The Rotary Group Study Exchange or GSE is one of Rotary's major programs to build peace, good will, and understanding in this world, one person at a time. A District Governor has the opportunity to choose which country and district from around the world he wants to conduct an exchange with during his year as governor. Once selected, these two paired districts send a team to each other’s respective
districts for a four-week visit. The 2014 team from Indiana District 6580 consists of Rotarian Team Leader Mike Ferree of Columbus and Team Members Kelsie Holt of Bloomington, Tonya Wetzel of Borden, and Teressa Jackson of New Albany. The trip includes occupational job shadowing of the team member’s profession at home, as well as cultural and sightseeing visits. Team members stay as guests in the homes of local Rotarians during their trip. GSE exchanges may occur within the same year or possibly in successive years, depending upon the budgets and schedules of the respective districts. In the past several years our district has sent and received teams from: Australia, The Netherlands, England, Brazil, and Japan. In the 2014 we will send to and host a team from Australia. Teams are comprised of one Rotarian team leader and four non-Rotarian team members who are young professionals sponsored by a club in the district and then select by the district’s GSE Committee. Team members must be between the ages of 25 and 40 when selected and can come from any business or profession. No age range or limit is prescribed for the Rotarian Team leader. GSE is a unique all-expenses paid career and personal development opportunity for a select few with the life-changing impact of developing friendships and promoting goodwill in another part of the world.
