Recruiting Applicants for the Rotary
Peace Fellowship
This training guide will assist you in recruiting future Rotary
Peace Fellows to represent your district and promote national
and international cooperation, peace, and the successful
resolution of conflict throughout their lives, in their careers,
and through service activities. Rotary Peace Fellows do not
require an allocation of District Designated Funds.
Table of Contents
Background
Information
• History
• Six Peace
Centers
• Past Peace
Fellows
Two Options
for Study
• Master’s
Program
• Certificate
Program
Qualifications
for Fellows
• Master’s
Program
• Certificate
Program
• Selected
Fellow
Statistics
from 2013
How to Find
Applicants
• Send out a
Press Release
• Meet with
Community
Partners
• Promote on
Social Media
Background Information on Rotary Peace Fellowship
This chapter will give you some background on the program so
that you can talk to potential applicants about the Rotary
Peace Fellowship.
History
Six Peace
Centers
Past Peace
Fellows
History of the Rotary Peace Fellowship
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
1996: Trustee Chair Rajendra Saboo with committee investigate possibility of an
educational center dedicated to peace
1997-1999: Committee appointed by the Trustees creates conceptual plan and
visits universities interested in hosting centers
2000: Host Area Seminars held; Pioneer Districts recognition
2001: First Class selected and start their studies in 2002
2002: Launch of program at United Nations event; Peacebuilder District
recognition
2004: First class of fellows graduate
2006: Launch short-term peace studies pilot program at Chulalongkorn University
in Thailand
2007: First Rotary World Peace Symposium
2008: Professional development certificate becomes a second option
2009: Second Rotary World Peace Symposium; professional development
certificate integrates into program with master’s degree option
2011: Uppsala University becomes a Rotary Peace Center
Past Peace Fellows
Nosisa Ncube (Chulalongkorn University, July 2007) protects orphaned
children from abuse in the rural communities around Bulawayo in
Zimbabwe with the Child and Guardian Foundation. She is also part of
the Mediators Beyond Borders team for Zimbabwe and has been
trained as a facilitator as part of the Alternatives to Violence Program in
Zimbabwe.
Nani Mahanta (Berkeley, 2002-04) spearheaded an initiative to open
a two-year post graduate peace and conflict studies program at
Gauhati University in Assam, India where he is an associate professor
of political science.
Bautista Logioco (Duke/UNC 2002-04) received The Young Outstanding Persons
award in his native Argentina in the contributions to world peace and human
rights category. The award recognized his work as a program specialist with the
United Nations Interagency Framework Team for Preventive Action, United
Nations Department of Peace Keeping Operations, and the Organization of
American States Mission to Support the Peace Process in Colombia.
Two Options for Study
Master’s Program
Certificate Program
Master’s Programs
• Five centers at six universities
• 15 to 24 month course with eight to twelve weeks of
applied field experience during the summer break
Professional Development Certificate
Chulalongkorn University
• Geared toward mid- to upper-level
professionals with at least five years of
relevant work experience
• Fellows gain theoretical foundational
knowledge during eight weeks in the
classroom plus two weeks on-site field work
• Held twice per year, January-April and JuneAugust
• Shorter program allows alumni to return to
their jobs with a professional development
certificate in peace and conflict studies
• http://www.rotarychula.org/
Peace Fellow Amanda Martin with
Nepalese women during the on-site
field work trip
Necessary Qualifications for Rotary Peace Fellowship
This will help you to understand the requirements to apply for a Rotary Peace
Fellowship.
Master’s Program
Certificate Program
Master’s Program Qualifications
• A commitment to international understanding and peace, demonstrated
through their professional and academic achievements and personal and
community service activities
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in a related field, with strong grades at the
time of application
• Minimum three years combined paid or unpaid full-time relevant work
experience
• Proficiency in English and a second language
• Excellent leadership skills
Certificate Program Qualifications
• A commitment to international understanding and peace, demonstrated
through their professional and academic achievements and personal and
community service activities
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in a related field
• Minimum five years relevant work experience with current full-time
employment in a mid- to upper-level position
• Proficiency in English
• Excellent leadership skills
Selected Fellow Statistics from 2013
Three ways your club or district can find applicants:
Send out a press
release
Meet with community
partners
Promote on social
media
How to send out a press release
1. Create a localized press release
•
•
Templates are available in all Rotary
languages. Email Niki Fritz, Rotary Peace
Centers Coordinator, at
niki.fritz@rotary.org for the template.
Feel free to customize your press release
by adding your club or district’s specific
deadlines, contact information, and
information about past Peace Fellow
alumni from your district.
2. Send the press release to local news
sources
How to send the press release to local news sources
•
•
•
•
Find your community newspaper’s website.
Usually on the top or bottom of most
websites is a “Contact Us” link or the
newspaper will have a general email for
submission of community news.
If needed, search for the staff member
responsible for community news– the
community news editor, the lifestyles editor
or in small papers the managing or associate
editor.
