

For Updates of this year's team travels
click here

Both GSE Teams here in Michigan
For a video tape interview of the GSE team from the
Philippines click on one of the parts below. It is in three
different parts.
PART ONE
PART TWO
PART THREE
TEAM LEADER

ROBERT GRAHAM SMALL
is a member of Portage Rotary Club in Michigan’s District 6360.
He is a playwright, director, dramaturg, lighting designer, and
professor with extensive national and international experience.
He was born in Spokane,
Washington, the son of Dr. Delbert Small and
Rosemary Kendall Small; and is married to Kathleen Tosco.
Kathleen is also a Rotarian, led a GSE team to the Philippines
(District #3780) in 2003, and will serve as District Governor in
2009/2010.
Since his first performance
at age 5, Bob knew his home was the stage. He graduated from
Gonzaga
Preparatory
High School in 1967, received a BA in Theatre from Washington State
University in 1972; and an MFA in
directing from Catholic University in
Washington
DC in 1974.
Bob serves as Artistic
Director of Shenandoah International Playwrights, Ink., now in its
31st year. To date, he has worked with over 300
playwrights from 38 states and 32 countries on six continents.
Plays developed at Shenandoah have been produced On and Off
Broadway, and on stages, televisions and movie screens worldwide.
Bob approaches his work in theatre as a vocation. His mission
is to use the power of theatre to build bridges of compassion and
understanding locally, regionally, and globally. He is a
member of the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers.
TEAM MEMBERS
ANDREA
ANDERSON was born in Kalamazoo,
Michigan in 1969 and is very close with her only sister and parents.
She has traveled and lived all over the United States and
Europe and is the proud owner of Tank, her dog!
Andrea serves as Director for the
Center for
Leadership in Sexuality
Education at Planned Parenthood of South Central Michigan.
She is a graduate of Western Michigan University with a
Bachelor’s degree in Family Life Education and is a Certified
Sexologist. Andrea has
created, designed and implemented dozens of highly successful
programs in Kalamazoo educating hundreds of young people about
sexuality issues and healthy decision-making skills throughout
Southwest Michigan.
Andrea is passionate about empowering each person in her community
with the tools and resources they need to be healthy and make
well-informed decisions regarding sexuality, family planning and
child-bearing.
JULIA
GOURLEY
(BFA Ohio University, MSEd
University of Dayton), is the Director of Education for the Krasl
Art Center. She and her husband, Joey Greene, and their
two-year old son, Isaac live in
St. Joseph, Michigan. After a seven year career in
museum education at The Dayton Art Institute in
Dayton,
Ohio Julia is happy to focus her creative
energies in Southwest Michigan.
The
Michigan
communities of St. Joseph and Benton Harbor
present unique racial and economic challenges. Julia believes
that art has the power to mend these cities by bringing people
together, bridging communities, and inspiring youth. She has a
positive impact on the community by actively writing grants to send Krasl Art Center artists out in the community to
facilitate art and cultural experiences with the public. Her
responsibilities also include developing school tours, promoting
outreach programs, and developing public art classes and camps.
In addition to her work at
the Art
Center, Julia is a founding member of
Chartreuse: A Local Arts Co-op. This cooperatively owned and
run gallery started with 12 artists and now features 23 artists
artwork. Julia is a member of the American Association of
Museums and National Art Education Association.
ADAM
J. MARTIN
was
born in Petoskey, Michigan. He graduated from Delton Kellogg
High School in 2000 and received a BA in comparative religion,
English, and gender and women's studies from Western Michigan
University in 2004.
Adam started his career as a Prevention
Specialist in 2004 with Community AIDS Resource and Education
Services, based in Kalamazoo and Benton Harbor, Michigan. With
CARES, Adam provides HIV counseling, education, and testing in
Southwest Michigan, working with high risk populations. In
collaborating with area groups and researching trends in HIV, Adam
assists individuals in developing skills that help them make
healthier life decisions.
With CARES, Adam also facilitates a social
group for young gay men, PROJECT(!). The group is modeled
after an innovative program, the Mpowerment Project, which
incorporates a diffusion of new behaviors through social networks,
peer-influence, putting HIV prevention within the context of other
compelling issues for young gay men, community building, and using
gay-positive approaches to empower participants individually and as
a community.
Adam is certified with the Michigan
Department of Community Health as an HIV counselor, educator, and
tester, and street outreach.
LESA
ANN STRAUSBAUGH
is an enthusiastic education professional with experience in project
management, program development, human resources and marketing.
She was born a twin in Fremont, Ohio, the daughter of Randolph and
Anne Strausbaugh; sister to Erich and Brian.
In her work experience, Lesa has gained a strong understanding of
academic operations and program development. Professional
experiences led to her present position as a Training Coordinator
with Lake Michigan College in Benton Harbor, Michigan.
In this position Lesa works directly with business leaders
developing training programs to enhance workforce skills.
Lesa graduated from Portage High School in 1994,
received a BS in Marketing from Jacksonville State University in
1998; and an MBA from University of Phoenix in 2003. She has a passion for
education, which extends to the success of the institution and its
students. Lesa has had
involvement with many professional and community groups.
She represented the Kalamazoo Area Chamber of Commerce as an
Ambassador for three years, volunteered for Toastmasters
International as a member of the Blue Granite Toastmasters Group,
and mentored elementary students through the Kalamazoo Area Academic
Achievement Program.
MESSAGE TO ALL CLUBS IN DISTRICT 6360
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We need you to promote the Group Study Exchange with your
colleagues and friends. We are looking for young
professionals between the ages of 25 and 40 employed full time
in a recognized business or profession for two years. This
is a great professional development opportunity for team
members. RI covers travel and hosting Rotarians cover
housing and food. Team members only pay for incidental
expenses and insurance. For more information, contact
Alice Blair Ford 269.983.5940 or
aliceanddickford@comcast.net
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What is Group Study
Exchange (GSE)?
This is a vocational and cultural exchange
experience funded by Rotary International Foundation. The team
consists of one Rotarian team leader, and four non-Rotarians,
aged 25-40. Team member candidates must be U.S. citizens and be
employed full-time in a recognized business or profession.
Knowledge of language of the country that we are sending a team
to is helpful, but not required. They will have 20 hours of
orientation and make presentations to area clubs. The exchange
normally involves four weeks of very intense visits to the
country our District sends a team to, usually in the Spring.
District 6360 exchanges GSE teams with a
district in a different country each. Here is a recent history
of the countries with whom we have had exchanges:
2007 - Korea
2006 - Belize, Honduras, & Guatemala
2005 - Peru
2004 - Germany
2008 - Philippines.
2009 - Trip will be to Argentina
Applications are available on the
Rotary International website. Completed applications, signed
by the sponsoring club president, should be sent directly to one
of the GSE co-chairs listed below:
Alice Ford - GSE Chair
Benton Harbor Sunrise Rotary Club
1424 Lake Blvd.
St. Joseph, MI 49085
Phone: 269-983-5940
Email:
aliceanddickford@comcast.net
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