from K-State. During her
internship, she has focused on topics related to capital market
development, entrepreneurial training, supply chain management,
and trade and customs facilitation in southeast Europe and central
Asia.
Jones
will pursue a short-term field assignment prior to commencing her
studies at Leeds. After graduation, she intends to work for an organization
which devotes its resources to providing economic opportunities
for the disadvantaged and influences legislation which encourages
economic growth, both domestically and internationally.
Jones
credits Jim Hohenbary, K-State assistant dean for scholarship development,
as being extremely influential in preparing her for this opportunity.
"He
has given me a lot of direction concerning academics and my professional
goals over the past year, and for that I am truly grateful,"
she said.
In
the future, Jones intends to pursue a doctorate in public policy
and use her international development experience in the public sector.
"I
have greatly benefited from my experiences at K-State and will always
and forever be a Wildcat," she said.
The
Ambassadorial Scholarship Program is to further international understanding
and friendly relations among people of different countries. 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.
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