Chelsea Mertz: My Time at Rotary

Suraiya Kassamally hosted our outgoing scholar Chelsea for a farewell lunch. She presented her with a gift of a special kaftan embroidered with colourful thread and sequins which she wore straight away. 

Chelsea Mertz 

My time with Rotary: 

June has been a very busy month! I’m finally done with the coursework portion of my program, and now it’s time to focus on the dissertation. Having exams at the very end of the year is daunting, but the sense of completion is also rewarding. I had roughly seven weeks to prepare as opposed to only one week as I was used to for exams in the typical American university system. While the extra time allowed for more preparation, the lengthy lead up to examinations was also a source of stress.

School aside, as a Rotary Scholar, I went about visiting a number of Rotary clubs throughout the year to talk about my time with Peace Corps and my previous research. I spoke at three different clubs this spring: with the Loughton, Buckhurt Hill and Chigwell in January; then with the Redbridge Club; and finally with the club in Dulwich. After visiting each club, I noticed just how diverse the clubs under the Rotary banner are. It’s always a pleasure to visit with different clubs and get a feel for how each one operates and the camaraderie amongst members.

In the fall, I was honored to walk in the Remembrance Day Parade with fellow Rotarians. The occasion was such a breathtaking tribute, and the gravity of the 100 year memorial of the outbreak of World War I was solemnly beautiful. I felt truly honored to represent other scholars at the ceremony.

I also had the privilege of attending the Ceremony of the Keys at the Tower of London as a guest of the Rotary Club of London this past fall. The poppies filled the moat of the Tower of London, a sea of red spread wall to wall. To witness the ceremony, such a time-honored tradition going back over 700 years, was a unique experience and one I’m so pleased I had the opportunity to witness firsthand. To finish off the day I shared a pint alongside the Yeomen Warders in their off-duty pub in the Tower.

Being a part of the Rotary Scholars has provided a great many wonderful experiences, but it has also demonstrated just how dedicated the London Clubs are to the elements of service that are part of the Rotary charter. Suraiya has been a great scholarship counselor and introduced me to a number of service projects under the organization’sumbrella. I had the pleasure to participate in a Shelter project, fundraise for the Rotary Foundation, and run a Half Marathon to benefit the Royal Parks. 

The year has gone by so quickly and it is hard to believe that I will be moving back to the U.S. in just two short months. I’m currently looking for jobs in Chicago that combine the skills learned from my Human Rights and International Relations degrees. I hope to connect with a Rotary club whilst in Chicago to continue humanitarian service work and to find a network of like-minded people dedicated to building peace and goodwill in the world.