Our speaker on 01 March 2023 (St David’s Day) was our Rotary Global Grant Scholar Marlene, who comes from Germany.
Before Marlene spoke, there was the usual business to announce including an update on the Quiz Night taking place this Saturday (now completely sold out), and the progress of our support for the people of Chernihiv in Northern Ukraine, and our plans to support a litter picking event being run by a local school.
It was the turn of our speaker to address the Club. Marlene grew up in Germany, but early on in her academic career decided that she was interested in International Affairs. Her university programme in Germany offered the opportunity to study overseas for two semesters, and she chose to complete one in Montreal, Canada. The second semester was to have been in Paris, France, but that was cut short with the arrival of Covid-19, and she returned to Germany.
Whilst planning her next steps, she became involved in a number of local voluntary organisations, and took work experience opportunities with the German Foreign Office and the International Crisis Centre.
From there, she learned about the Rotary International Global Grant Scholarship programme, and made a successful application through the Rotary Club of Gevelsberg. Her programme lasts two years: the first year was as Sciences Po in Paris, and she is now completing the second year at LSE in London.
Marlene is an accomplished international operator, and we wish her every success in her future career wherever it takes her.
