Ripon's Rotary club has supported youth initiatives for a long time as part of its community service and outreach efforts, and Rotary International in 2010 declared "new generations" as one of its core avenues of service.

Ripon High School Seniors

Bob Exner Citizen Award/Scholarship ($1,500) – awarded to a Ripon High School Senior planning to attend a four-year college or university. Ripon Rotary has awarded this scholarship for 50 consecutive years.  Criteria for selection include:

• Outstanding citizen of the graduating class.
• Demonstrates leadership, good character and conduct.
• Class ranking in the upper fifty percent.
• Demonstrates service to his/her community life (minimum of twenty hours.)

Cal Schaub Scholarship ($1,000) – awarded to a student pursuing a degree in international studies or international business. Interest in international relations, community service, and academic achievement are all considered. Cal Schaub was instrumental in starting the Rotary Youth Exchange program at Ripon High School. Criteria for selection include:

• Demonstrates leadership, good character and conduct.
• Class ranking in upper fifty percent.
• Demonstrates service to his/her community life, OR actively participates in an international project (minimum of twenty hours.)

Gordon Minch Technical School Scholarship ($750)– awarded to a Ripon High School student planning to attend a full-time course of study at a vocational/technical college. Criteria for selection include:

• Demonstrate leadership, good character and conduct.
• Demonstrate service to his/her community life (minimum of twenty hours.)
• Shows potential and interest in selected area of study.

Ralph Root Scholarship ($750) – awarded to a Ripon High School student planning to attend a four-year college or university or full-time course of study at a vocational/technical college. Criteria for selection include:

• Demonstrates leadership, good character and conduct.
• Class ranking in the upper fifty percent.
• Demonstrates service to his/her community life (minimum of twenty hours.)

Ripon College General Scholarship Fund

Ripon Rotary makes an annual donation to the general scholarship fund at Ripon College. Ripon Rotary has requested that Ripon College consider leadership, good character and conduct, and, especially, service to his or her home community, the Ripon College community, and the world-wide community when choosing whom to award the scholarship to.

Scholarships for Special/Periodic Programs

STRIVE and REACH: special programs to assist students at Ripon High School.

Badger Boys State/Badger Girls State: Provides support for one boy and one girl to attend the Wisconsin Boys State/Girls State conference each year.  Selection made by Boys State and Girls State organizations.

ACE Program Scholarship: Provides support for one student to attend the Advanced College Experience at Ripon College each summer.  Selection is made by the ACE Program organization.

Ripon Leadership Seminar: Provides support for one Ripon High School student to attend the Leadership Ripon seminar.  Selection of the student is made by Ripon High School.

World Affairs Seminar: Provides support for one student from Ripon High School to attend the World Affairs Seminar each summer.  Selection is made by Ripon High School.  In addition, our Rotary District also provides a scholarship for attendance at this conference.

Scholarships for International Programs and Exchanges:

Rotary International Youth Exchange Program: The Club provides support for one or two Ripon High School students to participate in the Rotary Youth Exchange program for a year.

"The Rotary Foundation does some terrific things, not the least of which is the Ambassadorial Scholarships program." - Michael R. Whiteman, international programs director, University of IdahoRotary Ambassadorial Scholarship Program:  Founded in 1947 as Rotary Foundation's oldest and best-known program, this is now one of the world's largest, privately-funded scholarship programs, fostering international understanding and friendly relations among people of different countries. More than 40,000 undergraduate and graduate students from about 100 countries have studied abroad under its auspices. While abroad, scholars serve as ambassadors of goodwill to the people of the host country and give presentations about their homelands to Rotary clubs and other groups. Upon returning home, scholars share with Rotarians and others the experiences that led to greater understanding of their host countries. Our district, 6270, awards one (1) academic school year Ambassadorial Scholarship each year, to a deserving student among one of its 60 clubs.

Funding is intended to cover round-trip transportation, required academic fees for a normal course load, reasonable room and board expenses, and some educational supplies. Generally, awards will range between $11,000 and $25,000 depending upon actual costs at the assigned study institution, with no award to exceed $25,000.

Applicants must have completed at least two years of university or college course work, or must have a secondary school education and have been employed in a recognized vocation for at least two years, when the scholarship begins. All applicants must be citizens of a country in which there is a Rotary club. Initial application must be made through a local Rotary club in the applicant's legal or permanent residence, or place of full-time study or employment. Persons with disabilities and members of Rotaract clubs are eligible and encouraged to apply.

Learn more and download application materials.

Cecily Hughes, winner of the District #6270 Ambassadorial Scholarship for 2011-2012 telling Ripon Rotarians about her upcoming year of study in Scotland. Ripon Rotary nominated Cecily for the Ambassadorial Scholarship, and she was selected as the recipient by a district selection committee. District #6270 is providing Cecily with $26,000 for her year in Scotland.

 Cecily Hughes Ambassadorial Scholar News Release (963k PDF)