Send the press release to a direct email
address and include your accurate contact
information in the press release.
You can also send your press release to local
community blogs or TV stations by searching
online for the correct email address.
Meet with Community Partners
Local
Universities
International
Volunteers
Rotary Alumni
Nongovernmental
Organizations
International
Corporations
Governmental
Agencies
Local Universities
• Reach out to the connections you already have at
the university
• Look for alumni associations, career offices,
study abroad offices, and academic departments
of international studies, political sciences or
peace studies
• Scour the university’s website to find potential
staff/professors/clubs that might be interested
• Key words to search: international, community,
peace, government, diplomacy, study abroad
• Post the informational brochure on community
boards
• Connect with the university’s online or print
newspaper and submit a press release
Returned Peace Corps Volunteers
•
•
•
Find people and organizations that are interested in volunteer service, peace and
world affairs
Find local Returned Peace Corps Volunteers by searching for local member groups
on the web
Plan an event or service project between Rotary and returned volunteers
Other international volunteer organizations
Rotary Alumni
Ambassadorial Scholars and other Rotary alumni are eligible for the Rotary Peace Fellowship
after a three year waiting period.
Contact alumni@rotary.org for help finding alumni in your area.
Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs)
•
•
Find local NGOs and regional branches of larger NGOs
Contact employees and volunteers
International Corporations
•
•
Reach out to people you know who work at international corporations
Find international corporations in your area and contact someone in human resources
to discover who you need to talk to about spreading the word about Rotary Peace
Centers
Governmental Agencies
•
•
•
Local police and military offices
Diplomatic corps working in an embassy or consulate
Local government offices
Tips on how to meet with community
partners
Face-to-Face
Meetings
Short
Promotional
Pitch
Informational
Sessions
Face-to-Face Meetings
• Formal meetings
• Informal meetings at any gathering: a sporting event, a cocktail party, a
work event, etc.
• Talk to everyone; they might not be a good candidate but they might know
someone else who is a great candidate!
• Think outside the box: chat up your waitress, mention the fellowship to
your child’s favorite teacher or coach, talk to people in your office, etc.
• Remember, the more connections you make the better odds you’ll meet
someone who knows a potential candidate!
Short Promotional Pitch
Think about the information you want to convey about the fellowship so that
when you meet someone you think would be a good candidate you can give
them the most important information clearly and concisely. Try to keep your
“promotional pitch” under 30 seconds. Here’s an example:
The Rotary Peace Fellowship is a great opportunity for people with a passion for peace to take
their education to the next level. Fellows study at one of six Rotary Peace Centers around the
world and can either earn a professional development certificate in peace and conflict
resolution or a master’s degree in international relations, public administration, sustainable
development, peace studies, or a related field. The fellowship covers tuition and fees, room
and board, round-trip transportation, and internship or field study expenses. Do you know
anyone who might be a good candidate?
Hold an Informational Session
• Hold a club meeting to educate Rotarians in your club about the Rotary
Peace Fellowship. If they don’t know about/ understand the fellowship
then they can’t find applicants.
• Hold a lecture or discussion about peace and other international events at
various locations in your community. Invite all of the new community
partner contacts you’ve made.
• Consider inviting a current or former Rotary Peace Fellow to speak.
The Rotary Peace Centers Department has relevant
PowerPoint presentations that you can adapt for your
needs. Email Niki Fritz, Rotary Peace Centers Coordinator,
at niki.fritz@rotary.org to get copies of the PowerPoints.
Promote on Social Media
• Use your personal LinkedIn account to
advertise the Rotary Peace Fellowship by
sharing an update on your homepage.
• Either share a link to
www.rotary.org/rotarycenters or post a more
comprehensive explanation of the fellowship.
• Target specific connections who you think
would be interested in the fellowship by
sending them a direct message.
• Consider announcing the fellowship on your
club or district LinkedIn profiles if they are
available.
Two ways:
1. If you only have a few seconds to promote: friend Rotary Peace
Centers and share our posts with your network.
2. If you have more time to dedicate to promotion: Take it a step
further and create your own content. Tell the story or post photos of
one of your local alumni in the field or show how your district is
working to create peace.
Post on your personal or your district’s
Twitter account in 140 characters or less to
share your excitement about the Rotary
Peace Fellowship. Be creative!
Here’s a sample tweet:
Rotary is looking for peace builders to apply for the Rotary Peace Fellowship! Hurry!
The deadline is 1 July! www.rotary.org/rotarycenters.
Questions???
• Can you think of anyone who would make a good Rotary Peace Fellow?
• Who can you partner with in your community to promote the Rotary
Peace Fellowship?
• How many Rotary Peace applicants did you submit last year?
• Have you ever used social media to promote for Rotary Peace Centers?
You have an applicant, now what?
If you need help understanding the application process please read the
Rotary Peace Centers Program Guide for Rotarians.