Three students have the opportunity to earn $22,000 to study abroad during the 1997-98 school year.

The Rotary Foundation Academic-Year Ambassadorial Scholarships sponsors students who have an interest in studying abroad and are ideal ambassadors of their sponsoring country.

“We are interested in people who are highly enthused and are interested in sharing and educating others about their country and at the same time are willing to bring back what they have learned,” said Lisa Sapolis, program coordinator at the Study Abroad Center and 1991 Ambassadorial Scholarship recipient.

“People who will become future leaders and impact the world in the field that they choose to study.”

People interested in the scholarship must complete an application form. Applicants will be interviewed in April by the local Rotarian Scholarship Committee.

Those selected for the interviews will be interviewed again by the District Committee. Three people will be awarded the scholarship.

Even though the application and selection processes of the Ambassadorial Scholarships are long and extensive, Sapolis said, the odds for this year are very good.

“We are only expecting around 12 to 15 applicants to make it to the district level, with three scholarships available,” Sapolis said. “That is very good considering the quality and the national importance of this scholarship.”

Once in the foreign country, recipients will be expected to attend conferences and give talks to local Rotary Clubs.

“During my year in Britain, I gave around 10 to 15 presentations to different Rotary Clubs in my area,” Sapolis said. “You talk about yourself and your culture and how this money is helping you for your future plans.”

John Kleinschmidt, president of the Ames Rotary Club, said the Ambassador Scholarships started in 1947 when the Rotary Foundation identified education as the critical gap between countries.

“That year, 18 men were given scholarships to study in different countries, and now just last year 11,065 people throughout the world were recipients of the scholarship, totaling a cost of $17 million,” Kleinschmidt said. Rotary Ambassador Scholarship is the world’s largest privately funded international scholarship program.

According to Kleinschmidt, funds for the scholarships are made possible through individual donations made by Rotarians and fund-raising efforts from various clubs.

Applications can be picked up at the Study Abroad Center and are due by April 5.