Every year, Marshfield Rotary proudly funds tuition for one or two local high school students to attend the prestigious World Affairs Seminar at Carroll University. This immersive camp centers on building peace through understanding by bringing together global delegates, counselors, and speakers to discuss international conflict, global cooperation, quality healthcare, and education. At a recent club meeting, we had the pleasure of hearing from this year’s sponsored delegate, Chase Olsen, pictured in the upper right of this group photo. Chase is a Marshfield High School senior, and he delivered an impressive presentation that left our entire club deeply inspired.
During his time at the seminar, Chase engaged with peers from diverse backgrounds and cultures through interactive presentations, group discussions, and collaborative projects. Out of the many valuable experiences throughout the week, five specific sessions stood out to him above the rest. These highlights included Thomas Malaby’s session on preserving our capacity to challenge, Bethany Rentsch’s presentation on rebuilding Afghanistan, and a collaborative discussion on mindsetting for peace led by Sunday Goshit and Peter Gerlach. Chase was also highly impacted by the peer delegate presentations and a hands-on diplomacy simulation that allowed students to negotiate real-world crises.
Reflecting on the camp, Chase shared that the experience was profoundly eye-opening, offering incredible opportunities for networking and skill-building. His major takeaways focused on discovering the true beauty in difference, recognizing the vital importance of open communication, and analyzing the culture of force in global politics. He expressed sincere gratitude to the Marshfield Rotary Club for supporting his participation in this life-changing event. It is because of our members' ongoing dedication that we can continue investing in exceptional local students like Chase, and we look forward to seeing where his leadership and passion take him next.